Page 16 of Starrily (Perks of Being #2)

Chapter 16

I t had been a rough few days for Simon, but while he knew something was wrong with him, he was sure his hearing still worked. Which made Callie’s statement all the more nonsensical.

“Your family,” he repeated, “talk to ghosts.”

“They are … well, it’s complicated.”

“Mediums?”

“If you wish. They deal with the paranormal and anything adjacent. Card readings. Cleansing through herbal concoctions and chants. And, yes, contacting ghosts.”

“What the— how ?” His pitch rose at the last word, and he leaned on the desk with one hand.

Callie shrugged. “It’s how they’ve always been.” She hugged her middle, avoiding his eyes.

Simon had assumed Callie’s family members were in similar fields. Doctors, scientists, something sensible and logical. Perhaps she had a problem with them because of something superficial, like going to her father’s rival university.

Now, plugging the new information into the equation, this made way more sense. They weren’t the same as her. They were the opposite.

And whatever forced Callie to delete their existence from her life still made her uncomfortable now.

“Callie,” he said, and she finally looked at him. “If you don’t want to see them, you don’t have to do this.”

“But you need help, and I don’t know what else to do.”

“We’ll figure it out. You’ll get new ideas. These things don’t happen in a day.”

“That’s the point.” She tried raising her voice, but it broke in the middle of the sentence. “Research takes years, Simon. Even if I get an idea today, it could be too late before … before you …”

Before he went full ghost? Simon gulped. Dying was horrible—but it would be even worse to slowly turn invisible and remain here but be unable to do anything. Talk to anyone. Live .

“Then give me their phone number, and I’ll call them. I don’t have to mention you. I’ll say I heard about them from a friend.”

“It won’t work through the phone. Not a video call, either.” She took a deep breath. “It’s fine. We’ll go see them. Fly in, they fix you, fly out, problem solved in three days.”

“You believe they can do that?”

“I … it’s the only thing I have left.”

There it was again—the evading. Something her family had done, possibly connected to this ghost-talking, had hurt her. Deeply. “I’ll go alone,” he said.

“You can’t. If something happens …”

“I’ll take Stan.”

“And explain to him you’re turning into a ghost?”

Good point. Stan had been a great employee and a good friend. It’d be a shame if he quit because he thought his boss went crazy.

“All right,” he said. “We go together.”

Callie nodded, as if reassuring herself.

“That being said,” he continued, “because of my issue, taking a plane might not be the wisest option. In case I, you know, go full ghost.”

“Right.” She sat down. “That would be a problem.”

“I’m all for jumping off planes. Fading through them—not so much,” he said to lighten the mood. Unfortunately, Callie remained serious. “I suppose we can drive?”

“All the way to Louisiana?”

“Lou—ah. Okay.” He sat next to her. “It’ll take a little longer than I thought …”

“Three or four days, with stops.”

“Hmm.” He scratched his chin. “Anyone said road trip?”

“Simon, this is serious.”

“I know. I’m the one who occasionally loses a body part, remember?” He waited until she looked at him, and smiled. “But it doesn’t mean I have to act like I’m going to my funeral.” He clapped his knees. “Come, Phoenix. It’s gonna be all right. I’ll take care of everything—the car, the supplies …”

“I’ll have to take Theia with us. We’ll be gone for at least a week, possibly two. Ava will unfriend me if I even mention the possibility of her taking care of Theia.”

“I don’t mind.” Theia had been a great comfort to her in times of stress. Callie might need her when she faced her family again. “Then it’s all settled. I’ll take care of my business, you take care of yours, and we leave the day after tomorrow?”

Callie nodded. Even in the not-so-sizeable office, she suddenly looked small and fragile. Simon yearned to console her—to hug her and tell her all would be well because he’d never let her go—but instead, he only covered her hands with his. It’s been such a hectic time he could barely believe it had only been a week since the night at the observatory. They hadn’t said one word about the kiss.

Sort yourself out first. Then you can think about your relationship.

The door suddenly flew open as Jessica whirlwinded into the office. “Hey, guys!” She stopped, her eyes lowering to Simon and Callie’s joined hands.

Simon and Callie coughed at the same time, and he quickly let go of Callie.

Jessica kept her eyes on the same point for a moment longer, then shook her head and smiled. “Long time no see, huh? Tell me everything about the telescope observation. Boy, I can’t wait to get back to business.” She made a vague punching movement with her fists. “What’s on the agenda for the upcoming week?”

Simon sighed and looked at Callie. “Who’s gonna tell her?”

“Two weeks.” Everett rattled his fingers on the glass of Simon’s working desk. “You’ll be gone for two weeks … on a road trip .”

“It’s an important road trip,” Simon said.

“FranCon is in two days. You’re supposed to be there. You have a presentation to do!”

Simon slumped in his chair. “You can do it. You know our products as well as anyone.” Especially me.

“That’s not the point! You’re the CEO, the genius, the technological mastermind.” Everett put his hand to his forehead. “You’re the charismatic presenter—I’m just the man behind the curtain. You go on the stage and flash a phone and a smile, and all the women will faint and buy our stuff.”

“Always good to feel appreciated,” Simon joked, not that it worked on Everett. “Maybe it’s your time in the sun. Or the limelights.”

Everett shook his head. “This is because of that Guidry woman, isn’t it? First the telescope, now … this.”

“It’s an emergency.” He couldn’t tell him what kind, of course.

“Her emergency! You’ve got nothing to do with it.”

“Well …”

“Well, what? Go on. Give me one good reason you have to leave right now.” Everett fixed him with a firm stare.

Simon kept silent.

“I should’ve cut the funding. You clearly don’t have your priorities straight.”

Simon scoffed. “Of course. You don’t think any priorities besides business ones exist.”

“Excuse me?”

Simon weighed his options. He had to tell Everett something, or he’d never hear the end of this. And maybe letting Everett know this was connected to him would help. As ruthless as he was in business, Everett was still human and cared about him.

“It’s me,” Simon said. “I’m sick.”

“How? Where?”

“It’s a complicated condition.”

“Then you should be in a hospital, not going on a road trip.” Everett ran his hand over his bald head. “Is it something left from the accident? Or something new?”

Could he tell him? Everett had always said he could trust him. And Simon always had. “I think it’s from the accident.”

“Then we should go see the same doctors that healed you back then.”

“I don’t think they can help.”

“And a road trip can?”

“It’s just a journey to a destination. Cal—Dr. Guidry, she knows some people in Louisiana that can help me.”

“What kind of doctors does she have access to that we don’t?”

“They’re not …” Oh, to hell with it. “They’re not doctors. They …” Frustrated, Simon stood and paced to the sofa. “Everett, this is serious. I think I’m dying.”

Everett stared at him.

“I think when I had the car crash, I died. But I was brought back, and now … now it’s time to pay my dues.”

“You’re insane.” Everett laughed. “You can’t be serious. No, no. We’re taking you to a professional to check you out.”

“I’ve already been checked out. There’s nothing wrong with me—nothing the doctors can see, anyway.”

“Then what? How exactly are you ‘dying’?”

“Well, I …” Simon spread his arms. “I’m fading out. I’m turning into a ghost.”

“What on …” Everett sat on the sofa, hid his face in his hands, and stayed like that for a minute. “I knew something strange had happened in the car crash.”

“You believe me?”

Everett held up a hand. “Your supposedly severe brain injuries healed overnight. Makes sense now—the doctors must’ve overlooked something. You’re not well. You never were, since the accident. You’ve been different.”

That’s not because of the brain injuries. But he wouldn’t delve into it with Everett.

“And now it’s progressed to this,” Everett continued. “You think you’re turning into a ghost. Jesus.”

“If you want to see—”

“See what?”

Exactly, what? It wasn’t as if Simon could shift on command. And he wasn’t repeating the white room experiment to prove a point to Everett.

“Simon, my boy.” Everett stood and clasped him by the shoulder. “You’re not well, don’t you see?”

“That is exactly what I’m—”

“But not because you’re ‘turning into a ghost.’ Your mind is not well.”

“I’m of perfectly sound—”

“I should’ve seen it coming. But I promised your father, so I humored you. I did everything I could to keep this company afloat—improve upon it, even—when you suddenly lost all interest.”

Simon looked at the hand on his shoulder, and then at Everett. There was sympathy in his eyes but also something else. A cold calculation.

Simon shook off his hand and stepped back.

“It’s my fault,” Everett said. “I should’ve insisted the doctors do more checkups. Nobody recuperates like that. And now, here we are, and it might be too late for you.”

“It’s not.”

Everett managed the smallest smile, exuding more pity than sympathy. “Don’t worry. I’ve managed the company so far. I’ll continue to do it. With some changes, of course. All for the sake of better business.”

“Changes?”

“We’re still supporting Dr. Guidry only because you insisted.”

Simon moved further back until he bumped into the edge of his desk. Everett stood, his hands behind his back. Slowly, the picture of Simon’s trusted mentor dissipated. He’d always said he only wanted the best for the company. And Simon believed he did. The problem was— Simon was no longer the best for the company and hadn’t been since the accident. He was only a figurehead. An impostor.

Had Everett always known? Or suspected something was wrong? Before the accident, they must’ve gotten along pretty well. Back then, Simon would’ve been as cutthroat as Everett.

Things weren’t as desperate as Everett thought. Simon had hope Callie’s family could help him, while Everett seemed to have already written him off. But that didn’t fix the other problem—Everett, and the company itself.

“By all means, then, go on your trip,” Everett said. “If you think it’ll help.”

Simon narrowed his eyes. “And you’ll take care of the company?”

“As I always have.”

But he’d do it his way. And the first things to go would be the grants for various science projects Simon had suggested, including Callie’s. If Everett thought Simon was far enough gone, he might even try to do it while he was still alive.

You’re not dying. Not yet. Stop thinking like you already have one foot in the grave .

The safest thing to do would be to fire Everett and employ someone else whose views aligned more closely with Simon’s. But he couldn’t afford that, not now. Everett knew the ins and outs of Aries Tech, and Simon didn’t have time to create more problems by having to find another CFO who could step in with the same level of efficiency.

He had to let this one go. For now.

“Good.” He pasted on a fake smile. “I’ll rest easy on my trip, knowing you have my back.”

Everett smiled back. “Absolutely.”

Stalemate. Something for future Simon to figure out. Who knew—maybe Callie’s family could give him an extra boost when fixing him. Make him a better businessman. Or one to begin with.

He walked to the door. “I’ll see you in two weeks. Take care.”

Everett tilted his head in goodbye.

“Oh, and,” Simon added and popped his head back into the office. “Don’t you dare pull any funding while there’s still an atom of me existing in this world.”

***

“You have my notes.” Callie wrestled the cat carrier through the entrance door to her apartment building.

“Yes, yes, I’ve got everything.” Ava followed her. “You’ll be gone for two weeks, not two years.”

“Remember to water—”

“The potted plants, once on Sunday, and then on Thursday.”

“And collect—”

“The mail every few days. Callie.” Ava grabbed her by the shoulders. “Everything will be fine here.”

Callie didn’t doubt that. She was trying to redirect her anxiety into something more solvable; otherwise, she’d keep thinking about how, in a few days, she’d have to face her family again. And how doing that might be the only way to save Simon.

Ava kneeled next to the carrier. “And goodbye to you, too, beastie.”

Theia hissed and moved further into the carrier.

“Yup,” Ava said to herself and rose. “You sure you want to take her with you?”

“What other option do I have? To leave her with you?”

“Only if you want one of us dead by the end.”

“She’ll be fine,” Callie said. “She never minded the carrier. It makes her feel safe, like a little hiding hole.”

“Your cat is weird.”

Any further discussions of Callie’s taste in pets were cut off by a red Cabriolet swerving into the street and stopping in front of the apartment building. Simon shut off the car, jumped over the closed front door with ease, and leaned on it.

“Ladies,” he said, taking off his sunglasses.

Callie put the cat carrier on the ground. “What is this?”

“Our ride.”

“A convertible?”

“What’s wrong, Phoenix?” Simon made a few steps toward her. “Afraid of a little wind in your hair?”

“Pretty cool ride,” Ava said.

Simon tilted his head in acknowledgment. “Thanks.”

“Whose side are you on?” Callie said to her friend.

“On the side of that car, obviously.”

“Don’t worry, we’ve got everything we need.” Simon picked up a bag from the back seat. “Snacks, emergency rain ponchos, a list of pet-friendly accommodations, a pouch for Theia …”

“A what for what now?” Ava said.

Simon lifted a plush bag with four holes and two straps attached to it, like a backpack. “It’s for Theia. So you can carry her around.”

“Why would I need that? We’ll either be driving or sleeping. She can stay in her carrier or in the room.”

Simon gave her an enigmatic smile.

“I don’t know,” Ava murmured. “If she likes being in that cage, she might also like being carried around like a toddler.”

“And, Jessica made us a road trip playlist,” Simon said.

Callie lifted an eyebrow. “K-pop?”

“It’s all K-pop,” he confirmed.

“It looks like you’ll be having a fun time,” Ava said to Callie. “Promise you will, yeah? At least until you get to your old folks.”

Callie hadn’t told Ava about Simon’s problem, and since it was hard to invent an emergency he’d have in Louisiana that would also require her presence, she claimed there was a family matter she needed to resolve. She tried not to make it sound too dire so that Ava wouldn’t worry, and said Simon was driving her because she didn’t want to fly there. For once, her dislike of planes came in handy.

Callie rolled her eyes. “I will.”

Ava hugged her goodbye and, still holding her, sneaked a glance at Simon. “Told you he was a Leo,” she whispered.

“Stop it.”

“ You stop resisting your natural instincts and go get him.”

“Dear Universe, please , stop.” Judging by the warmth she felt in her cheeks, her face must’ve been the color of ripe cherries.

Ava laughed. “Have fun, you two!” she called after them, as Callie went to the car. “Don’t drive too safe, and don’t spend everything in Vegas!”

Callie shook her head as she sat in the car. When she looked at Simon, he was, of course, smiling.

“We’re not going to Vegas, are we?”

He didn’t say anything, just kept his smile.

“Simon!”

“Relax, Phoenix. Just relax.” He set the key into the ignition, and the car hummed to life. “We’re going on an adventure.”