Page 65 of The Ghost of Ellwood

“Hey,” the guy said, going red in the face. “I’m Brian.”

“Hey, Brian.” I stood and shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

Since the signing was supposed to be a more intimate affair, we had time to take a picture together and talk a little before I signed his book.

“I just want you to know how much your writing has touched my life,” Brian said, as I handed over a copy ofBloody Rage.“You probably hear it all the time, but your books are my escape. And no matter what anyone else says, I liked your last few books.Murder in Scottsvillewas great, and I hope they turn it into a movie someday. Yeah, it’s a typical slasher plot, but sometimes that’s what I’m in the mood for, you know?”

“Thank you,” I said, emotion building in my chest. So many people had called my latest books failures, so it was a pleasant surprise to hear from a long-time reader that they actually enjoyed them. “That means more to me than I can even say.”

“Well, your books mean more to me than I can ever say too.” Brian smiled, held his book to his chest, and walked through the doorway to the ballroom where refreshments were set up.

One positive word could really change someone’s outlook. Meeting Brian did that for me. I’d been anxious about the signing, but he’d made me remember just how connected we all were over our love of stories.

The squealing girl was next in line. I knew it was her because upon seeing me, she squealed again and rushed forward.

“Oh my God. Can I hug you?” she asked, bouncing in place.

“S-sure.”

She nearly knocked the breath out of me by how hard she latched herself onto my chest. Another girl, who I assumed was her friend, took pictures of the hug and then took one of us standing side by side. Maybe a bit eccentric, but the excited reader was sweet.

After I signed her book and sent her on her way, I leaned over to Shane.

“How many tickets were sold?”

“Two-hundred,” he answered. “Better get that hand ready. A shitload more signatures are coming your way.”

***

“Did you wear the snake-eye contacts on purpose?” I asked Carter, after the signing ended. We were in the parlor, giving me time to catch a breather before joining everyone in the ballroom. I was supposed to make a small speech before the after-party began, and I needed a few minutes to gather my thoughts.

“No,” he answered, chuckling. “It’s a complete coincidence. A damn good one too, right? James looked like he was gonna piss himself when I kept staring at him earlier.”

“He might be a cheating bastard, but he’s actually a nice guy. Don’t be too hard on him.”

“Wow, Ben. You’re way more forgiving than me.” Carter tossed me another bottled water. “I still hold a grudge against the girl who stole my green crayon in the first grade.”

I snorted a laugh and paced the parlor a bit, holding the water but not drinking it. Music thumped from the other room along with the muffled voices of two hundred people. What the hell was I going to say? I was a writer, not a public speaker. My palms grew sweaty just thinking about it.

“I really am sorry about yesterday,” Carter said, combing his fingers through his hair. “Theo is…well, he doesn’t seem so bad. And yeah, it’s weird that you like him or whatever, but you’re my friend, Ben. I hope I didn’t fuck anything up between us.”

“You didn’t. We can’t control our emotions, and I understand where you were coming from. It’s my own damn fault for not sleeping and eating right, though. Theo had nothing to do with it.”

Carter nodded and popped a peppermint into his mouth. I’d had a bowl of them on the edge of my table. He scrunched his face up. “I wonder if ghosts can even have sex. If so, is his dick ice cold too?”

“Carter.” I shook my head, both amused and appalled.

“What? It’s an honest question.” He waggled his eyebrows. “Once you find out, let me know.”

“Why? You planning on finding a ghost of your own?”

He grinned. “Maybe. I’ll try anything once. And if he’s hot, why not?”

“Didn’t you say earlier that lusting after a ghost is gross?”

“My eyes are opening now.” For effect, he fluttered his eyelashes.

This is why he’s my friend.He had a way of making any situation better.