When I walked into the back garden, recognizing familiar faces from school, I received smiles and waves. Everyone knew my name, and a lot of kids had ideas for making spectacular baskets. Alyce hung back a little, but when I explained she was the creative brains behind the baskets, soon she was talking and warming up. She seemed to really hit it off with this one girl with short dark hair and a similar taste for black leather and draped skirts. Her name was Taylor—the same Taylor that Dustin almost set up as Alyce’s date. I couldn’t help smiling at the irony.
Then I heard my name called … in a voice that almost stopped my heart.
And I turned away from Alyce and Taylor to find Eli.
I was so mixed up with happiness and uncertainty that I could hardly speak. This was the first time I’d faced Eli in my real body since we’d first met—in this very same garden. We’d never … well … anything.
“Great party.” Eli’s eyes shone in a way that made me all soft inside.
“Yeah … greater, now.”
“I know what you mean. But I checked, and there’s no chocolate buffet.”
“You can’t have everything.”
“Who says you can’t?” he asked, teasing.
“Someone famous and dead, I’m sure.” Using the “D” word kind of made things awkward, and we stood there for a moment. We’d been through so much—it was like starting off a relationship at the fiftieth anniversary, only now we were back to the beginning.
“So … ” I said with a glance around at other people, who were laughing and talking with total ease. “How did you manage to get here without being stalked by paparazzi?”
“That’s not a problem anymore—they found better news. A popular singer—can’t remember her name—quit the business to join the marines. So I’m off the media radar.”
“And onto mine,” I said, stepping closer.
“I’ve been waiting a long time … to be with you.”
“Me too.”
“We still haven’t kissed.”
“Really?” I said in a flirty tone, tilting my face up toward his.
He reached into his pocket and held out a silver-wrapped triangle.
When my fingers touched his as I took the candy, I felt a shock of electricity that had nothing to do with the other side—it was all about living on Earth. He must have felt something, too, because he stumbled backwards, bumping into someone carrying a cup of punch. The cup flew and dumped sticky red punch on Eli’s shoes.
Eli looked so embarrassed, which was kind of sweet and made me love him even more. While he went to wash up, I plopped the chocolate kiss in my mouth and imagined how much sweeter the real thing would be.
I was staring in the direction that Eli had gone when I became aware of a smell … a salty breeze, a whiff of the ocean. I sensed someone behind me, but when I whirled around, no one was there.
Just my imagination, I decided with a shrug.
Someone tapped my shoulder and I turned with a start.
“Eli!” I cried out with delight.
“Expecting someone else?” he teased.
“No one,” I said firmly. “Only you.”
“I like the sound of that.”
“You know what I’d like even more?” I asked with a flirty smile.
“Chocolate?”
“Guess again.” Then I reached up to hook my arms around his neck, pulling him close and lifting my lips.
Finally, we shared our first kiss.
The End.
About the Author
Linda Joy Singleton lives in northern California. She has two grown children and a wonderfully supportive husband who loves to travel with her in search of unusual stories.
She is the author of more than thirty books, including Dead Girl Walking and Dead Girl Dancing, the Strange Encounters series, and The Seer series (all from Llewellyn/Flux). She is also the author of the Regeneration, My Sister the Ghost, and Cheer Squad series. Visit her online at www.LindaJoySingleton.com.
Cover
Dedication
Title_Page
Copyright
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Eighteen
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Twenty-One
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Twenty-Five
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