Where The Heart Is: A Bay City Paranormal Investigations story

lady with the equipment.”
“Of course. Hang on a second, let me find it.” There was a shuffle and a clunk which Dean assumed was Bo setting the phone down. Dean jumped up and ran inside, reaching the kitchen just as Bo came back on the line. “All right, I have it. Are you ready?”
Ignoring the puzzled look Kerry shot him from her spot at the kitchen table with her cup of tea, Dean grabbed the pen hanging from a string on the refrigerator and clicked it on. “Yeah, I’m ready.”
He scribbled the name, address and phone number on the pad of paper held to the refrigerator door by a yin-yang magnet. The place was on a side street a couple of blocks off Franklin, not far from the middle of town. Maybe he and Sommer could go by there tomorrow before dinner.
I’m seeing him tomorrow.
A shiver of anticipation ran up Dean’s spine. Tomorrow didn’t seem nearly soon enough. And wasn’t it just kind of pathetic that he could get this worked up over someone he hadn’t even known twenty-four hours yet?
“Dean? You still there?”
Shaking himself, Dean dropped the pen, tore off the page with the information on it and shoved it in his jeans pocket. “Yeah, I’m here. Hey, have I told you lately that you’re the best boss in the world?”
“Every time I give you what you want, yes.”
Dean laughed. “Thanks, Bo.”
“You’re welcome. Stay in touch, okay? Let us know how the investigation goes.”
“I will. Bye.”
“Bye.”
Dean clicked off the phone, set it on the table and plopped into the chair across from Kerry, grinning. “Guess what.”
She quirked an eyebrow at him over her teacup. “He gave you that pony you always wanted?”
“Goofball.” He gave her leg a light kick under the table. “He was so excited about Sommer’s possible apparition that he said I could stay here two extra weeks to do a better investigation.”
Her eyes lit up. “Oh my God, that’s great !”
“What’s great?” Ron asked, coming out of the bathroom.
Kerry turned to him with a smile. “Dean’s staying an extra two weeks to investigate Sommer’s place.”
Ron’s face broke into a grin. “Awesome.”
“Yeah. I’m pretty stoked about it.” Putting the mouth of his bottle to his lips, Dean gulped down the rest of the liquid. “So. Are y’all still up for Frisbee golf?”
“Hell yeah.” Kerry tossed back the rest of her tea, grabbed Ron’s arm and levered herself to her feet. “I’m gonna kick your ass, Dean.”
“You always do,” Dean admitted ruefully. Kerry had a wicked arm when it came to tossing a Frisbee.
Chuckling, Ron patted Kerry’s rounded belly. “Maybe you’re gonna kick Dean’s ass, but I’m gonna kick your ass.”
“Ha. You wish.”
“Babe, you’re good, but you’re not as good as me.”
“Once again, you wish .”
Dean followed his friends out the back door, listening to their good-natured bickering with a smile on his face. He’d always admired their ability to squabble like a couple of overly competitive fifth graders without losing the glow they had only for one another.
Watching them made his gut burn with a sudden fierce longing. I want that , he thought, trailing Kerry across the grass to the car. I want someone to look at me the way Ron and Kerry look at each other. I want someone to be the center of my world. I want…
Dean stopped in mid-stride when he realized what he really wanted was to be in love. To feel that giddy joy whenever the person he loved was near. Only this time, he wanted the object of his affections to love him back in a way Sharon never had. The need was so strong he could almost picture a face in his head.
As a matter of fact, it was kind of a familiar face. He laughed out loud. Maybe all the freaky-ass cases Bay City Paranormal had handled lately had finally fried his brain.
Kerry turned to him with a frown. “What’s so funny?”
“You and Ron. Y’all are so cute together.” He figured it wasn’t really a lie, since he’d been thinking exactly that only a few seconds earlier.
“Hm.” She narrowed her eyes at him, obviously not buying it. “You sure you feel like playing today? You look awfully pale.”
“Yeah, man, we can wait and go another time,” Ron added, leaning across the roof of the car and eyeing him with concern.
“No, I’m fine, seriously.” He shot them his most mischievous grin. “I’m pale from spending too much time indoors. So let’s get out and get me some sunshine, huh?”
Ron laughed, and Kerry shook her head.