Love In The Wrong Dimension (Romantic Ghost Story)

Copyright © Anette Darbyshire 2011

All rights reserved.

No reproduction without permission.

This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters and events are fictitious. Any resemblance to real people, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

I regularly publish articles about ghosts, romantic books and a lot more besides. You can also get updates (the good and the bad) on the progress on my next novel by clicking below from your Kindle, PC or Mac !

www.anettedarbyshire.com

This book is dedicated to my wonderful family, whose love and support have kept me sane whilst writing it.

A special thanks to John Darbyshire for all your help, especially with the wonderful cover you designed. I couldn’t have done it without you.

Contents

Love In The Wrong Dimension

Do ghosts fall in love? Jemma Haley is about to find out….

Jemma opened her eyes to find a little crowd had gathered around.

“
It’s okay,” she said, laughing awkwardly. “I’m fine.”

She looked up at the anxious faces peering down at her.

“
Honestly, I’m fine,” she insisted, trying to look casual. Jemma hated it when she did something clumsy, which was quite often, and her usual way of dealing with the humiliation was just to pretend that nothing had happened. But now, with all these people laughing at her, she was starting to feel a bit embarrassed. Although on second thoughts, they weren’t actually laughing. In fact, they all looked pretty horrified.

“
She’s dead,” a girl cried.

“
Who, me? No, I told you, I’m fine, and will you please stop staring at me.” She was getting annoyed now. Hadn’t they ever seen anyone fall over before, and why did they keep looking at her like that?

Confused, and feeling increasingly uneasy, Jemma started to get up, and now, instead of looking at her, the crowd were staring at the spot on the floor where she had fallen. As she followed their gaze though, she finally saw what they saw…. her body was lying lifeless on the floor, with a woman checking for her pulse and someone else calling an ambulance.

“
But I’m fine,” she whispered, although this time she knew she wasn’t fine at all.

Shocked and stunned, all Jemma could do was stare down at her own body, trying to make sense of what was happening, hoping that perhaps this was just some weird dream, and that she would wake up any minute.

And then it finally hit her; this was all real, and she really had just died. As she stood watching the bizarre scene in front of her, she realised that if she really was dead, but was also still here watching all this, then it could only mean one thing. She must be a ghost.

“
Oh heck!” she exclaimed, with a rising feeling of panic. “What the hell do I do now?”

THREE DAYS EARLIER…

“
The bats have left the bell tower.
”

“
Huh? Bats?”

Slowly, Jemma opened her eyes, and an intense pain seared through them, into the deepest pits of her already sore head.

“
I must have died and gone to hell,” she groaned, although it wasn’t very easy talking when you had grown fur on your tongue.

“
Got a bit of a headache?” Alice grinned at her, looking annoyingly fresh and chirpy. “Serves you right for finishing off the punch.”

“
What was in that stuff anyway, rocket fuel?” Jemma raised her head off the sofa, “Ooohhh my head, turn that racket down,
pleeease.
”

“
How can you call this a racket?” Alice looked outraged as she turned down the volume. “They’re some old 80’s group called Bauhaus or something, and they’re amazing. Anyway it’s a damned sight better than the rubbish you were dancing to last night! Here, I’ve made you a coffee.”

“
Thanks.” Jemma gratefully took a sip of her coffee, and looked around the large, comfy living room, strewn with empty glasses, wine bottles and stale crisps; always the sign of a good party. Gradually, the events of the night before started to come back to her.

“
Where’s Jack?” she asked. Jack was the guy whose party it had been, and he and Alice had spent most of the evening putting the world to rights. They had been the last remaining guests at four o’clock that morning, and Jack had kindly let them stay over as he didn’t want them walking home on their own.

“
Clearing up in the kitchen,” grinned Alice. “Guess what? He’s asked me out!”

“
Really? My god, you don’t waste any time,” gasped Jemma. “I can’t believe you even chatted him up, let alone agree so quickly to go on a date with him, you’re normally quite shy. Seriously though babe, I’m really pleased for you, he’s cute.”

As Jemma watched her best friend’s cheeks glow, she thought about her own disastrous love life, or rather lack of one. They’d been invited to this party last night by a friend, and on the way there, they’d been joking how this was the night that Jemma would finally meet the love of her life. Only it seems that on this occasion, it was Alice’s turn to meet Mr Right.

“
Do you remember what we talked about last night?” Alice’s voice was serious now.

Jemma took another sip of her coffee and looked blank, “No, I don’t believe I do.”

“
Come on, Jem, I know you do, we made a pact and I’m not about to let you forget about it.” As Alice was being so insistent, Jemma figured it was no use acting dumb.

Last night, under the influence of rather a lot of alcohol, they’d made some stupid pact about changing their lives, and, if Jemma remembered correctly, she had impulsively agreed to enrol at college and get herself some qualifications so she could get a better job.

At 28, Jemma’s career consisted of a mixture of waitressing, cleaning and supermarket jobs. Nothing wrong with that, but she felt it was time to experience this thing called job satisfaction, and that meant doing something positive about it, instead of just moaning about being bored and broke. The trouble is, it’s very easy being positive and proactive when you’re enjoying the effects of a very tasty punch, it’s quite different the next day when you’re nursing a rather large hangover.

“
Yeah alright, but let’s wait until we get home, we can discuss it then. Right now, all I want is some painkillers and my bed.”

“
Did someone mention bed?” Jack popped his head round the door, grinning and Alice promptly went a deep puce.

Jemma could see why Alice liked Jack so much, he was completely her type. Alice liked her men with long hair, and Jack’s floppy dark hair was just long enough to meet with her approval. He wore the same alternative style clothing that Alice liked, and apparently had the same taste in music.

“
Jack, thanks for the party last night, and for letting us crash on your sofa.” Alice smiled demurely at him. “Maybe we can meet up again some time?”

Jemma nearly choked on her coffee, Alice was
never
this forward, she really had got it bad.

“
Well, if you’re still interested, I’ll see you next week, you’re coming over on Wednesday aren’t you?”

This time it was Alice’s turn to look blank. “Am I?” Alice had clearly had more punch last night than she’d realised, thought Jemma.

“
You know, for the psychic workshop. You said you were interested in developing your psychic skills. Remember?” There was definitely no flirtation in his voice, just the friendly efficient manner of a mentor welcoming a new student.

Jemma looked at Alice and knew exactly what she was thinking. She had mistaken Jack’s invitation to join the paranormal group he runs from his house, for something more romantic. Poor Alice, she looked mortified.

“
She’ll be here, won’t you, Alice?” Jemma insisted, knowing that Alice was about to make some pathetic excuse not to go.

“
Er yes, of course. Right, see you next week. We really must go now.” Abandoning her coffee, Alice grabbed her jacket, and ushered Jemma to the door as quickly as she could.

Once outside, Alice wailed, “Oh shit, Jemma, I remember last night talking about meeting up, but I had completely forgotten the bit about the workshop on Wednesday. I’ll never be able to face him again, he must think I’m completely stupid.”

“
Look, don’t worry about it, he’s a guy. He probably has no idea that you fancy him, and you
will
see him again, because we’ve got a deal, remember?”

“
Maybe we were at bit hasty,” Alice backtracked, sheepishly.

“
No, it means a lot to you to find someone who can help you with this psychic thing, and now you’ve met this great guy, who’s invited you to join his group. It’s perfect and you’re going. I’ll keep my part of the deal, if you do. Tomorrow I’ll
enrol
at college, okay?”