Love, Like Ghosts: A Bay City Paranormal Investigations Story

boyfriend makes regular trips out to Groome Castle? Why the fuck does everyone but me know this? And what in the goddamn hell are you doing out there, anyway?” He straightened up and wrapped his arms around himself, making him look uncertain and heartbreakingly fragile. “Why did you keep this a secret from me, Adrian? Are you…are you seeing someone else?”
In his wildest nightmares, Adrian never imagined Greg would have believed he’d cheat on him. Without a second thought, Adrian jumped up and wrapped his arms around Greg’s tense body. “No! God, no. There’s nobody but you.”
Relief shone in Greg’s eyes. Nevertheless, he shook loose of Adrian’s embrace, walked across the room and sat on the edge of Adrian’s bed, still clutching himself as if he’d fall apart if he didn’t. “What’s going on, then? What’s such a big deal that you couldn’t tell me about it?”
An angry scowl twisted Greg’s features, but the hurt came through loud and clear in his voice. Adrian’s chest tightened. “I’m sorry, Greg. I should’ve told you earlier. It…it’s nothing terrible, I don’t know why I didn’t tell you before. I guess it’s just because you don’t believe in ghosts and I figured you’d be upset, and…” Adrian made a helpless gesture with one hand. “It seems so stupid now.”
Sighing, Greg rubbed a hand over his eyes. “Adrian. Just fucking tell me.”
Adrian shut his eyes and drew a couple of slow, deep breaths. When he felt sufficiently calm, he opened his eyes again and walked over to sit beside Greg. “Okay. Just promise me you’ll listen with an open mind?”
Greg studied him with narrowed eyes for a moment before giving him a brief nod. “I can’t wait to hear this.” Kicking off his sneakers, Greg curled his legs beneath him and pinned Adrian with an expectant stare.
“All right. Well.” Adrian studied his clasped hands, trying to think of the best way to begin. “You know I saw Lyndon Groome’s ghost the day you and I first met, right?”
“I know you said you did.” Greg let out a soft laugh. “I remember thinking you were either lying or completely nuts.”
“I’m not crazy.” Adrian twisted his fingers together. His heart beat so fast it made him dizzy. “And I told you, I don’t lie.”
Silence fell. A door slammed across the hall. Footsteps pounded down the stairs outside, fading as they reached the first floor. Adrian waited, staring at his hands and forcing himself to remain still. Part of him desperately wanted to look at Greg. A larger part of him dreaded seeing the expression on Greg’s face.
“Let me see if I understand what you’re telling me,” Greg said at last, his voice far calmer than Adrian had expected. “You’re telling me that you really did see a ghost that day. No lie.”
“Lyndon Groome’s ghost, yes.” Adrian glanced at Greg. His face was unnervingly blank.
Greg nodded. “How do you know that?”
Surprised, Adrian turned sideways and tucked one leg underneath him on the bed. “What?”
“How do you know it was Lyndon Groome’s ghost?”
“Well, um…” Adrian scratched his neck, feeling self-conscious. “He told me.”
One pale eyebrow lifted. “He told you.”
“Uh. Yeah.”
“The ghost.”
“Yes.” Adrian crossed his arms and fought down a rising tide of indignation. “You knew I could communicate with spirits. I haven’t mentioned it or demonstrated it again around you, because I know it makes you uncomfortable and because I know you don’t believe in it, but I haven’t made any secret of my abilities either.” Not those abilities, at least. Adrian squashed the niggling guilt before it could get a foothold. He wanted to tell Greg about his psychokinesis, but now wasn’t the time. There may never be a time for that. “There’s no need for you to sound so… snide about it.”
Greg’s cheeks flushed and his eyes darkened, and Adrian steeled himself for a bitter argument. He hated it, but he didn’t know what else to do. He no longer allowed anyone to talk down to him. Even if he should have told Greg about Lyndon earlier, he couldn’t allow Greg to become an exception to one of his most important rules just because he cared for him.
When Greg slumped forward with a long sigh and rested his head on Adrian’s shoulder, Adrian had to bite back a whoop of relief. He shifted into a more comfortable position, wound his arms around Greg’s back and rested his cheek against Greg’s hair. Greg smelled