Kiss And Dwell (5 page)

“
They
’
re psychology textbooks,
”
Jenee
said, opening both eyes to glare at him
.

“
And I have read them.
”

“
Learned anything yet?
”
he teased.

“
As a matter of fact, my psychology classes are helping me learn more about why
the spirits act the way they do, and they
’
ll help me get a job in social
services, too, wise guy.
”

“
That sounds great,
Jenee
,
”
Nanette said, smiling. Like
Nan
,
Jenee
had always
known what career she
’
d pursue as an adult. She wanted to be a social worker;
specifically she wanted to help troubled teens. Monique, on the other hand, had
tried the waitress bit, then college at UNO and had finally found her niche in
cosmetology school. She
’
d gone back to waitressing long enough to save money for

a down payment for her shop, then opened Monique
’
s Masterpieces and had
flourished ever since. Monique
’
s hair salon didn
’
t have any correlation
whatsoever to her spirit-helping nature, but then again, Monique didn
’
t exactly
enjoy helping the spirits, so it made sense that she
’
d selected a career that
didn
’
t help them, either.
“
Where is Monique?
”
Nanette hissed, squinting at the
empty gravel drive.

“
I
’
m sure she
’
s on her way,
”
Dax
said, with a hint of laughter in the words
.

“
Hey, I
’
d really like to go out to the field and snap off a couple more reeds
before the storm hits so I
’
ll have something to satisfy my midnight sweet tooth,
but I can stay here and protect my sister from the storm of your wrath if need
be.
”
He smiled at Nanette, and her annoyance faded—slightly.

“
Oh, I won
’
t be too rough on her,
”
she said, then added,
“
Bring me some, too, if
you don
’
t mind. I could use a dose of pure sugar.
”

“
Don
’
t mind at all.
”
Dax
nodded to
Jenee
.
“
Want to come? Or are you going to
stay for the fireworks?
”

“
Are you kidding?
”
she asked, jumping from her rocker. It moved wildly back and
forth as she ran to catch up with her cousin.
“
If we hear a Cajun cat fight,
we
’
ll be right back,
”
she said to
Nan
.

“
Oh, go on,
”
Nan
said, waving her away, as the telltale puff of smoke at the end
of the darkened drive signalled that Monique
Vicknair
had finally decided to
come home.
“
Well, it
’
s about time.
”

Thunder boomed
and lightning cracked as Monique gunned the car down the drive to
enter the stately sugar plantation that she
’
d called home for the majority of
her life. Granted, it wasn
’
t nearly as impressive as it had been before Katrina
had mercilessly borne down on
Louisiana
, but even with the dingy porch columns
and the blue tarp roof, it still commanded attention. It definitely commanded
Monique
’
s attention right now, because she had to get to the house, specifically
to the second-floor sitting room, and open her grandmother
’
s letter.

Big, fat drops of rain fell between overlapping magnolia branches to plunk on
her head and cause her blond—or rather, sand—bangs to fall limp into her eyes
.

Sand. Had he really thought that was a compliment that would turn her on? No
matter, Monique realized, since Grandma Adeline hadn
’
t given any regard to
whether Monique was in the process of being turned on, or off, at the time of
her summons.

The rain grew harder, and she sped forward. Monique wished that she
’
d had the
wherewithal to raise the convertible
’
s top at the last stop sign. Now her
leather seats were soaked, and tomorrow, the whole interior would have to be
babied to the max to keep it from smelling like mildew. Just great. Not to
mention the fact that tonight, she
’
d deal with a ghost, a ghost that had
evidently been waiting for her arrival and was probably pissed. Nothing like an
enraged specter to make an already lousy night complete.

She blinked through the water making small wet paths down her face and saw two
shadows darting from the nearest cane field to the house.
Dax
and
Jenee
, she
wagered, out snatching sugar cane for an evening snack. And she
’
d also wager
that the shadow leaning against the porch post with folded arms, a cascade of
pitch-black hair down her back and her shoulders held stern, was Nanette. And a
none-too-happy Nanette at that. Well, fine. Monique never asked for this job,
and she sure wasn
’
t going to take any flack from Nanette for her almost-orgasm
at
Pierre
’
s place.

After parking the car, she heard another sound, a ripping noise mingling with
the thunder. A determined gust of wind brutally whipped at the plastic currently
sheltering their roof. Lord, she hoped the thing held. She wasn
’
t in the mood
for climbing ladders and trying, once again, to make sure their dilapidated
mansion stood yet another test of time. When were those historical folks going
to give them the money they needed to keep the place standing?

Nanette stepped out into the rain and turned her attention from Monique to the
noisy tarp.

Monique climbed out of the car and quickly worked to get the top up and cover
her leather.
Dax
and
Jenee
joined in her effort.

“
The tarp will hold, Nanette!
”
Dax
yelled, gritting his teeth as he fought to
clamp down one side of the Mustang
’
s top.
“
Get on the porch and out of the
rain.
”
Then he turned toward Monique and
Jenee
, and in a tone that made it clear
that he
’
d just declared himself the man in charge, he continued,
“
Go on. I
’
ve
got this.
”

Monique
’
s brows drew together, but she was hurting too bad, burning too much, to
argue. She did need to get inside, and get to that letter. When rain this hard
actually felt good on her sizzling skin, it was high past time to answer the
summons. Obviously, from the scowl on
Nan
’
s face, she was way, way past time.

“
I know you felt it.
”
Nan
had to raise her voice to be heard over the rain
pattering against the tarp-covered roof and
splatting
loudly on the stone steps
leading to the house. Tiny channels in the grass-deprived yard were already
sending streams of watery mud toward the edge of the house.
“
Why didn
’
t you come
when she called you?
”
she asked, frowning at Monique and then at the muddy
ground.

Monique glared at her and silently dared her oldest cousin to spout any more
accusatory remarks.
“
I was on the verge of great sex,
”
she said, her skin
burning more fiercely with every step. Even the thin fabric from her dress,
rubbing against her rain-dampened skin, stung like a hot iron. She needed to get
to that letter. Now.

“
You can
’
t ignore it anymore. You have to come when she calls,
”
Nan
said, as
Monique struggled to cross the deep width of the porch. Breathing was difficult
when her flesh burned so fiercely.

Jenee
quickly moved to open the door for her, but Monique stopped walking.

“
Don
’
t,
”
Monique managed, swallowing through her parchment-dry mouth.
“
Don
’
t you
dare start with me tonight,
Nan
. I
’
m here, aren
’
t I?
”

Nan
blinked, then her jaw softened, and she frowned.
“
I
’
m sorry,
”
she said
.

“
It
’
s the roof and the house and the mud and the
Roussel
brothers. Everything
got me worked up, and then you didn
’
t come.
”

“
I
’
m here now, and I really have to get inside. I don
’
t like this,
Nan
. You know
I don
’
t.
”
Monique licked the rain from her lips to gather what moisture she
could.
“
But I
’
m here.
”

“
Yes,
”
Nan
agreed.
“
You are.
”
She gave her a soft, apologetic smile, and Monique
nodded her acceptance, then let
Jenee
guide her into the house, past the big
sheets of plastic that closed off most of the first floor and up the stairs
toward the sitting room.

Dax
called,
“
No need to worry! The top
’
s back on your car, sis.
”

“
That
’
s good,
”
Monique said, removing her shoes at the top of the stairs. Her
feet were aflame, and she wasn
’
t going to be able to walk much further. Luckily,
the sitting room was only a few more steps.

“
You okay?
”
Jenee
asked, as they crossed the threshold to the lovely rose-tinted
room where Grandma Adeline had spent thousands of hours fine-tuning her knitting
skills. It was the only room in the house that maintained the same lush
appearance that the entire home had had prior to the hurricane. While the
remainder of the house had suffered the full brunt of the storm, this room had
remained unscathed, evidently protected by Adeline
Vicknair
, or some other
powerful spirits.

Seeing the familiar lavender envelope, Monique entered the room, stumbled onto
the red velvet settee and lifted her grandmother
’
s summons from the shiny silver
tray. Immediately, an icy waterfall of coolness quenched her sweltering flesh,
washing over her like a blanket of comfort. The fiery burn was over—this time
.

Monique licked her lips, closed her eyes and smiled.
“
I
’
m okay now.
”

“
I
’
ll get you something to drink,
”
Jenee
said, turning to go, then stopping
abruptly at the door.
“
Or is your ghost here already?
”

Monique squinted one eye open and peered around the room. She hadn
’
t even
thought to look for her assigned specter when she entered, hadn
’
t thought of
anything beyond touching the letter and feeling at ease again. But now she did,
and she saw no one.
“
No ghosts yet.
”

“
Okay. I
’
ll be right back with some lemonade.
”
As
Jenee
quickly retreated,
Dax
and Nanette stuck their heads around the door.

“
You made it in okay?
”

“
Feel better now?
”

“
You can come in. My ghost hasn
’
t arrived yet,
”
Monique said, chilled from the
damp dress clinging against her skin. To think, she
’
d been feverish only seconds
ago, but now that she held the letter, her flesh bristled with coolness.