CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Amanda shuddered as the jail cell door slammed into the locked position, trapping her and Jake for the unforeseeable future. At least they were together, not in adjoining cages. One good thing about Abandon, Alabama. Not much room in the small-town jail.

Jake gripped the bars as if he could change their fate. She sat on the cot and buried her face in her hands.

If only they hadn’t returned to Zephyr Land at sunset. Had they returned to the inn, she’d be giving Pearl and Sarah hello messages from Becca right now. Instead, she and Jake were stuck in a jail cell. For the night, at least.

“You okay?” she asked. His fingers had grown white from gripping the bars.

He turned halfway around, staring at the floor in her direction. “Fine. I just want to get us out of here.”

“Me too, but it won’t happen tonight.”

He groaned, released the bars, and sat on the cot next to her. “I’m sorry about this. It was stupid of me to not have the letter from the lawyers in my possession every second—”

“Don’t blame yourself. People forget things. It happens.”

“Not to me.” The fury in his gaze hadn’t waivered.

“We’ll get our phone call in the morning,” she said. “The law offices will clear us, right?”

“Of course.” He reached out, put his hand on her knee. “I’m sorry. I feel like a jerk with all this.”

She’d never seen him with such self-loathing. Had he really gone his entire life without having made a serious mistake? That sense of nonfailure twenty-four seven had to be exhausting. Maybe more so than keeping secrets about ghost abilities.

“What happens tomorrow? Will we need bail?” she asked.

“If they confirm with the law office first thing, the charges will be dropped, and we’ll be released. I doubt bail will be involved.”

She nodded, grateful for one piece of good news. “My aunt can come get us, if we need it.”

Jake flashed her a smile. “The crazy aunt who you don’t want to see much? Nah, we’ll be okay. Take a cab back to Zephyr Land. If we can get a few decent hours sleep, then tomorrow won’t be a wasted day. We can continue working.”

She nodded. “Did you make any progress on the roller coaster? Did the company use cheap equipment?”

His eyes brightened. “No. Many bolts were too banged up to inspect, but the ones I could see had premium markings on them. So subpar bolts didn’t cause the derailment.”

She glanced around the stark room. One cot, one ugly toilet that she didn’t dare use. In simplicity, things had become clear.

“So Randall Kern might just be a disgruntled employee. He may not have sabotaged the roller coaster like we thought.”

“Like you thought,” Jake said.

She half smiled at him. “Fine, like I thought.”

“That’s true. I still need to inspect the upstop wheels, the ones that keep the cars on the track. And unless I find something strange, the derailment might be what it’s been called all these years. An accident.”

He frowned when he spoke, and a tiny pang struck her heart. He’d put so much forethought and stock into this research. To not learn what really caused the derailment must be hard to swallow.

“Maybe the remaining bolts and wheels will provide enough proof to pinpoint the cause.” She used as much hope in her voice as she could muster, given their circumstances.

“Perhaps. If not, I can still document my findings. Between the photos you’ve taken and Randall’s interview…” Jake patted her knee. “At least I’ve been able to garner more info than anyone else in the last ten years. That has to count for something.”

She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. “I’m sure it will.”

* * *

Amanda struggled to raise her eyelids. They were so heavy, like someone held them down. Random din noises echoed through the hallway outside. Keys jingling, computers pinging as people logged in, and the smell of strong coffee wafted into the cell.

“I want some,” she moaned.

“Jake Mercer and Amanda Moss,” an authoritative voice said.

She shook Jake’s shoulder. “Wake up.”

Jake moaned, glanced up. “What?”

“The officer called our names.” She pointed to outside the cell, where a deputy waited.

Jake stood up, wiping the sleep from his eyes. “Officer?”

“Yes. You’re Jake Mercer?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And Amanda Moss?”

“Yes, sir.”

The deputy stretched his keys from his belt and unlocked their cell. “We cleared everything with your trespassing charge. Charges have been dropped.”

Amanda breathed a sigh of relief and squeezed Jake’s hand. “Thank you.”

Maybe she imagined it, but the air felt different once they’d left the holding cell. Freer, though perhaps the feeling was psychological. Either way, she’d take it.

“Sign here,” the deputy said, handing over his clipboard.

Amanda scribbled her name on the form, followed by Jake.

“Let’s get cleaned up, grab some breakfast,” he said. “Then go to the park, where we are allowed to be.”

She chuckled at how he said the last few words with emphasis just so the deputies standing nearby could hear him. Their night in jail was over. Time to get back to work.

When they entered the Abandon Inn lobby, Pearl panted as her heavyset frame chased Clive around the room.

“I told you, the reenactment isn’t today! You haven’t been to one for ten years,” Pearl said, her voice loud and desperate.

Clive, who sported a Confederate uniform complete with the hat, grinned wide. “Woman, we’re going to Selma!”

“No we’re not, you old fool! If I ever get a watchdog, I’m gonna make certain he keeps you in line.”

Pearl picked up her pace and set her hand on his shoulder. “Come on now. Let me refill your canteen. How ’bout you come with me to the office?”

Clive waggled his eyebrows. “Trying to get in my good graces, eh?”

Amanda watched the two of them back and forth like a bad tennis match. “Can we help you with anything?”

Pearl rolled her eyes, letting out an exasperated sigh. “I’m just trying to contain Clive. He’s gone around the bend this time.”

Before Amanda could reply, Jake stepped in front of Clive and saluted.

“General Robert E. Lee here,” Jake said, his voice serious and deep.

Clive snapped to attention, held a firm salute. “Yes, sir. What are your orders?”

“Let the woman refill your canteen. We’re holding back on our mission until tomorrow.”

“Yes, General!” Clive nodded, stepped back, and went with Pearl to the back room without complaint or argument.

Pearl waved a chubby arm of thanks before disappearing into the back room.

Amanda chuckled. “You certainly have the touch, Jake Mercer.”

With a wink, he said, “Do I now?”

“If you ever give up engineering, you’d be great with elderly folks.”

Jake shrugged. “He reminds me of my grandfather. Crazy old coot, just like Clive.”

Amanda rested a hand on his forearm. “I thought you did great.” She glanced around the room. No sign of Sarah, not even by the umbrella rack. Amanda sighed. Guess she would give Pearl and Sarah the hello from Becca later.

“Let’s get cleaned up,” Amanda said. “Get some breakfast before going to Zephyr Land.”

“Yep. C’mon, beautiful. I predict you’ll join me for a quick shower.”

“You think so, huh?”

His eyes sparkled. “I have a way with words.”

“You do, do you?”

“My girl told me so,” Jake said with a smile.

The rising heat in her cheeks seemed to flood her face all at once. Damn her blushing nature. She probably looked like a clown. There was never a need to wear blush for makeup. Her rosy cheeks and tendency to blush always added color to her face.

“Race you upstairs,” she said. Then she leapt past him to ascend the staircase first.

“No fair. I wasn’t ready.”

“Too bad, General Lee.”

He laughed. “I may be from the South, but honestly, it’s the only name I could think of. I’m fairly certain Lee never went to Selma, but I hoped Clive would buy the excuse.”

She reached the room door first, turned around, and welcomed him a few seconds later with open arms.

“What does the lady wish for first prize?” he whispered.

To keep my secrets forever. Stop. I have to tell him sometime. Just not now.

With a coy voice, she said, “I’m sure I’ll think of something.”

Once they entered the room, he eased up behind her and curled his arms around her waist. Resting his chin on her shoulder, he nuzzled her neck.

She shivered. Every cell in her being trembled with him being so close.

“I’m going to put the shower on,” he whispered. “Care to join me?”

Knots formed in her stomach, combined with a fluttery feeling. Quick. Think of a coy response to stall the inevitable decision. Did his invitation to shower with him mean he expected they’d make love? Or did he simply want to be close?

Their first time had been wonderful, but the post-togetherness guilt? Not so much. She couldn’t go through the agony of experiencing that distance between them again. Before they made love again, she had to tell him about her supernatural abilities. And right now, on the verge of a twosome shower, wasn’t ideal.

“Amanda?” he prompted, his voice low and sexy.

“Seems to me you already predicted I’d join you.”

“Predicted, yes, but never demanded. But I did hope, Amanda Moss. Hoped.”

His hot breath on her skin sent jolts of electricity through her. It was intoxicating to be free, young, and in love. No more jail cells. No more horror.

She wanted to be close. Near him.

Jake’s kiss was slow and deep. One by one, every strand of their clothing was unbuttoned, unzipped. Until it all fell to the floor in colorful piles. The whisk of the shower curtain marked the next step. Steam clouds rose from the shower, making Jake’s eyes appear even bluer against his tan skin.

“Ladies first?”

She stepped inside, her bare feet touching the mosaic tile base. He joined her, leaning his face into the jet stream to dampen his hair.

In that instant, she rediscovered why she’d been attracted to him in the first place. Droplets of water clung to his angular chin, not wanting to fall from the hairs on his chest. If she were one of those droplets, she’d have held on for dear life too. Just to be near the man for another second.

Jake Mercer, an absolutely gorgeous man. And he was here, in Abandon, with her.

With a wink, Jake said, “Lean back. Get your hair wet.”

“What?”

“I want to wash your hair,” he said plainly. “So get your hair wet.”

Not what she expected, but maybe he only wanted to be close too? Maybe she wouldn’t have to make love now. This was only the perfect opportunity to be together without the guilt.

She let the surging water soak into her scalp and through her long curls, then brushed the water off her face with her hands.

Jake poured a spoonful of peachy-smelling shampoo into his hands. “Turn around so your back is to me.”

She turned and faced the showerhead and let the water drip down the front of her. Suddenly, every cell in her body tingled. Holy cow. Jake massaged her scalp, moved his magical fingers in circles. A sweet peach scent hovered in the air between them. She closed her eyes and made a low moan.

“I thought you might like this,” he said, his breath warm on her shoulder.

She managed to get out a few intelligible words. “You have amazing hands.”

“All the better to touch you, my dear.”

For several long seconds, she closed her eyes. Allowed Jake’s hands to work through her long curls. The pulse of the hot water, the smell of peaches, the smell of Jake…

“Time to rinse,” he said.

“Hmm?”

“Rinse,” he repeated, pointing at the showerhead. “You don’t want soap in your hair or eyes, do you?”

“Guess not.”

She stepped forward, carefully placing her feet. Let the hot water whoosh away the peach smells of the shampoo as it traveled down her hair to the ends and dropped to the tile below.

Once rinsed, she turned around to face him. “Your turn.”

He gave a cocky smile. Placed his wet hand on her cheek. Caressed one side of her face, then leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.

The steam seemed to increase in that instant. Was it her imagination, or had their kiss somehow turned water into its alternative form?

Jake pressed tiny kisses onto her lips, the split second of each one making her yearn for more.

“You’re teasing me, Jake Mercer.”

With a knowing grin, he said, “All’s fair in love and war.”

Love? Had the man just said love?

As if he could read her mind, he quickly dropped eye contact. Picked up the shampoo bottle, reached for her hand, and poured some.

“My turn.”

As the word love spun around in her mind like some mathematical equation to be solved, she did her best to return the awesome feeling of having one’s hair washed by someone else.

“You’re not so bad yourself,” Jake said as she dug her nails deeper to wash his scalp.

Love?

Her hands paused as the word seemed to fill her mind with neon lights. Granted, he hadn’t said the three words—I love you—but he had referred to the word all the same. But how could he love her when he didn’t even know the real her?

Guilt crept back in, washed over her faster than the showerhead’s pump.

“Don’t leave me half soapy here,” Jake said. He tilted his head to her like a dog prompting its owner for a good petting.

“Sure.” She continued to scrub, then switched places with him so he could rinse.

“Feels good,” he said, placing his face and hair in the middle of the shower stream. “Want me to wash your back?”

“Sure.” She planted her feet solidly on the tile. Last thing she needed was for her knees to wobble from his touch.

He moved the soap in tiny circles along her back. She breathed deep, knowing where this could lead. No matter what, she needed to keep them close but not get intimate. Not now. Maybe she could tell him about her gift tonight?

His smooth hands traced over the soap to increase the lather on her shoulders. She leaned her head back on his chest, and he bent in and kissed her ear.

“Jake…”

“Yeah?”

I can see and talk to the dead.

No. Not the time. But she couldn’t be intimate again until she told him.

“Want me to do your back?” she finally said. Anything to keep his navigating hands above her waistline. Once they dipped below, she wouldn’t be able to stop without him becoming upset.

“Sure.”

His chest brushed against hers as they exchanged positions once more. With the water pounding on her back, she soaped the area between his muscular shoulders. Then down his arms. As she approached his waist, her hands began to tremble.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Yeah. Just give me a second.”

She quickly washed herself, knowing if they crossed the line into intimacy, there would be no turning back, and she needed to be clean.

Jake turned, saw her rinsing, and frowned. “You should’ve saved the fun parts for me.”

“I…um…”

His blue-eyed gaze seemed to stare right into her soul. Inside those blues, she saw passion. Admiration. With a tweak of sadness.

“So we aren’t doing calisthenics this morning?” he added.

What could she say? She didn’t want to turn him down, but she couldn’t bear the guilt again. Damn her aunt Anzhela for being right all along. Especially once Jake had said the word love, even in passing conversation.

“We’ve had a rough night,” Amanda said. “I want to enjoy being close to you. It’s wonderful, but let’s stay focused. Get ourselves clean and to the park.”

He shot her one of his mischievous grins, the kind where dimples shone bright from his face. “Showers get people clean, Amanda.”

Heat flared in her cheeks. “I know. I just—”

“Yeah, I get it.”

Had there been a hint of anger in his voice? Or had she imagined it?

She lifted the soap, started to rub it across his well-defined chest.

“Nah, let me,” he said, taking the soap from her. “Probably safer if we aren’t going to go further.”

“I didn’t mean—”

“I will hold you to a raincheck,” he said.

She exhaled a long breath of relief. “Absolutely.” After I tell you everything.