Page 27 of Killer Honeymoon
“Not quite,” a familiar voice said.
Sawyer had been facing Royce and slowly turned to see the new arrivals. Dread unfurled in his gut when he locked eyes with Asshat Evan. Clint still looked like a douchey frat boy, but not nearly as bad as his friend. Both men looked glassy-eyed and drunk or possibly high. Jen and Chrissy were with them too, but neither looked pleased about the outing until they locked eyes on Royce. Sawyer nearly laughed when the girls straightened their postures and smiled in Royce’s direction.
Royce leaned into him so his mouth was nearly touching his ear. “Let’s go home.” Warm breath teased Sawyer’s ear, and he would’ve agreed to go to get more of that until Evan spotted them in the group.
Sawyer turned his head, their lips nearly touching. “I will not give them the satisfaction of thinking they ran us off.”
Royce let out a slight groan. “I have a horrible feeling about this.”
Sawyer did too, but he refused to back down to bullies.
“Remember,” Royce said, “we agreed to fright night, not fight night.”
Sawyer smirked. “I’ll behave.”
Royce snorted and shook his head. “You’re not the one I’m worried about, GB.”
Sawyer reached up and patted his cheek. “I’ll keep you out of trouble too.”
Royce just rolled his eyes and sighed.
“All right,” Tom said. “I’ve got everyone checked in, so I’d like to go over a few ground rules before setting off.”
Maybe he always gave the same spiel about respecting the properties and the other group members, or perhaps he recognized the trouble brewing with Evan and Clint. After a brief recital of the rules and policies, the group set off down the busy streets of Put-in-Bay. Sawyer and Royce hung out in the back of the group, holding hands and enjoying the perfect evening as they followed Tom to their first location, the Park Hotel.
“There are two alleged ghosts taking up residence here,” Tom said. “There have been sightings of the governess in room fourteen, anywhere a group of children has gathered, and also drifting up and down the staircase where she fell to her death.”
“Does she eat the children?” a little girl asked. She didn’t look much older than eight, and Sawyer hoped she wouldn’t have nightmares.
“No way,” Tom said. “They call her a governess because she cares for the children and watches over them to make sure they don’t get hurt.”
The frat boys and their girlfriends were only a few feet from the girl. Evan turned around with a look of pure malice on his face and said, “The ghost is sizing up which of the little kids runs the slowest.”
“Daddy!” the little girl said. “I don’t want to go inside. I don’t run fast.”
“Listen, buddy,” the dad said to Evan. “Turn around and don’t speak to my daughter again.”
Evan held up his hands in surrender. “I was just teasing. Christ, people are so sensitive these days.”
Tom was at the front of the group answering questions and wouldn’t have heard the quiet exchange, but the expression on the dad’s face was nothing less than murderous as he continued to stare at the back of Evan’s head. “Is there a problem?” Tom asked, volleying his gaze between the two groups.
“Nope,” Evan said. “I believe you said there are two ghosts.”
“Yes, yes,” Tom said. “The other ghost is mostly found in room seventeen. It’s believed to be one of the earlier hotel owners.”
“Why don’t you know?” Evan asked.
“Ev,” Clint said, “maybe you should settle down and let people enjoy the tour.”
Evan turned his head to stare at his friend. “Should’ve left your woke ass back at the rental. You could’ve played tiddlywinks with the old bastard next door.”
Hearing that exchange, Tom spoke up. “Sir,” he said to Evan, “I stated the rules very clearly at the beginning of the tour. No profanity is rule number one. Respecting the others in the group is rule number two. Do I need to review them again?”
Evan crossed his arms over his chest. “No.”
“I’ll ask you to leave if I have to stop the tour again, and there won’t be any refunds,” Tom said.
“Yeah,” Evan said, “that was rule number three.”