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“Itake it you believe?”
Autumnnodded, an earnest expression on her pretty face. “Whenyou live in a place like this, you can’t help but believe.You’llsee for yourself, if you open your eyes.”
Goosebumpserupted across the back ofHazel’sneck, and she felt dizzy, just for a second.Shefelt acutely aware of everything around her, as though it was the most important thing in the world to soak it all up.
Alaugh bubbled up inside her, and she let it out.Autumnsmiled at her.
“ThisisOakStreet,” she said, gesturing down to the left as they continued upMain. “Thisis whereIlive.Withmy mom.Fornow.”
“I’mnot judging,” saidHazel, lifting her hands.
TheypassedPineanother residential street lined with pretty houses, large trees and wide sidewalks.Autumnhung a left ontoCedar, driving past several more cozy, colonial-style houses before turning down a large, winding drive at the end of the street.
“Hereit is.TheShephardInn, proudly run by my family since 1948.”
TWO
“Wow,”Hazelbreathed.She’dseen pictures of the hotel online, but seeing it in person hit different.Asprawling mansion rose up before her, sitting serenely on the top of a softly sloping hill covered in lush, green grass.Agabled slate roof sat atop the enormous house, which was encased in pale limestone.Frenchwindows dotted the walls at even intervals, and twin stone chimneys rose up on either side of the massive gable.
“Yousound impressed,” saidAutumn, a smile in her voice.Hazelnodded, tucking a wayward strand of hair behind her ear.
“Iam.Imean,Isaw the pictures online, butIdon’t think they fully captured just how amazing this place is.”NowHazelunderstood whyGossamerFallsonly had the one hotel.Becauseeven though she hadn’t seen the inside yet, she knew there was no way anything could possibly compete with this.Itwas beautiful and peaceful, warm and welcoming.
Autumnpulled the van around the circular drive and under a porte cochere stretching out from the main entrance. “Herewe are,” she said, cutting the van’s ignition.Shehopped down from the driver’s seat and quickly retrievedHazel’sbag from the back.Hazelfollowed her inside, and it was as though every single ounce of tension in her body just melted away.
Theystepped into a wide hall with gleaming wood floors and warm lighting.Tothe left was a dark wood staircase with an elaborately carved banister, with what looked to be the reception desk nestled beneath it.Straightahead, she could see a room with a wall of windows facing what looked like a pond.
“That’sthe sunroom,” saidAutumn, pointing straight ahead. “Andeven though it’s called the sunroom, it’s my favorite place to be when it’s raining, especially ifAdamlights the fireplace.”
“Adam?”
Autumngrinned, something almost mischievous twinkling in her eyes. “Yep.Myoldest brother.He’sthe manager of the hotel.”
“Gotcha.Doyou like working with him?”
Autumnrolled her lips inward. “Mostly, yes.Andhe needs me.Sothis is whereI’msupposed to be.”Sheswallowed and then gestured to a large room on the right. “That’sthe lounge.Gotake a look andI’llget your room key.”
Hazelwalked slowly toward the double doors, the floors creaking in welcome beneath her feet.Woodbeams ran along the vaulted ceiling, and a collection of leather couches sat grouped around the biggest stone fireplaceHazelhad ever seen in her life.Floor-to-ceiling windows framed it on either side, looking out onto the property and theHudsonHighlandsin the near distance.Awrought-iron chandelier hung from the ceiling’s apex, casting a soft, warm glow over the area.Onthe mantel, there were candles, books, and aging maps of the area, framed and tilted against the stone.Sheturned slowly, taking it all in.Asmall bar sat against the far wall, set up for coffee or something stronger.Butit was the wall at the opposite end of the room that had her gasping and rushing over.Built-in bookshelves spanned the entire length of it, and there was even a rolling ladder attached to a rail that ran along the top.
Hazelfound herself letting out a giddy little laugh as she approached it, pushing her finger against the wood and giving it a tentative slide.Then, glancing over her shoulder, she let out another giggle as she stepped on and whooshed down several feet.Theladder stopped with a sudden, jarring halt, almost as though someone had grabbed it.
“Must’vesnagged,” she murmured to herself, glancing up at the rail.Hereyes landed on a worn copy of something familiar, and forgetting about the snagged rail, she reached forward and pulled the heavy book off the shelf.Itwas a copy ofTheMistsofAvalon, a book she’d read and loved as a teenager.Infact, it was one of the books that had made her want to be a writer in the first place, and she couldn’t remember the last time she’d read it.
Aslight coolness slid over her skin, almost like a draft, except it felt almost like a caress.Butit must’ve been a draft because the book’s cover flopped open in her hands, right to the very first page of the story.Hazelgently closed the cover and took the book with her back into the hallway.
“Isit okay ifIborrow this?” she askedAutumn, who was typing away at the computer behind the dark wood desk.Autumnglanced up and then nodded.
“Sure.Didyou pick it, or did the ladder?”
“What?” askedHazel, even though she was pretty sure she already knew whatAutumnwas talking about.
Autumnstopped typing and looked up. “So…some people think the hotel is haunted.Butgood haunted.”
Hazelstepped closer, intrigued. “Really?Hauntedhow?”
“Withbenevolent spirits.Two, actually.”
“Benevolentspirits…as in spirits who try to help people?”
