Me and My Ghoulfriends (13 page)

“I have some things to do first, so I’ll just meet you at the restaurant. I suppose we’re going to
Pie in the Sky
?”

Considering that was the only real pizza place in town, I’d assumed that was where he’d meant. I smiled at him, and he still looked a little bothered by my behavior from before, so I almost felt sorry for him. I say
almost
because I suddenly had a vision of Brianna flash through my mind.

Abe and Vivian were beaming as they glanced back and forth between me and Callahan, apparently happy with their matchmaking abilities. Mrs. Williams was quietly watching the scene from the corner of the room. Thankfully, she wasn’t singing or badgering me, although she’d probably just follow me on my date and then break out into song.

The longer she had to wait for me to speak to her husband the more aggressive she became. Last night I had stopped by and tried to talk to him, but he just wouldn’t talk to me. The poor guy was really depressed.

I’d promised her I’d keep trying, but it wasn’t fast enough to suit her. The longer it took, the angrier she got.

“I’ll see you at the restaurant. I’m really looking forward to tonight,” Callahan grinned.

If I didn’t answer that statement, I knew for sure he’d think I didn’t like him anymore. But did it really matter what he thought? From what Mindy said, by all accounts Brianna and Callahan were together, but just how together I didn’t know. I was so confused.

“I’m looking forward to it too,” I finally managed to answer.

He smiled, turned and walked to the door. Turning his head, he gave one more grin, and then strolled out the door.

I tried to sound normal, like I didn’t have suspicions in my mind. As I watched him disappear around the corner, I wondered what I’d just gotten myself into. Why on earth was I agreeing to a date? Indubitably it was because he was gorgeous.

As soon as he was out of sight, I called Mindy to tell her what I’d agreed to. When she answered, I abruptly chickened out.

“What’s up?” she said merrily into the phone.

Her cheery tone scared me away from breaking the news to her over the phone. Although, over the phone, she couldn’t kill me.

“Where are you?” I asked casually.

“Why?”

“Are you coming over?”

“As a matter of fact, I am.”

Just then the bell tinkled, grabbing my attention.

“I’m here now,” Mindy said as I looked at her walking through the door, cellphone at her ear.

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Me and My Ghoulfriends

Chapter 11

“Where are the doughnuts?”

“You said you didn’t want doughnuts. You need to lose five pounds, remember? Besides, doughnuts are for mornings.”

“I know I said that, but I’m shocked you really believed me. And doughnuts are for any time, not just mornings.” I laughed.

She shrugged. “You tell me to do something and I do it.”

“Yeah, right. You never do anything I tell you to do.”

“Do you think we can hang up now?”

We both giggled and clicked our phones shut in unison.

“Where did you get that?” she shrieked, pointing at the tall paper cup perched on the counter.

“I…um…” I was in serious trouble.

“Spit it out, now. I want all the details of how this hot, steaming cup of coffee got here.” Mindy snatched up the cup and waved it in the air. “I know it’s not an old cup because it still has steam coming off it,” she barked.

“Callahan brought it to me,” I mumbled.

“Why?” Mindy plopped her giant purse down on the counter.

I shrugged.

“You do know why. Save yourself the agony and tell me now.”

I gave her a sheepish grin.

“I can’t believe you are talking to him after I specifically told you not to. I told you he was with that tart. You shouldn’t even let him in the door. Ban him from setting foot in this place.”

“He asked me out for another date,” I mumbled, thinking maybe she wouldn’t hear me. Maybe she would just drop the subject. Who was I kidding?

“I hope you told him no and where to go. And hopefully you told him where to stick this coffee cup of his as well.” She gave me a furious glare.

“Actually, I told him yes.” I almost ducked, afraid she might smack me.

Surprisingly, very calmly, she said, “And why did you do that?” She enunciated every word.

“Because we’re not sure what he was doing. Granted, I don’t want to date him if he is with Brianna. But you really just saw them talking, and nothing else. I figure perhaps I can maybe just come out and ask him what he was doing. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.”

“Good luck with that. Where are you going?” She turned her face from me and looked out the window. No doubt she was giving me the cold shoulder.

“For pizza.”

“Just be careful, Larue. I don’t want you to get hurt.” She looked at me again. This time her glare was replaced with a look of worry.

“How can I get hurt?”

“Like he could break your heart—that’s how you can get hurt.”

“I would never let that happen.”

“Oh, just like you didn’t let it happen in college with John?”

“Yeah, well I learned my lesson after him. I’d never let that happen again.”

Mindy walked over to the window to look out.

I knew she was upset with me, but I felt I was doing the right thing. For once, I wanted to do what I wanted to do, not what everyone else told me to do. I was sorry she felt bad, but it was something I had to do. I didn’t walk over to Mindy, I thought I’d let her have her space.

After a few minutes she broke the silence.

“Come here and look at this,” Mindy said, beckoning me over to the window.

“What is it?” The concern in her voice had me worried.

I scurried over as quickly as I could. “Is someone hurt?”

“Why does she have those black candles in a circle like that?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Hold on.” Mindy walked back to the counter and yanked down her purse, bringing it back over to our spot in front of the window. She reached inside, her arm thrust in up to her elbow. Then she whipped out her trusty binoculars. I should have known she’d drag those out.

“Put those down! She’s going to see you.”

At first Mindy didn’t reply, intent on spotting her target. Like she was hunting her prey. She was a woman on a mission.

Finally, she responded, “She can’t see over here. Besides, she’s too busy with her weird séance-voodoo-creepy thing.”

“She has candles. I don’t think candles constitute voodoo or whatever. And, by the way, if you can see her, she can see you.” I waved my finger at her.

“Look at the way those candles are flickering. Don’t you think they look a bit strange?”

“Oh gosh. Candles that are flickering? They do look strange, now that I think about it. Wait, maybe you should call the Fire Marshall?” I giggled at my own joke.

“Is she religious? Maybe that’s why she has all the candles.” Mindy gave me a serious look, searching my face for my answer.

I looked at her for a second, then said, “I heard she dated a preacher once. Is that close to being religious?”

We exchanged glances, then burst into laughter.

Mindy thrust the binoculars at me. “Here, have a look for yourself, and tell me what you think.”

I stuck the big things up to my face, not sure what I’d see. I figured it would just be a bunch of candles.

As I peered through the binoculars across the street I saw that Brianna had candles around her, and she had her eyes closed. She looked kind of peaceful with the glowing candles all encircling her.

“I have to admit it is really strange.”

“So what do you think she is doing?”

“Actually, I think she may be meditating.”

“I don’t think that’s it. It could be part of her religion, although I don’t think you’d use black candles for any religion.”

“Unless it’s… it’s witchcraft.”

I gave Mindy a wide-eyed glare. “Oh come on, be serious.”

“It’s kind of creepy. It gives me chills,” she said.

“That’s nothing new. Brianna has always been kind of creepy.”

Mindy glanced at her wrist. “I’m gonna be late for my class.”

She grabbed the binoculars and tossed them back in her purse.

“I’ll call you later.” And with that, she was gone.

It was just me and my band of banshees for the rest of the day. Oh, and maybe the occasional customer if I were lucky. I had a lot of favorite things in life, blueberry doughnuts, diet coke, pepperoni pizza. All right, I had a pattern going—I liked food. One thing that wasn’t on my list of favorites was talking to the dead non-stop. Sure, it had its moments. I mean, who else gets a chance to talk to Abe Lincoln? But the novelty wears off quickly.

*

I slumped my shoulders and sighed as I scanned my closet. I’d been so excited about dressing for my date on Friday, but days later, and I didn’t know what to do.

Mindy’s words echoed in my mind. “Don’t trust him,” she’d said.

So now, did I dare to wear sweats? I mean what’s the point of dressing up? The date probably would be a waste of time anyway.

“You want him to know how sexy you are, and what he’s missing out on if he doesn’t date you. So wear something nice.”

I spun around to see Mr. Haynes standing behind me, watching me eye my closet. Did he just say sexy? Oh dear. That was like my grandfather telling me how to be sexy. I could feel the heat rise to my cheeks. With that comment I really had heard it all; fashion advice from beyond the grave.

I slipped on a teal-colored blouse that revealed just the right amount of cleavage, and my favorite pair of True Religion jeans. After all, it was pizza, no need to get that dressed up. I gathered my purse and headed out the door.

When I glanced over my shoulder to see Abe and Mr. Haynes sitting in the backseat, staring sadly out the window, I felt bad, because I hadn’t spent enough time trying to help them. It wasn’t as if I hadn’t tried at all, but for some reason, I was in a slump and I couldn’t snap out of it. It felt as if I had a black cloud hanging over my head.

The parking lot was almost empty when I pulled up in front of the pizza joint. I flipped down the mirror on the visor of my car and examined my reflection. Not bad. My eyes seemed a little puffy from lack of sleep, though. But overall, not bad.

I swiped on a layer of strawberry-squeeze pink lipstick and then attempted to smooth down my frizzies with the palms of my hands. Just then a thunderous noise rattled near my ear. I jumped and let out a screech from deep within my chest; someone had knocked on my car window right beside my head, making my heart fall to the pit of my stomach.

It was Callahan, standing there looking more gorgeous than ever. One misbehaving lock dangled on his forehead. How the hell did he do that? There I was, with bags under my eyes, probably lipstick on my teeth, and a having a seriously bad hair day, and he was standing there looking like a model.

In spite of myself, I couldn’t help but smile at him. I wanted to be mad, aloof or whatever you call it, but I was finding it increasingly hard the more I was around him. I unlocked the door, and Callahan reached for the handle, holding it open for me while I stepped out. In that instant, I was glad I had followed the ghost’s advice and worn something slightly sexy. How embarrassed would I have been if I’d shown up in sweats? I wouldn’t be able to make him wild with desire for me, donning durable jersey.

“You look stunning.”

Wow, stunning wasn’t the word I’d expected him to use, but I’d accept it; he was really laying it on thick.

“Thank you,” I said, brushing a flyaway strand of hair from my face.

“Are you hungry?”

Was I hungry? I was always hungry. I’d have to stop myself from wolfing down the pizza and scaring the hell out of him. He’d think I was some wild animal that had been caged, and which hadn’t eaten in days.

“Sort of.” I smiled, giving my best attempt at an I-don’t-eat-much-look. Maybe he wasn’t buying it, but at least I’d tried.

As I turned to walk to the entrance, out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of what I thought was a look of appreciation from Callahan. Was he checking out my butt? I was happy, for a second, until I thought of him checking out Brianna in the same manner. Damn, I couldn’t win.