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“Not really.” Although I missed the historical buildings and the sense of a past that many places in America lacked. Steven didn’t need to know about my love of history though. He didn’t need to know anything about me at all.
“I’d like to travel more,” he said. He finished with the air gizmo and was now using a black cloth to wipe down the keyboard and screen. “I promised Ashley I’d take her to Greece someday. She wants to see one of those black sand beaches.”
“Those are very cool,” I agreed.
He twisted to look at me. “Have you been to one?”
“I have.” It had been a good trip with minimal ghostly interaction.
“Cool. When we find Ash, I’m going to tell her that’s our next trip. It’ll take me time to save the money, but it’ll be worth it to see the look on her face.” He was smiling at the computer screen now, presumably thinking about how he could make his missing sister happy.
“I told you he’s sweet,” Nana Pratt said, sighing with contentment. There was so much love packed into that single sigh that I felt my chest constrict in response. The grief of losing Pops ripped through me unexpectedly.
I forced myself to think about Ashley and forget my own pain. Steven sounded so confident that Ashley would return home safely. Even if we found her alive, that didn’t mean she’d be unharmed. There were too many unknown variables at this point.
“I’ve been making the rounds in town,” I said. “Talking to people about Ashley.”
He nodded, maintaining his focus on the computer.
“He trusts you,” Nana Pratt said.
“I wish he wouldn’t,” I mumbled. I wasn’t a detective; this was an informal favor that, in hindsight, I should’ve refused.
I steeped the teabag, then added milk and one teaspoon of sugar at his request.
“Why do you drink hot tea in the middle of the day when it’s eighty degrees outside?” he asked.
“You just asked for a cup,” I said accusingly.
He shrugged. “I was feeling nostalgic.”
“Iced tea wouldn’t make me feel any cooler.” Plus, it had become a habit. Iced tea wasn’t as prevalent in England; the weather didn’t warrant it.
“You’ll have to do something about your AC soon,” he said. “You’ll pass out in here if it gets much hotter. At the very least, buy a few fans, unless, of course, you prefer to suffer.”
Ha! It was like he knew me already.
Fans weren’t a bad idea though. “I noticed some in Hewitt’s the last time I was there.” I might as well sell Clark a kidney because I didn’t have enough money to afford all the things I needed from his store.
“Yeah, or you could drive further afield to one of the chain stores.”
“I’d rather shop local.”
“Good girl,” Nana Pratt said, nodding her approval.
“You don’t need to be here,” I told her.
Steven turned his head toward me. “I do if you expect me to fix this thing.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean you.”
His eyebrows inched up. “Oh. Are you talking to a ghost?”
“Nana Pratt is very invested in your progress.”
He broke into a broad grin. “Tell her I’m going to bake lemon tarts using her recipe.”
“What’s the occasion?” Nana Pratt asked.
