Phantoms of Fall (The Haunting Ruby Series Book 2) (50 page)

“Ruby, what if your parents sent Andy over to check
on you or something? If you don’t answer the door, he’ll panic
and call them. The last thing we need is for someone to come
barging through the door while we’re in the middle of things.”

I sighed heavily. He was right. Just open the door, get
rid of whoever’s there—that way we won’t have to worry
about anything once we get to my bedroom. Trudging down
the steps, I yanked open the door, ready to slam it back in
someone’s face.

I noticed the shoes first. A pair of black Converse All
Stars—stylish.
My eyes gravitated slowly upward.
Skinny
jeans—not for everyone, but this guy was definitely pulling
off the look. Black Cold Eternal hoodie—good taste in music
didn’t make me any less mad that this stranger was the only
thing standing between me and hot, steamy sex. Then, I saw
his face and realized that he wasn’t exactly a stranger.

Standing right in front of me was Lee.
Lee—as in Lee
my dead boyfriend. Oh no. Not now! I wasn’t ready for
another ghost.
Especially not this one and especially not
today! But it was definitely thoughtful of him to knock on the
door instead of walking straight through it.

There was no way to hide the fact that a ghost just
knocked on my door—Zach was too smart to fall for my lies
by now. I just wouldn’t tell him who it was, that’s all. Treat it
like you would any nameless ghost.

Then I heard the sound of breaking glass behind me. I
turned to see Zach with his mouth hanging wide open and
wine pooling at his feet. “You can see him?” I exclaimed.

Wait. Why was a ghost driving a car? The answer was
simple. He wasn’t a ghost! He was real but he didn’t seem to
recognize me. My brain struggled to reconcile what I thought
I knew with what was right in front of my face. It was all too
much.

Lee was dead—he told me so himself in the ER the
night of the accident. He told me it was too late for him but
that I still had a choice. He told me he wasn’t my true love but
that the boy I was meant to be with was still out there waiting
for me. He told me….

“He could have blonde hair and blue eyes or he could
look more like me.
All I know is meeting him will come as a
great shock to you.”

Shock didn’t even begin to cover it.
My legs went
weak, my vision foggy. I crashed to the floor and everything
went black.