Page 118 of The Ghost of Ellwood

Carter turned onto Elwood. My pulse quickened and my breaths were rapid. I expected the worse. I imagined nothing but blackened wood and ash left where the manor used to stand. As if sensing my inner turmoil, Carter grabbed my hand.

“No matter how bad it is, I got you, okay? You’re not alone.”

I nodded.

When the manor came into view, I released a small cry.

It wasn’t as bad as I’d feared, but it was clearly damaged. The firefighters were able to stop it before it spread too much, and I owed them a great debt. The side with my bedroom received the most destruction and would probably need to be rebuilt, but the other side looked scarcely touched. The greenhouse, however, was completely burned to the ground.

The beautiful stained glass windows, all of Theo’s beloved flowers….gone.

The car wasn’t even fully stopped before I opened the door and jumped out. Carter called after me, telling me to take it easy, but I ignored his warning. My lungs still weren’t the best, and the effort it took to run from the car to the front porch was almost more than I had.

But I had to see him.

“Theo?” I yelled, panicked.

Only three or so seconds passed, but it felt like hours. And then he appeared. His translucent skin worried me. I could almost see completely through him.

“Ben?” he asked, reaching toward me with a shaking hand. His voice sounded distant, even though he was but inches from me. “Is it really you, darling?”

What had happened to him? He wasn’t himself. He seemed more haunted now than he had been when I first saw him last September.

“I’m here.” I guided his cold hand to my cheek. “I didn’t leave you.”

Theo’s body flickered like static on a TV before reappearing more solid. Dark eyes studied my face as he caressed my cheek. “The fire didn’t claim you?”

I kissed his palm. “No. You saved me.”

He embraced me, shuddering as he nuzzled my hair. “I thought you died, Ben, and moved on without me. I tried moving on too, but couldn’t. I felt truly trapped. I lost myself for a while.”

“I’m here now.” With my eyes watering, I kissed Theo’s temple.

“The manor isn’t fit for you to stay here. The damage is too great. What the fire didn’t take, I destroyed on my own in my grief.”

“Nothing that can’t be fixed.” I drew back from him but kept my hand in his. “I’m sorry about your greenhouse.”

“As you said, it can be fixed.” Theo traced a finger along my jawline. “The important thing is I still haveyou.”

“You’ll always have me.”

He squeezed me tighter and quietly whimpered.

“Guess it’s time to check the place out,” I said, regarding the front door. “I’ll call someone for repairs as soon as possible.”

Stepping inside left me with a cold spot in my heart. The stench of smoke and char made me curl my nose, and I lifted my shirt to block some of it out.

“You probably shouldn’t be in here,” Carter said from the doorway. “You’re still recovering.”

I was about to argue when I started coughing. Theo frowned and guided me back outside. He then looked at Carter.

“Is it all right if he stays with you until the repairs are finished?”

“Totally,” Carter answered. “What about you?”

“I’ll be fine. Just take care of him.”

The three of us walked down the porch and over to the tree in front of the house. I slumped against the trunk and slid to the grass.