Love, Like Ghosts: A Bay City Paranormal Investigations Story

I’m glad you’re not too pissed off at me .” Adrian tucked a hand behind his head. “Besides, you’re worth holding onto. What we’ve got going here is worth holding onto. Of course I’m going to listen to what you have to say. Especially when I clearly screwed up.”
The hitch of breath on the other end of the line tugged at Adrian’s heart. “Thank you,” Greg whispered. “You know what, I think I’m a lucky guy.”
The line went dead before Adrian could answer. He set the phone down and smiled. “So am I.”

Chapter Eleven
“Happy Thanksgiving, sweetheart! We miss you!”
    Adrian smiled at his mother’s image on his laptop screen, his whole family crowded around and behind her at the dining room table in the big, rambling house on Mobile Bay where his mother and her husband, Lee, lived. His heart ached to see them all together without him, but there was no help for it. Dr. Perez had offered him a coveted spot as an assistant on an ongoing research project for the physics department, which required him to stay on campus over at least one holiday through the remainder of the school year. He’d chosen Thanksgiving and Easter. The opportunity was too good to turn down, no matter how difficult it was to be away from his family right now.
    “I miss you guys too.” Adrian snagged a cookie from the tin on the table and held it up. “Thanks for the pumpkin cookies, by the way. They’re great.”
“You’re welcome.” His mother turned to grin at his father, who sat in a chair he’d pulled up just behind her right shoulder. “Your dad made them, of course. You know I can’t bake.”
“I helped,” Sean interjected from his spot leaning on the back of his mother’s chair.
“Yes, Sean, and you did a great job.” Adrian’s father patted Sean’s arm, the dark eyes so like Adrian’s own shining in amusement. “So, Adrian. What are your plans for Thanksgiving dinner? And please don’t tell me anything about a sandwich alone in front of your computer while working, because I have no desire to nurse your mother through a stroke today.”
Adrian laughed. His dad knew him far too well. Probably because Dr. Bo Broussard was a scientist himself and therefore knew the lure of a compelling project. Sam had had to pull him away from more than one of them during Adrian’s teen years.
“Actually, I’m heading over to Dr. Perez’s house in a couple of hours.” Adrian nibbled the edge of the cookie he still held. “He invited all his research assistants over for Thanksgiving dinner with him and his wife.”
Beside Adrian’s father, Sam smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “Well, good. That was nice of them to invite y’all over.”
“Yeah, it was. I’m looking forward to it.”
For more reasons than a good meal. Greg was spending the holiday with his family a couple of hours down the road in Goldsboro, and Adrian was surprised by how much he missed him. Even the considerable work of the research project hadn’t kept Adrian busy enough to drown out the ache of loneliness. His smile slipped a fraction.
His mom’s brows drew together in a worried frown. “Honey, are you okay?”
To her left, Lee shook his head. “Sweetheart, don’t hound the boy. Of course it’s difficult for him to be away from home, but I’m sure he’s managing fine.”
Sean flashed an evil grin. “He misses his boyfriend.”
Instantly, Adrian’s face went beet red. It had become a Pavlovian response lately to his brother’s teasing. He dropped his head into his hands. “Shut up, creep.”
Sean snickered. Their father gave him a stern look. “Sean, please.”
He didn’t have to say anything else. Sean’s expression softened. Leaning closer to the screen, he lowered his voice to a whisper. “Sorry, bro. You know I love you.”
Adrian’s throat went tight. He grinned. “Yeah, I know. I love you too. Hey, what about that girl you’ve been seeing lately? Maia? How’s that going?”
A wide, goofy smile spread over Sean’s face. His eyes shone in that particular way they always did when he talked about the young woman he’d been seeing for the past few weeks. “It’s going great. She is soooo fantastic.”
Everyone at the table laughed. Sean just shrugged and joined in.
For a second, a familiar jealousy clawed at Adrian’s insides. He squashed it before it could take root and grow. During their childhood and teen years, Adrian had spent a lot of time consumed with resentment over his brother’s ability