Third Time's a Charm Read online

  The light to her bedroom had been turned on. Heather was awake.

  “Come on. Let’s get you warmed up.” Even though Troy was undoubtedly cold from the water, he seemed more concerned with her well-being than his own. He tried to lead her toward his house.

  Vivien started to follow him without thinking, but a light came on near the side door of her kitchen. She heard footsteps coming down the stairs toward the backyard.

  “Viv?” William’s voice called. “Are you out here?”

  “I didn’t realize you had more company,” Troy said. “Is that your boyfriend?”

  The question was obviously him fishing about her personal life, but she answered truthfully anyway.

  “That’s William Warrick. He’s like my brother. He is, in fact, the brother to my friend Heather,” Vivien said. “He’s dating my roommate.”

  “Oh.” Troy smiled. “So not your boyfriend.”

  “Are you flirting with me? Now?” She shivered.

  “I’ve been trying to flirt with you since we met. Nice of you to finally notice.” Troy nodded toward his house. “Want to come over and get warmed up?”

  “I should go home.” It was right there, after all. “My friends are looking for me.”

  “Viv?” William appeared in the backyard.

  “I’m here,” Vivien answered. She started to walk toward William, only to stop. “Hey, thanks for pulling me out of…”

  Troy had disappeared. She looked into the shadows between their houses, not seeing him.

  “…the water,” she finished weakly.

  Chapter Six

  “Viv, who are you talking to?” William asked as he rushed across the lawn toward her. He wore pajama bottoms and a t-shirt. It was clear he was there to spend the night with Lorna.

  “The neighbor,” Vivien said. “What are you doing out here?”

  “Heather woke up and discovered that you were gone. You’re not answering your phone. She’s worried about you,” William answered. He lifted a hand to touch her shoulder, only to pull back in surprise to find it wet. “What in the world, Vivien? What happened? You’re soaked.”

  William instantly pulled off his t-shirt and wrapped it around her shoulders. The body heat from the material helped fight the chill. He walked her toward the kitchen door.

  The light struck them as they went up the stairs. She gave a small laugh. Furry creatures covered his pants. “Are you wearing teddy bear pajamas?”

  “Grizzly bears,” he corrected as he reached for the door to pull it open. “They’re manly.”

  “If you say so.” Vivien gave a weak cough.

  He yelled, “Found her!”

  “Vivien?” Heather and Lorna called out in unison. They appeared in the doorway from the hall at the same time.

  “We’ve been calling you,” Heather said. “Why didn’t you answer your phone?”

  Lorna had a jacket pulled onto one arm. “We were just about to come to look for you.”

  “Phone’s dead.” Vivien put her cell phone on the counter.

  “Are you…?” Heather rushed toward her. “What happened?”

  “I saw Sam,” Vivien said. “He led me to the ocean.”

  “Why would he lead you into the ocean?” Lorna touched Vivien’s head. “William, go start a warm shower. She’s freezing. We need to get her temperature up.”

  William instantly went to do as his girlfriend bid.

  “Good call,” Heather said. “Come on, Viv. We need to get you warmed up.”

  “I saw Sam with my phone.” Vivien wanted to tell them everything but was finding it difficult to get a coherent story out.

  “Why did Sam take your phone?” Lorna asked.

  “No. I saw him on my phone,” Vivien said. “Sam led me to the ocean, and Troy pulled me out.”

  “Troy was with you?” Lorna shared a look with Heather.

  Her friends wedged themselves under each of her arms and dragged more than walked her toward her bedroom. She felt their worry for her. The concern overwhelmed her own confused emotions.

  “Does she feel quiet to you?” Heather asked. “I mean her feelings. Do they feel quiet?”

  “Yes.” Lorna nodded, and they walked her faster. “Something’s not right about this.”

  “Sam wanted to go swimming,” Vivien said, “but I thought the bonfire would be more like the old days.”

  “Viv, hon, I love you, but you’re not making any sense right now,” Heather said.

  William came into the hall. “Shower’s on.”

  “Thanks, babe,” Lorna said.

  “You might as well go to bed,” Heather told him. “Unless you want to see Viv naked.”

  “Call if you need me,” William answered, quickly leaving them alone.

  Heather pulled at Vivien’s sweater as they walked her toward the bathroom. She tossed it into the sink. The sound of the shower caught her attention.

  “He touched me,” she tried to explain, needing them to know but unable to find the right way to say the words. It was as if her thoughts were held hostage where only moments of clarity could surface.

  Heather and Lorna pushed her into the shower with her clothes on. The warmth hit her skin, and she gave a violent shiver as it chased away the cold.

  “There you are,” Heather said. “I feel you coming back to us. Lift your hands. Give me the t-shirt.”

  “Do you got this? I can go make her tea,” Lorna said. “It might help with the agitation.”

  “Chamomile,” Heather said by way of agreement.

  Lorna nodded. “Scream if you need help. I’m just going to start the kettle.”

  “Heather,” Vivien grabbed her hand to stop her from lifting her shirt. “He touched me.”

  “Who? The hottie neighbor?” Heather asked.

  “Sam touched me. He was trying to show me something in the water.”

  “You know for a fact that it was Sam you were with?” Heather jerked the shirt up, forcing Vivien to lift her arms. “We thought the demon was Glenn, so I’m going to have to hear you say you actually saw Sam’s face.”

  “I saw him glow.” Vivien closed her eyes as the warm soaked deeper into her body, and she stopped shivering. She felt Heather systematically stripping her down to her underwear but didn’t care. “I wanted him to come back to me, and he has.”

  “Shower first. Then you can tell me all about it.” Heather grabbed a loofah and squirted soap on it. The water cascaded over her clothes and hair, but she didn’t appear worried about herself. She leaned over and began washing the sand off Vivien’s calves and feet.

  “You don’t have to do that. You’re getting all wet,” Vivien protested.

  “Shut up and lift your foot. You’re lucky I love you, or else I’d be screaming at you right now about going out in the ocean by yourself. That was very stupid, Viv. You know what the currents are like. You could have died and we wouldn’t have known to even look for you there.”

  “I know. I love you, too.” Vivien smiled, braced her arm, and weakly lifted a foot. “You’re pretty good at this.”

  “Well, you know, when I’m not remodeling houses, running theaters, summoning demons, or fighting crime, I moonlight as a foot washer. It’s a passion of mine.”

  Vivien laughed. “When did you fight crime?”

  “That youngest Larsen kid was skateboarding on the sidewalk downtown. I stopped him,” Heather said.

  “My hero,” Vivien drawled with another laugh, lifting her other foot. “But I didn’t think that was illegal.”

  “It’s not, but his kickflip without pads and a helmet should be. That kid has no balance. I’ve seen him trip over his own feet walking.”

  “Wait, are you talking about Tommy Larsen? Oh, yeah, that kid should not be on wheels. Every time I talk to his mother in passing, I get the impression of minor emergency hospital visits. The first couple of times I thought it was a warning that I needed to do something, that someone was hurting her. But talking to Melissa at the ER, it turn
s out Mrs. Larsen has a boys-will-be-boys mentality when it comes to raising her five sons.”

  Heather’s gaze dropped as she finished washing Vivien’s leg. Vivien felt a wave of sorrow climb up her body before Heather pulled her hand away. She was thinking of her own son.

  Vivien reached for Heather’s head, touching it lightly. “I’m sorry. He was a great kid, and you were the best mom. I miss him too.”

  Heather nodded. “Thank you.”

  The water hit Heather’s face, but Vivien knew tears slid down her friend’s cheeks. Julia had said they were supposed to help each other heal. She wasn’t sure what Julia thought they could do to help ease Heather’s brand of pain, but whatever it was, Vivien would do it.

  “It hits me at the oddest times like a sledgehammer.” Heather stood, stepped out of the shower, and grabbed a towel off the rack. She held it for Vivien.

  “Use it. I’ll grab a robe,” Vivien said, nodding toward Heather’s wet clothes. “Borrow whatever you want. Comfy clothes are in the bottom drawers.”

  Heather blotted herself with the towel. Vivien turned off the shower and stepped out. It had warmed her, but she still felt weak. She cleared her throat a few times. It felt scratchy and sore.

  “I have tea,” Lorna announced.

  “Turn around if you don’t want an eyeful of my lady parts,” Vivien warned, pushing her wet panties from her hips and wiggling out of her bra. Heather averted her attention as she left the bathroom. Vivien grabbed the terrycloth robe from a hook and slipped it over her body.

  Lorna set the mug on a coaster on the nightstand. “Your color is looking better.”

  Vivien made her way to the bed, not bothering to take off the robe. She crawled under the covers. Heather took a change of clothes to the bathroom and shut the door.

  “What happened tonight?” Lorna asked.

  “I heard the motion sensor go off. It woke me up. I thought it was William coming over.” She looked at her nightstand. The phone charger was still there, but her dead phone was in the kitchen. “But it was Sam. I know it.”

  “I don’t see anyone here with us now.” Heather came from the bathroom.

  “I think we all should try to sleep,” Vivien said. “I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted.”

  Lorna nodded and started walking toward the bedroom door. She waited as Heather crawled into bed next to Vivien. She let her hand hover near the light switch. “No more adventures tonight.”

  “Yes, Mom,” Vivien answered with a small smile as she leaned up to take a sip of tea. When she lay back down, Lorna turned off the lights and shut the door.

  “You have to be more careful, Viv,” Heather whispered. “I don’t know why Sam would lead you into danger, but I can’t lose you. I need you to be smarter.”

  Vivien sighed and nodded even though it was dark and Heather couldn’t see her. “I will. I promise.”

  Chapter Seven

  Morning brought with it a clarity she hadn’t had the night before. Correction, the late morning brought with it a clarity Vivien hadn’t had the night before. Walking into the ocean after a spirit—even if that spirit were Sam—had been incredibly stupid. She knew the dangers of the ocean current and cold temperatures.

  After the late-night adventure, they’d all ended up sleeping in. Well, everyone except William. He got up early enough to leave, buy donuts, banana nut muffins, and lattes, and then return before the rest of them awoke.

  “You are a keeper,” Lorna murmured against William’s mouth as he leaned in for a kiss. She held a latte in one hand and a donut in the other. As a couple, they were adorable.

  “Deal. You have to keep him,” Heather said, teasingly giving her brother away. “No take backs. He’s yours. Pleather couches and all.”

  “Why do you always have to make fun of my couches?” William protested. “They’re cool.”

  “Because they have cup holders built in,” Vivien answered.

  “So? Your decor looks like it’s from the nineties,” William countered. He worked as a contractor, building houses in a new development. Despite the fact he hung framed football jerseys on his wall, he wasn’t at a complete loss when it came to an understanding of interior design.

  “Shows what you know,” Vivien countered. “Early two-thousands.”

  “I stand corrected.” William chuckled. “But it doesn’t make it cool.”

  “I get your point. It’s high time I redecorated. I’m thinking reclaimed wood, farmhouse style,” Vivien said, glancing around as if the space would give her some indication what she should do with it, “or maybe shabby chic? Beach cottage might be too obvious, but then again, it could be fabulous. What do you think, roomie?”

  “I think this is your house and you should design it however makes you happy,” Lorna answered.

  “So posters of half-naked guys and bar darts?” William inquired. “Maybe some neon signs?”

  “I do like where your head is at,” Vivien joked with a serious nod. “And maybe a full-size replica of Michelangelo’s ‘David’ for the front lawn.”

  “Classy,” Heather drawled, pulling the lid from her latte and setting it on the counter. “I’m sure your friend Troy will enjoy walking out to a naked statue every morning.”

  “Sure he will. He’s an academic, and Michelangelo is popular with that crowd.” Vivien grinned as she pulled a glazed donut from the box. “The naked guy is serious art.”

  “Classy and classical,” Heather amended.

  “Does anyone else feel like they have a hangover this morning?” Vivien suppressed a yawn. Her mind and body felt sluggish.

  “No,” Lorna set down her latte and reached the back of her hand to touch Vivien’s forehead to test her temperature. “Do you feel sick from being in the water last night?”

  The tingling of the touch didn’t surprise Vivien, but as her thoughts began to clear, she realized Lorna was trying to take some of the fatigue for herself. She slapped Lorna’s hand away. “Stop that.”

  Lorna swayed on her feet and touched her head. “I see what you mean. Did you take anything last night? Sleeping pills? This reminds me of being pill drunk.”

  “Pill drunk?” William inquired.

  “When you take cold medicine or painkillers or whatever and you feel—” Lorna shrugged. “—kind of drunk. Woozy.”

  “High,” Heather clarified.

  “I’ve never heard that phrase before,” he said.

  “That’s because you’re a boring fuddy-duddy,” Vivien teased.

  “Not everyone can be a party animal like you, Viv,” William answered. “What were you thinking last night when you went swimming with Troy?”

  “I wasn’t swimming with Troy.” Vivien frowned, studying her donut as she pinched off a small piece and brought it to her mouth.

  “Making out by the shore, then?” William scrunched up his face. “All I know is you looked flushed, wet, and were mumbling some strange excuses when we caught you.”

  “You didn’t catch me, you found me.” Instead of eating, Vivien threw the piece of food at his head.

  William snapped his mouth to catch it and then grinned with victory as he chewed in exaggeration.

  “Troy just happened to be walking by, and he pulled me out of the water. I was…” She didn’t want to tell him. “I was following Sam.”

  “I take it this has something to do with the séance you ladies were planning last night?” William’s tone revealed that he still wasn’t too pleased with the idea of them dabbling in magic. He looked at Lorna. “I thought you said everything was fine?”

  “It was,” Lorna answered guiltily. “No reason to think there are demons.”

  It wasn’t any secret that until a few weeks ago, when William had been knocked unconscious by the same demon that had gone after Lorna, he’d spent his entire life denying the existence of the supernatural. He’d been raised by a mother who’d hated the Warrick family legacy she’d married into, and by nature, William usually came at things from a
logical perspective.

  Vivien was impressed by how far he’d come. He now at least admitted ghosts were real, even if he didn’t share the same enthusiasm for talking to the dead that the three friends had. And he no longer flinched and felt compelled to denounce Julia as a con artist every time someone mentioned his grandmother. That in itself was genuine progress.

  When no one readily answered, he added, “It’s okay. You can talk about it in front of me. What happened last night?”

  Heather gave Vivien a pointed look.

  “Lorna didn’t lie. We have no reason to believe that a demon crossed over into our world,” Vivien said.

  “But?” William insisted.

  “It didn’t go very well. We did everything right, but…” Vivien struggled to put her feelings into words. This was definitely a new problem for her. Typically her psychic senses made her sure of herself. Half the time she couldn’t shut up. Now she felt like she was fumbling around for what to say.

  “Sam didn’t leave like Glenn did,” Lorna said. “He passed through the circle and broke the vases in the front room.”

  “I felt him inside me,” Vivien added. She studied the half-eaten donut, suddenly not hungry. “I smelled him. I had forgotten how he always smelled like the beach. But there was so much pain there too. Even now I can feel the ache, the burning. I think he needs our help. I don’t think he’s in a,” her voice caught, “in a good place.”

  “Burning? Was he on fire when you saw him last night?” William asked, confused. “Is that why you went to the ocean? To put out the flames?”

  “No, later last night he wasn’t burning, he was,” Vivien gestured helplessly, “friendly?”

  “A friendly ghost?” William seemed even more skeptical. He looked at Lorna. “I thought you said you weren’t drinking last night.”

  “We weren’t,” Lorna said. She rubbed William’s arm. “Let her tell it.”

  Vivien took a deep breath and then attempted to tell them everything that had happened after she woke up to the motion alarm. The story was stunted and inarticulate, but she managed. There was no point in hiding anything. When she’d finished, William was frowning, Heather gave her a sad smile, and Lorna nodded her head.