it because the graves were never dug up. They say that by not relocating the remains, they’ve disrespected the dead and angered the spirits of the buried corpses.” I rolled my eyes. “It’s bullshit if you ask me. It’s no more haunted than any other cemetery.”
“But the other night, you said you believed it was.”
I shrugged and squinted against the sun’s reflection on the lake’s surface. I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to get into this part of the history with her, yet at the same time, I felt compelled to explain everything. “I think there are things that happened before the town was flooded that could possibly lend reason to a haunting presence. However, I don’t believe in ghosts.”
“What kinds of things happened before the flood?”
I kept my attention straight ahead, avoiding eye contact with her at all costs. I knew if I got trapped in that crystalline stare, then I would be compelled to tell her everything. The problem was that I wasn’t ready to tell her all of it, so instead, I gave her the most honest answer I could. “No one knows for sure. It’s pretty much speculation that’s been shared through stories. It could all very well be an urban legend.”
Chapter Four
Kenny
I couldn’t stop thinking about the way Drew’s lips felt on mine as I picked at cold fries from tonight’s dinner. I had a book in my hand, but I hadn’t paid attention to a single word of it. I’d made it through three pages in the almost hour since sitting outside, yet the only thing I could tell you was that Drew’s lips were addictive.
I’d taken the to-go container from The Feeder and a book I’d been dying to read to the side of the cabin. The weather was amazing, the view was unbeatable, and the Adirondack chair was easy to cozy up in. Yet I wasn’t able to enjoy any of it, because I couldn’t seem to take my mind off a particular person—specifically, one with messy hair and the lips of an angel. Here I was, in the middle of the best Mother Nature had to offer, and I was unable to focus on any of it.
This was not normal behavior for me.
I must’ve been so deep in my own thoughts that I practically jumped out of my skin when a low beam of light passed along the front of my cabin. Fear coiled tightly in my chest, making my heart pump faster and harder. And as I slowly craned my neck to peer around the corner, careful not to alert anyone that I was here, my hands began to shake.
It was silly, really, considering that the only way up here was a narrow dirt path, which meant the headlights would have to be from a golf cart. And since there would only be one person coming here at this time, it was easy to conclude that it was Drew who had pulled up and parked just outside my front door.
The fear only worsened once I peeked around the corner to the front porch. Nothing. There was no one there. Wondering what it was that I saw, I set down my book and pushed against the armrests to stand. But before I had my full weight on my feet, I was knocked off balance by the sound of someone saying, “Hey.”
One minute, I was in stealth mode, peering around the corner to sneak up on my surprise guest. And the next, I was on the ground between the chair and the footstool, mortified and convinced that I would make a horrible secret agent.
“Oh, shit. Are you okay?” Drew hurried around the porch to help me up. “I didn’t mean to scare you. Actually, I was trying not to scare you.”
“How’d you even know I was over here?” I asked as I took his offered hand.
“The light’s on.” He pointed to the outside fixture that hung on the wall between the two deck chairs. The way he said it was so matter of fact, so obvious, it was embarrassing. After all, I’d been “reading” a book, so I clearly knew the light was there.
I let him help me to my feet, where I brushed off my bottom and tried to appear unbothered by his presence—or the humiliation coursing through me. But as soon as I finished cleaning myself off, I met his stare and froze.
He effortlessly righted himself—shoved his hands into his pockets and squared his shoulders. It was as though I