Page 30 of Ghostly

Ida.

He dropped his toothbrush into the sink and ran downstairs, previously peaceful mind conjuring up the worst images. Ida bloody on the ground—wait, could ghosts bleed?—maybe an intruder, or another ghost? One not as friendly as Ida—

But Ida was in the living room, safe and sound, looking at something on the bookshelf. “The contract,” she whispered.

Gabriel’s heart rate picked up again. Had they stolen it? Janice had been eyeing the decor in the living room.

“Look at the contract.” Ida stepped aside, staring at him in… wonder? A wave of feelings hit him—happiness.

The contract appeared fine, no damage, except—it was different. It took Gabriel a second to pinpoint the change: there were only three conditions left.Fix something brokenwas gone.

“Gabriel…” Ida frowned. “During dinner, specifically, when Dina and Jason made up, did you get a pleasant, fuzzy feeling?”

“I did.”

Her eyes grew wider, and she whispered, “Me, too.”

Gabriel only stared at her.

“I don’t get physical sensations. But I felt that. Gabriel…” She could barely hold back a smile. “I think you’ve done it. You fixed something broken— their relationship. You fulfilled a condition. We did it. We did the first one!”

She started shouting and jumping from joy, and Gabriel laughed and maybe even did something embarrassing such as pump a fist, and Ida whirled around until she stopped right beside him, an inch away from touching. She paused and stared at him, face tilted upwards, pink, lush mouth parted slightly, coffee-brown eyes large and glistening from joy. And Gabriel realized she was beautiful.

Oh, he’d known it before. One didn’t need to be impartial to acknowledge it—but it hadn’t been the same. Just seeing some features and knowing they’re pleasing wasn’tthis. This strange feeling of yearning and satisfaction, of the unfathomably strong desire to lean down and kiss her—gently, down the slight curve of her Greek nose, until she'd close her eyes and the thick, auburn lashes would caress his cheek. She’d tilt her face up even more, exhale as he’d find her lips and—

Ida jumped back, and he realized he’d leaned forward.

“Uh…”Her hand went to her lips, then she quickly dropped it. “Job well done. And you had a good time, right?”

“What?”

“At dinner. It wasn’t only for work.”

“They were a bit melodramatic, but I suppose it was fun.” It did feel great to resolve an issue, and more than that, simply to have a normal conversation.

Ida bit her lip—don’t look at it—and gave the tiniest nod. “That’s all I had to ask. You can go back to sleep now.”

“Yes.” His hands suddenly felt heavy and clumsy, and he awkwardly clasped them behind his back. “I’ll go do that.” He moved past her to the hallway.

“Gabriel.”

He turned back.

“Thank you. I knew you could do it.”

“Never doubted myself.” He tried a smile and bounded up the stairs.

No trial recording helped him fall asleep that night. Gabriel tossed and turned in bed, gradually losing feeling of how much time had passed, mulling over every second of what had happened in the living room.

Did he really try to kiss Ida?

He must’ve been in affect because of the win at dinner. Ida was a ghost, for god’s sake. Besides being way too chatty and cheerful and good, she was also immaterial. How could he even begin to have thoughts of kissing her, when he couldn’t touch her? And he’d need to do that in order to be sure of any attraction. With Wynona, a touch had been everything. Yes, she was clever and fun and perfect for him—but he knew that because her skin pressed against his felt damn good, not because he’d had deep emotional talks with her.

So what the hell was he thinking with Ida?

His stomach rumbled.Yeah, I don’t like where this is going, either.He redirected his thoughts to what was important: the first condition was fulfilled. A victory he sorely needed, even if it wasn’t connected to his career. Three more conditions, and Ida would be free.

Ida would disappear from this world forever.