Page 99 of The Haunting of Lockton

He grabbed a slice of sausage pizza and tore into it, a satisfied set to his eyes. Making me laugh was an accomplishment to him. “How was work?”

I wiped at my mouth before answering. “Not bad. Business has slowed, but people still come in to browse the museum and sign up for the tours. How about you?”

“I went over footage and listened to audio clips,” he answered, lightly tapping his fingers on the table with one hand while the other held his pizza. “Found more orbs, a shadowy figure in the basement, and heard some weird sounds.”

“Weird how?”

His fingers stilled. “Honestly? It sounded like someone choking. Or gurgling. I don’t know.”

“Sure it wasn’t just your stomach?”

He snorted.

After work, I had gone home to wash up and change clothes, then left to meet him for dinner. Gustano Pies wasn’t a chainrestaurant and didn’t look that impressive from the outside, but it was the best place in Ivy Grove to get your pizza fix.

I took another bite of mydeliciousHawaiian pizza and exaggerated a moan as I chewed. When he made a face, I moved my slice around. “Sure you don’t want just a little nibble?”

I wasn’t expecting him to go for it.

Skyler leaned across the table and took a bite from the slice in my hand. His hard expression ever so slowly changed as he chewed.

“You like it, don’t you?”

“No.” He sat farther back in his seat. “It’s gross, just as I knew it’d be.”

“Uh-huh.”

Music played overhead as we ate, some pop song I didn’t recognize. Skyler knew it though. Though quietly, he hummed to it in between bites. I wasn’t a huge music lover. I very rarely listened to the radio and wasn’t subscribed to any of the music apps. But the little I’d heard of him singing, I loved his voice. When he sang, his voice took on a smoky quality, raspy on some words and smooth with others.

“Not hungry?” he asked.

“Oh.” I forced my eyes away, realizing I’d been staring directly at him. For how long? Well, certainly long enough for him to notice. I ate another bite, keeping my gaze on the table where it belonged. “So, Julian is with Taylor?”

Good. Change the subject.

Skyler smirked. “Why are ya being shy?”

Of course he wouldn’t let it go. The insufferable, perceptive jerk.

“I’m not,” I said, but I knew my face gave me away. My cursed blushing gene.

“You so are.” He shifted forward, and his shoe bumped mine. “It’s kind of adorable. I liked when you were ogling me too.”

“I wasn’t ogling.”

“Jules and Taylor wanted Chinese for dinner,” he said, thankfully being merciful by accepting the topic change. “They’ll meet us at Callum’s after.”

I had been surprised when Skyler mentioned our meeting with Callum Gray. Apparently, he and Julian had tried visiting him at his shop earlier, but there’d been too many people also wanting to see him. Taylor messaged Callum asking when he was available, and Callum had said for us to come to his house that night.

“Do you think Callum will know anything about Lockton?” I asked.

Skyler shrugged. “According to your ghost boyfriend, Callum’s family is connected to the riot. So maybe.”

“Alan isn’t my boyfriend.”

He smirked.

Once we finished eating, I paid the bill—ignoring Skyler’s whines about him wanting to treat me—and we headed farther downtown to the selection of shops.