Where The Heart Is: A Bay City Paranormal Investigations story

lady here, huh? You almost made me knock her over.”
The man turned, blinking in surprise as his large brown eyes lit on Kerry. “Kerry? Oh my God I’m sorry! I’m just in kind of a rush, and wasn’t looking where…” He stopped, blowing out a breath. One long, slender hand raked through shaggy shoulderlength hair the color of redwood. “Sorry. Listen, y’all come out to my place tonight for karaoke, I’ll give you dinner.”
Kerry laughed. “We’d love to come for karaoke, but you don’t need to feed us.”
“But I—”
“You were in a hurry, and you accidentally ran into someone,” Kerry finished. “It happens. I’m fine, don’t worry about it.”
The stranger bit his lower lip, and Dean’s breath caught. Something about the nervous action and the uncertain look in those huge, expressive eyes made Dean want to pull the man into his arms and comfort him.
“I’d still love it if you and Ron came for karaoke. Y’all haven’t been out for at least a month.” His gaze flicked sideways to Dean, then back again, as if he wasn’t sure he should speak to him. “And you can bring, um, guests.” He darted another look at Dean, this one sizzling with curiosity. “Um, yeah. See you later.”
The man turned and leaned against the counter, talking low and fast to the young woman on the other side. Dean stared, admiring the slim, tight lines of the stranger’s body. Black jeans hugged long legs and the sweetest ass Dean had seen in ages. A pale blue shirt with the tails hanging out and the sleeves rolled up set off the man’s deep red hair and golden skin tone perfectly.
“Who’s that?” Dean asked, nudging Kerry’s elbow. “He’s hot.”
Kerry grinned. “How do you do that?”
“Do what?” He tilted his head sideways to better view the curve of buttock and thigh as the man shifted from foot to foot.
“Pick out the gay ones, every time.” Kerry slapped him on the butt. “Are you listening?”
“I didn’t know he was gay. I just thought he was hot.” Dean flashed his friendliest smile as the man turned around and hurried toward the door carrying a large paper bag. The man blushed and looked away, but Dean saw the way the corners of his mouth turned up as he passed. Dean swiveled around to watch the man walk out the door. “Oh yeah. Smokin’ hot. So who is he?”
Snickering, Kerry stepped up to the counter and ordered two organic Sumatrans before turning back to Dean. “That’s Sommer Skye. He’s a good friend of mine and Ron’s.”
Dean laughed. “Sommer Skye? What the hell were his parents thinking?”
“They were serious hippies.” Kerry held her hand out. Dean handed her two dollars, which she gave to the girl behind the counter along with her own money. Taking the change, Kerry picked up the huge indigo mug the clerk handed her and led Dean toward a table containing carafes of soy milk and half-and-half, packets of raw sugar and a small pitcher of honey. “They disappeared four years ago. Nobody’s seen or heard a trace of them since. It’s kind of a sore spot with Sommer, so do not say anything, okay?”
“Cross my heart.” Dean stirred honey and a generous amount of half-and-half into his coffee and took a cautious sip from the orange and yellow mug. “Oh man, that’s good. So, we’re going to his place tonight, huh?”
“Yep.” Kerry poured a packet of raw sugar and a dollop of soy milk into her coffee and stirred. “He owns the Blue Skye Inn and Winery just outside town. It’s a cool place, you’ll love it. He’s set up the wine shop and tasting room in the old barn, and he has Karaoke Night there every Saturday. Five bucks a head, and you get one complimentary glass of his chardonnay and as much karaoke as you can handle. Half the town turns out for it, it’s a real blast.”
“Sounds like it.” Dean followed Kerry to a small round table bathed in sunshine pouring through the wall-to-wall windows. As he slid into the chair, he caught sight of a tall, lanky man chaining a bicycle to the rack outside. “Hey, there’s Ron.”
Kerry’s face lit up. She tapped on the window. Ron looked up, smiled and waved at her. She waved back, beaming. Dean chuckled. His friends had been married for seven years, and had dated all through college, but they were still head over heels for each other, and it showed. Dean thought it was adorable.
Ron swung the door open and bounded in, gray eyes shining. Flipping his long golden ponytail over his shoulder, he slid into