Page 33 of Be Our Ghost (The Duchess Hotel #2)

Twenty-Three

Knox grew antsy as the first hour of the gala passed at a glacial pace. Little by little, the guests entered the ballroom. The first to arrive were the crew members since the show’s stars never liked showing up early.

“Do you see anyone you know?” Charlie asked.

“A few people from the crew, but that’s it. No one from the writers’ room. Logan told me Evan brought in some new writers after the fourth season, but I was hoping he kept a few of the old guard.” Then again, it would be just like that bastard to clean house completely.

He spotted some of the show’s secondary characters and pointed them out to Charlie. There was no sign of Princess Elodie’s first love, poor Finn the Woodsman.

To Knox’s surprise, he didn’t feel much of anything yet. No heart-wrenching grief. No simmering resentment. No longing to be a part of it. It was like going back to a place he’d visited before, but without the desire to stay there.

As the guests stopped by his station, he greeted them and mixed their drinks but kept his Phantom mask in place.

Fortunately, he didn’t have to say much since Charlie was a pro at making small talk.

She complimented everyone on their costumes and asked them about their favorite memories of The Hidden Forest .

An hour in, the show’s stars made their appearance.

Among them was Lila, all dolled up in a gorgeous, sapphire-blue ball gown and a tiara, looking radiant on Evan’s arm.

In Knox’s opinion, her regal garb barely differed from the formal attire she’d worn for the show’s High Court scenes.

But seeing Evan dressed as her prince was a new look.

A look that made Knox recoil in disgust. That smug fucker didn’t deserve to swan around like royalty.

Knox’s spine stiffened, his hands tightening into fists.

How was he supposed to act like everything was normal when the asshole who’d ruined his life hadn’t suffered one bit?

The soft cadence of Charlie’s voice took him out of his head.

She placed her hands on his shoulders and kneaded them gently, soothing the rage and the bitterness.

Once again, he was grateful to have her by his side.

Getting through this on his own would have been a lot harder.

After tonight, he’d find a way to thank her. Not just in bed, but with another gesture that showed how much he cared. Like admitting he was in love with her.

Was it too soon? Maybe so, but he wanted her to know how he felt.

At seven thirty, he and Charlie were able to relax as the guests sat down to enjoy the plated dinner. The smell of roast chicken and vegetables made his stomach growl, but he ignored it. Once the gala ended, he was hoping to find an all-night diner where they could indulge in burgers and fries.

* * *

Halfway through dinner, the lights dimmed, and a video played on the screen.

Knox could barely see it from his vantage point, but the audio came through clearly.

The video contained a compilation of clips drawn from the show’s best-loved scenes.

He listened intently, smiling as he recognized dialogue he’d written.

Included in the clips were the jaw-dropping final scene from the end of the second season, when the Fae King’s devious plan was revealed, as well as the tender moment when Princess Elodie and Finn confessed their love for each other.

“I can’t believe you wrote so much of this,” Charlie whispered. “I’m so impressed.”

His heart swelled with pride. How many people could make a claim like that?

To have created a show that was part of the pop culture lexicon, that would be remembered long after it ended.

Even if he didn’t run into any of his old friends, coming here tonight had been the right move.

It was a chance to bask in his accomplishments, to celebrate everything he’d achieved before Evan had stripped it away from him.

Once dinner ended, people flocked back to the beverage stations.

A rush of drink orders kept him hopping until his line dwindled to just two people—the very writers he’d hoped to see.

Zack Wilder—a tall, lanky guy with messy black hair—was dressed as the Grim Reaper, complete with a metal scythe.

Beside him was Norah Chen, a petite woman with short dark hair and glasses, wearing a red polka-dot dress and Minnie Mouse ears.

“I can’t believe they haven’t kicked us out yet,” Zack said to Norah. “When I ran into Evan, he gave me the biggest side-eye ever but didn’t say a damn thing.”

“Enjoy it while you can,” Norah said. She smiled at Knox. “I’ll have a gimlet.”

Zack nudged her. “You’re not going to try a Princess Elodie cocktail?”

She shuddered. “I hate anything with Midori liqueur. Too sweet.”

“All these themed drinks are seriously over-the-top.” Zack leaned his scythe against the bar and offered Knox an apologetic smile. “No offense.”

“None taken. I’m just the bartender.” Setting down his shaker, Knox took a deep breath. He’d never get a better chance than this one. He removed his mask and set it on the bar top beside him. “Though you might have known me in a different incarnation.”

Zack gaped at him. “Fuck me. Is that you, Mac?”

“In the flesh. Though I go by my real name now. Knox McIntyre, at your service. And this is Charlie Fraser, my partner in crime. Charlie, meet Zack and Norah, my two favorite writers from The Hidden Forest .”

Charlie waved at them. “Hi. Nice to meet you.”

“Same here.” Norah shot Knox an evil grin. “Are you planning to take down the gala? If so, then I want in. The show did you so dirty.”

“Didn’t it, though?” Charlie added. “But we aren’t here to make trouble.”

Knox nodded. “I actually signed up to serve drinks on the off chance of running into a few old friends. Like the two of you.”

“I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that you’re standing in front of us,” Zack said. “You fucking vanished. Do you know how hard I tried to find you?”

Knox felt a twinge of regret. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have cut everyone off. But…”

“We get it,” Norah said. “I mean, your world went to shit. Especially after Evan did those vile interviews. If it’s any consolation, the writers’ room went downhill from there. Evan brought in a bunch of new guys, and those cocky assholes changed the whole tone of the show.”

“I’ll never forgive them for killing off Finn,” Charlie said.

“Right?” Zack replied. “We got so much backlash.”

“I was devastated when I found out what they did to that character,” Knox added. “Poor Finn didn’t deserve such an agonizing death.”

“Everyone knew Evan did it because Finn reminded him too much of you,” Norah said. “When I pushed back, he had me fired at the end of the season.”

“Same with me.” Zack set down the laminated card listing the wine selections. “I’ll take a glass of the Pinot Noir.”

“Coming right up.” Knox handed Norah her gimlet. “You both left the show? How did you score an invite to the gala?”

Zack laughed. “I’m here as Tyson’s plus-one. We got married last year.”

“That’s great. Congrats.” Knox had always liked working with Tyson, who’d headed up the design department. “What about you, Norah?”

“I’m good friends with Waverly Zhou, who works in costuming, so she invited me to join her. But I’m sure Evan isn’t happy to see either of us. After you left the show and he spread those rumors about you going into rehab, we called him on his bullshit. Which left us with big targets on our backs.”

“Sorry.” Knox passed Zack his glass of wine. “I never wanted anyone else to suffer on my behalf.”

“Don’t apologize,” Zack said. “My last year on the show was so unbearable I was glad to leave. I got a gig writing for Siren Squad , and it’s been great.”

Charlie clasped her hands together. “I love that series. It’s so cool that it features female crime-fighters.”

“I’m doing a script rewrite for a locked room thriller.

It’s got an Agatha Christie vibe.” Norah took a business card out of her cherry-red clutch and handed it to Knox.

“If you ever want to get back into the business, hit me up. Ever since I started working as a script doctor, I’ve got more projects than I can handle. ”

Knox could barely contain his relief in learning that Zack and Norah had never given up on him. “Thanks. I haven’t written anything in years, but I’m starting to get that itch again.”

“It never goes away, does it?” Norah said. “Now that you’ve got my contact info, don’t be a stranger. I’m heading back to Vancouver tomorrow, but the next time you come to the mainland, I’d love to see you.”

Zack passed him a card. “Same here. Don’t disappear again.”

Knox tucked the business cards in his back pocket. “I won’t. I’m not on social media, but you can find me at the Duchess Hotel.”

Charlie grinned at them. “He’s the head bartender at a 1920s-style cocktail lounge called the Gilded Lily. If you come back to Victoria, you should stop in for a drink.”

“Will do,” Zack said. “We’re going to bounce in a bit, but we need to get together soon. This time, I’m not waiting five years to see you again.”

“You got it. Thanks.” Knox watched them leave, grateful no one was in line.

This way, he could take a few minutes to process the feelings coursing through him.

While he regretted the five years he’d spent in the wilderness, shutting out the people who could have offered him support, at least now he could finally make up for it.

“Knox?” Charlie gave him a gentle poke. “If you go to Vancouver to meet up with Zack and Norah, can you bring me with you?”

He regarded her with affection. “Sure, but we’ll probably spend most of our time telling war stories. I wouldn’t want to bore you.”

“Are you kidding? I’d love a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the show. I promise not to act like too much of a fangirl.”

“You can fangirl around me anytime, sweetheart.”

At the sight of a group headed for his station, he grabbed his mask and put it back on. Even if he’d made the right call in revealing his face to Zack and Norah, he didn’t want to press his luck.

At ten, the show’s producers came onto the stage and addressed the crowd.

They extolled all the ways in which the show had succeeded: major awards, merchandising opportunities, and devoted fandoms. Cast appearances at places like San Diego Comic-Con and Fan Expo Canada.

The spin-off novels and plans for a feature-length film.

They thanked the cast and crew for making The Hidden Forest come to life.

Even if Knox was attending the evening as a bartender rather than as a writer, he soaked up the praise. After all, he’d earned it just as much as the rest of them.

“Before we let you get back to the party, we’d like to shout out someone special,” one of the producers said.

“Usually, when a fantasy show becomes a hit, it’s because the material was adapted from a best-selling series, like Game of Thrones or The Lord of the Rings .

But The Hidden Forest sprang from the singular imagination of a brilliant writer who came up with the premise, helped turn it into a multi-year saga, and now serves as one of the show’s executive producers.

Evan Girard, come on up here and say a few words. ”

“What the fuck,” Charlie said.

My thoughts exactly . By now, he and Charlie were alone at his station since all the guests had crowded around the stage. Knox’s stomach churned as Evan told the crowd he’d come up with the show’s premise on a whim and pitched it so masterfully it was picked up right away.

Sure, he’d thought up the concept. Knox would grant him that. He’d also done a fantastic job selling it. But when it came to writing the pilot, creating the story arc for the entire first season, and hammering out most of the episodes? That was all Knox.

He willed himself to stay calm. His costume was hot enough without him reaching the boiling point. Taking off his mask, he wiped the sweat from his brow, hoping to cool down.

But Charlie didn’t attempt to hide her fury. “This is bullshit. Someone needs to call Evan out on his lies.”

“It’s fine. If he wants the credit, he can have it.”

It wasn’t fine. Without Knox, Evan’s idea would have been just that—an idea . Knox was the one who’d turned it from a pipe dream into a full-fledged saga, especially during their first season when they hadn’t relied on an entire writers’ room to produce each episode.

All his good feelings vanished as Evan’s words dug into him, reminding him of what he’d lost. He concentrated on breathing steadily and tuned out everything else—Evan’s boastful speech, the applause that followed, the chatter of people as the presentation ended.

You can’t lose your temper. Not again.

He tried to push past the hurt and the resentment, but it didn’t help that Charlie had grown livid with anger. “Aren’t you pissed? He didn’t even mention you!”

“It’s not worth getting upset about. Just let it go.” Any minute now, guests would be making their way over to his station, requesting more drinks, and he’d have to focus.

“But Knox…it’s not fair.” Her voice shook with anguish. “You helped create The Hidden Forest . You deserve to be recognized for everything you did!”

“Charlie, stop. Please.” He knew she meant well, but her outrage wasn’t helping.

A soft voice made his blood run cold. “Knox? Is that you?”

Lila.