Blurring the Lines-nook (14 page)

I surged to my feet, anger bubbling up. “What’s your problem? So this is all about
you, right? You think I know how the hell to handle this? You think I’m used to having
my dead fiancé show up and turn everything I thought I knew upside down? He wants
me to
stay
, Burke. If I sleep with him tonight, he can stay here for good.”

“
What
?” The pissed off expression sagged into one of disbelief.

“I can have him back.” My voice was losing steam, despair taking over. “But I’d have
to stay.”

Burke stared at me for a few long seconds. “Jesus,
cher
.”

I laughed without humor. “I’m not sure Jesus has anything to do with this one.”

“That sounds crazy, Gretch. How can that even be? And you can’t just—I mean, is that
what you want? You want to leave your whole life behind for some…”

He didn’t say ghost. Or dead guy. But I could tell he was thinking it.

“He didn’t mean to kill himself. It was an accident.” I wet my lips. “He never meant
to leave.”

Burke stumbled back a step, like he’d been punched. “An accident?”

My body suddenly felt too heavy to hold upright. I rubbed my hand over my forehead.

“I can bring him back, Burke. He can have another chance.” I lifted my gaze to him.
“How am I supposed to walk away and tell him I’m not willing to do that?”

Heartbreak moved over his face like a ripple on the water. One second, it was there—bare
and wretched—and the next, it was smoothed over like it had never happened. He gave
a little nod. “Right. Of course.”

“But—”

He reached out and took my hand. I went to him without any further encouragement and
fell into his embrace.

His arms wrapped around me, his body tense against mine, and he pressed his chin to
the top of my head. Silent tears tracked down my face. “I can’t believe this,
cher
. I still feel like I’m going to wake up and this will have been a dream.”

Or a nightmare. “I know what you mean.”

He held me close for a while, letting me absorb his special brand of comfort, then
leaned back and gave me a sad smile. “I guess I must’ve really pissed him off when
I kissed you that day.”

“Apparently so.” I swiped at my eyes.

“Unbelievable.” He shook his head. “I guess we can’t fight fate, huh?”

“What do you mean?”

He stepped back and tucked his hands in his pockets.

“You’ve known who your soul mate was all along, and now the universe is bringing him
back to you.” He gave a little shrug and a strained smile. “I’m happy for you,
cher
.”

I tried to return his smile, but I couldn’t make my muscles cooperate.

“So he’ll be here in the flesh tomorrow?”

I looked down at my feet, my stomach knotting. “Seems so.”

He let out a breath. “Well, the plane leaves at nine tomorrow. Bring him with you
to tell me good-bye. I never got the chance last time. And if he wants to punch me
for touching his girl, I’ll gladly take it.”

I lifted my head. “You don’t have to leave so soon.”

“Yeah,
cher
. I do.” The pain in his eyes was impossible to miss. “Good luck tonight.”

I opened my mouth to say something else, but he was already turning his back on me
and heading away from the beach.

When he was almost too far away for me to make out, he put his hand over his face.
I didn’t see him break down. I didn’t have to.

He’d said I’d always known who my soul mate was.

And maybe he was right.

I’d always known.

~Burke~

Burke sulked in the back corner of the castle’s busy nightclub, trying not to obsess
about what was probably happening on the other side of the island while he sat there.
Midnight had passed a while ago. Gretchen would be at the crossroads again, seeking
out his brother. Making love to him. Performing some ritual that would undo the things
that had been done.

Burke hated himself for wishing that there were no mystical loopholes to hit a reset
button. For wishing that the rules of the universe he’d grown up knowing were the
true ones. It was like wishing his brother dead. He should be all for anything that
would bring Harris back.

His brother had been his best friend growing up. They’d argued and fought. They’d
never agreed on which sports teams to pull for. But they’d kept each other secrets
and they’d had each other’s back. He’d loved him. Losing Harris had been the hardest
thing he’d ever gone through. To see his brother again, to have him back in this world
would be a gift.

And to see Gretchen happy…well, there wasn’t much he wouldn’t give for that. In fact,
that had been his greatest wish when they’d gotten to the island. So maybe the island
had given them both what they needed after all.

He slouched in the booth and took a long draw from his glass of scotch, letting his
gaze rove over the room. There were people on the crowded dance floor and couples
paired off at candlelit tables. The steady hum of conversation was almost as loud
as the music. On first glance, he’d never suspect that this place was anything but
a luxury resort. And to many, that was all it probably was. He doubted these people
were here to find ghosts.

Based on some of the rooms he’d passed and how some guests were dressed (or not dressed),
he’d venture that most people simply came here to get well laid. Every fantasy was
there for the taking—dungeons, group rooms, opulent suites. Debauchery on tap. Pick
your flavor.

He’d had to force himself to stop looking through doorways, because he couldn’t help
picturing what it would’ve been like to bring Gretchen here—the Gretchen who’d come
to the island for fun and fantasy, who’d come to be someone else. What couple would
they have chosen to be? The kinky ones. The voyeurs. The ultra romantic.

He didn’t know. Because though he’d regaled her with his outrageous tales, she always
had a good poker face. He knew she got turned on by his stories, but she never gave
him a hint as to what specifically flipped her switches. They’d gone the romantic
route on the beach because it had naturally evolved that way. And that had worked
for them both, but he’d never get the chance to find out if she had other fantasies
or desires.

No, instead she’d be here. And they wouldn’t be lovers. Maybe they wouldn’t even be
friends.

That last part cut the deepest. He’d lived with wanting Gretchen for a long time,
had gotten used to that dull, steady ache. But he couldn’t imagine not having her
in his life. It’d killed him when she’d moved up north. Now she’d be even further
away and almost impossible to get to.

He polished off his scotch.

“Hi there,” said a feminine voice, brimming with confidence.

He glanced up to find a curvy brunette smiling at him. He gave a quick chin lift of
acknowledgement. “Hello.”

She could’ve been Miss Georgia’s sister. She had the same pageant smile—sugar pie
sweetness underpinned with practiced seduction. “You look like you could use some
company.”

He could use three more scotches, actually. But before he could say so, she sat without
invitation.

“I’m Tori.” She put out her hand.

He took it briefly then grabbed his glass again. “Burke.”

“You here alone?” She motioned for the waiter and ordered a glass of wine. Burke ordered
another scotch.

“Sort of.” He wasn’t interested in having small talk with anyone. But he didn’t have
the energy to shoo her off. And hell, he would have to get used to this game again.
The dance. He’d been faithful to Gretchen for a long time. Without realizing what
he was doing, some part of him had been saving that for her even when she hadn’t asked
for it. But now…what was the point? He was on an island where everyone was getting
drunk and laid. Maybe he should, too. Maybe that would help him forget.

She laughed like he’d said something funny and pressed her hand to her cleavage. “Me,
too. I came with two of my girlfriends. One got an invite with all of our expenses
paid. I couldn’t pass up that chance, right?”

“Nope.”

“Of course, I didn’t realize this place would be so couple-y.” She waved her hand
in the general direction of the other tables. “Not much of a single’s scene this week.”

The waiter brought their drinks, and Burke took a burning swallow of his. “I wouldn’t
know. I haven’t spent much time outside of the beach and my cabana.”

She leaned forward, grinning, maybe a little tipsy already. “Wow, I
love
your accent. What is that?”

“Drunk Cajun.”

She laughed again and flipped her dark her over her shoulder. She was a pretty thing
and knew it, flirting like a second calling. She was giving him all the go signs.
If he dialed up the charm, he’d have her in one of those fantasy rooms before the
sun came up.

He should go for it.

He should flirt back.

He couldn’t be less interested.

“You know, they say this island grants wishes,” he said out of nowhere. Maybe the
alcohol was taking over and talking for him.

She tilted her head in interest. “I heard someone say that actually. Kind of hokey,
huh?”

He sniffed. “What’d you wish for on this trip, Tori?”

A coy smile touched her lips. “To meet Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome. How ‘bout you?”

He shotgunned his drink. “Right now, my wish is to forget the wish I had when I came
here. Want to dance?”

She put out her hand, her pageant smile beaming. “I thought you’d never ask.”

~Gretchen~

I sat on the bench like I had the night before, trepidation making my limbs tremble
as I pulled my knees up and wrapped my arms around my legs. I knew how to open my
mind and let everything in this time. The old ability I’d had as a child was still
there. Now I remembered how to reach for it. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath,
and pictured who I wanted.

I could sense the static swirl around me this time, flowing through my veins, channeling
that familiar energy, trying to push past the fear that lingered. The breeze picked
up around me and strands of my hair slapped my face. A familiar presence weighed heavy
in the air, the scent of jasmine weaving through it. I knew without opening my eyes
that I was no longer alone.

I lifted my head and looked to the knot of trees Harris had stepped from last night.
And sure enough, there was a figure walking out of them. But this one was much shorter
and even more familiar than the last. It was exactly who I’d asked for.

Tears jumped to my eyes, the sight of her bringing such a surge of happiness that
I could barely hold it all in one body. My lips parted on a whisper. “Gran.”

“Oh, child,” she said in that familiar, vaguely annoyed voice. “It’s about time you
learned to open that hard head of yours and listen again.”

I laughed and swiped at my eyes, as she made her way to me. She was younger than when
I’d known her. Her hair was the color of coffee instead of shot through with gray,
and her gait was smooth like she’d never broken a hip. But the look in her eyes and
the pressed-lip smile was all Gran.

When she reached me, she took my hands in her smaller ones and put them over her heart.
“Good to see you, my beautiful girl.”

I burst into an ugly, choked cry, and we hugged, her stroking my hair like she had
when I was little and upset. Words weren’t needed in those first long moments. I’d
always known I missed her, but feeling her again, hearing her voice, and smelling
the jasmine oil she used to dab below her ear, all opened the gap wider and let me
feel the tidal wave of loss. I’d left for New York and hadn’t visited home as much
as I should’ve. She’d passed at a time when I hadn’t seen her in almost a year. I’d
wasted a year I could’ve had with her. “I’m so sorry I didn’t visit you that last—”

“Don’t think of those things now,” she said gently. “You didn’t need to spend your
life entertaining an old woman. You had dreams to chase.”

I wanted to ask her a thousand questions and keep her with me as long as I could,
but both of us knew we were on a time limit. So after a few minutes, she guided me
to the bench and sat with me.

“I know you didn’t ask me here to get my dress all wet with tears.” Gran smiled and
patted my hand. “Go ahead, child. Tell me about that pain in your eyes.”

I started to go into the whole story, but she stopped me and informed me she’d been
watching and knew what had happened with Harris. I had a moment of mortification when
I wondered just how much my dear grandmother had seen, but I didn’t let myself linger
on that.

I took a deep breath. “I don’t know what to do, Gran. I thought I did, but I feel
so lost now.”

Gran frowned. “I’m not sure I believe that. That’s your head speaking, Gretchen. This
is not a head decision. What is your heart telling you?”

I rubbed my lips together. “It’s up to me to give Harris a second chance. He loves
me, and he didn’t mean to go. It’s not fair that his life was cut so short. How could
I do anything but help him? What’s going to happen to him otherwise?”

She sighed. “What happens to everyone, child. When we let go and people let go of
us, we move on.”

“But you’re still here.”

“I have a special pass. You will, too. Our family line has been blessed with that
gift. The lines between worlds blur for us.”

“But where do we move on to?”

She gave a subtle headshake, letting me know that the topic was off limits. “Do you
love him, Gretchen?”

“Yes, of course I do.”

“And Burke?”

I looked away, tears filling my eyes again.

She reached out and cupped my cheek, dragging my attention back to her. “I can’t make
this decision for you.”

I sniffled and swiped at my runny nose. “Don’t tell me that. You’re supposed to be
here for advice, woman.”