Double Dating with the Dead by Karen Kelley (best fiction novels to read .txt) 📗

expression was full of disgust.

“You’ve never understood this is a family paper. My grandfather started it, and we still go by his values. At least, we did until today.”

“But…” This was all wrong. He should be grateful she had enough genuineness to speak the truth—no matter who it hurt.

“At this paper, we work together as a team. We do not stab each other in the back. Clean out your desk, you’re fired.”

“That’s fine by me! I hate it here.”

She jumped to her feet and stormed out of his office. She didn’t need this job. She’d find one where her talents were appreciated.

“Ma’am, do you need some help?” the kid asked as she plopped down at her desk and jerked open a drawer. “The Man said you might need a couple of boxes for your things.”

“No, I don’t need your damn help.” When he started to turn away, she grabbed one of the boxes. “Wait, I need that. And don’t call me ma’am. I’m not that much older than you.”

“Really?” His eyes widened. “I thought you were close to my mom’s age….”

She froze anything else he would’ve said with one look.

“I guess I’d better get back to work,” he mumbled and quickly left.

His mother’s age! Not even close. She wasn’t a day over…

Damn, she was getting old. She sucked up a broken sob and crammed her things in the box, then left the building. After putting everything in the trunk, she looked one last time at the old brick building.

“Someday you’re going to regret firing me.”

Somehow, her words lacked conviction. Maybe because deep down she knew they were just that—only words.

Life really sucked.

Chapter 16

“A truce,” Selena mumbled as she went inside her bedroom. “Like I need one more complication in my life.”

It was bad enough that she dreamed about Trent, and, by the way, she planned on asking Dixie if she or Wesley had anything to do with the content of her dreams.

Heat flashed through her. She took a deep breath and fanned her hand in front of her face. Man, they were good dreams.

Clear mind! Don’t go there!

She drew in a deep breath. Thinking about her dreams in the daytime would only cause her more grief.

Hmm, why had she never had dreams like this before now? Yeah, the more she thought about it, the more convinced she was that one or both ghosts were somehow involved.

She closed her door and went to the dresser to get her clothes, but her hand stilled on the knob when she heard the faint crying of a woman.

Dixie?

She cocked her head to the side and listened. There it was again. So soft she could barely hear it, but it was definitely a woman crying. Heart-wrenching sobs that tore at her heart. It could only be one person—unless there were more spirits haunting the hotel. No, she was sure it was Dixie.

“Dixie? Is something wrong?”

A pale green light slowly darkened before Dixie materialized sitting on the side of the bed. Her hands covered her face as she wept.

“Dixie, what’s the matter?” She hurried forward, sitting beside her on the bed. What could’ve happened? She wasn’t a bit good at handling someone else’s pain. She was way too sensitive for that.

Dixie lowered her hands. “I’m so tired of living like this. Haunting this stupid hotel.” She drew in a shaky breath as a tear slid down her face.

Poor Dixie. Afraid to go, but not wanting to stay. Caught between this world and the next. It didn’t matter if Trent never saw a ghost; she couldn’t bear to see her suffering like this. She had to help Dixie and Wesley cross over so they didn’t endure heartache for one more minute.

Reaching her hand out, she patted Dixie’s, but her hand went through Dixie and landed on the bed with a plop. She quickly regained her balance. Darn, she’d forgotten Dixie didn’t have any substance. Sometimes ghosts seemed so real.

“Just walk toward the light,” she spoke softly. “It’ll be okay. I promise.”

Dixie shook her head. “No, I can’t.”

“Is it something to do with Wesley?”

“He’s stuck here, too.”

“What can I do?” Her heart almost broke as she took in Dixie’s abject misery. The woman’s deep pain washed over her. She just had to help them.

“We have to be laid to rest or our spirits will haunt the hotel for all eternity.”

Doomed to haunt the hotel for all eternity? Were they cursed? Oh, it was worse than she’d thought.

Wait a minute. She’d never heard of anything like this except in books. Not that she was saying it couldn’t happen. The spirit world was often unpredictable.

She drew in a deep breath. “Okay, we’ll have a funeral.” When Dixie frowned, she hurried on. “You know, a memorial service. I’ll even do headstones and…”

Dixie was shaking her head.

“What?” Selena didn’t know what else to do.

“You have to find our bones.”

Ewww.

“Then bury them.”

Yuck.

Selena swallowed past the lump in her throat. It was one thing to talk to dead people, but searching for their decaying bones was an entirely different matter and one she didn’t relish.

“I knew it was too much to ask.” Dixie sniffled. “It’s okay. We understand.”

“Now, wait a minute. I didn’t exactly say no.”

“Then you’ll do it?” Dixie brightened.

She nodded. “I’ll help if I can.”

What the hell, she didn’t have anything better to do while she was here, and they might be so grateful they would show themselves to Trent before they walked toward the light.

“Do you know where your…uh…bones are so that I can bury them?” Would that be legal?

Dixie shook her head. “Somewhere in the hotel. Try the attic.”

At least searching for their remains would give her a chance to explore the hotel a little more. If she found anything, maybe she could talk Trent into burying them.

She changed into a pair of cutoffs and, after putting on a bra, pulled a T-shirt over her head and slipped her feet into a pair of sandals.

Heaven forbid she would run into Trent without her puppies being leashed. He