Where The Heart Is: A Bay City Paranormal Investigations story

chair, Kerry rubbed her belly. “It was here, but it wasn’t Blue
Skye then. It was Mother Nature’s Grape.”
Dean’s eyebrows shot up. “That organic vineyard? Now that I remember. I saw the
owners a couple of times at the Market.”
Glancing around, Ron leaned closer. “The owners were Sommer’s parents. Stormy
and Sunny Skye, remember?”
“I don’t think I ever knew their names.” Dean ran a hand through his hair, shoving
the long bangs out of his eyes. “So when did it become Blue Skye?”
“Nineteen-ninety-eight,” Kerry answered. “They decided to change the name and
open up their house as a bed and breakfast.”
Before Dean could ask the question foremost in his mind— what about the
haunting?— a small, slender young man with pink-streaked blond curls approached the
table carrying two glasses of pale yellow wine and a cup of juice on a tray. “Here you go,” he said, flashing a wide smile. He set the wineglasses in front of Dean and Ron and
handed Kerry the juice. “You folks need anything else?”
Kerry and Ron both answered in the negative. Leaning his elbows on the table, Dean
grinned at the boy. “I’d like to meet the owner, actually, is he around?”
The waiter’s blue eyes widened. “You want to meet Sommer?”
“Yes,” Dean answered firmly. “I do.”
The young man shrugged. “Well, I can ask him.”
At that moment, Dean caught sight of the man himself making his way through the
crowd. He seemed to be headed right for their table. “Actually, never mind,” Dean said.
“Here he comes now.”
The young man glanced up and waved at Sommer. “Okay. I’m Cody, let me know if
you need anything else.”
Dean nodded, not even looking as Cody moved to the next table. He couldn’t take
his eyes off the man coming toward them. When he thought about it, he wasn’t even sure
exactly what it was that made Sommer Skye so heart-thumpingly sexy. He was certainly
an attractive man, with those huge brown eyes and the deep red hair framing a sensual,
rather androgynous face. He had the type of build Dean usually preferred as well—lean,
slim and athletic, his muscles streamlined rather than bulky. But those physical traits
were not the reason the sight of the man made his mouth go dry and his palms sweat. No,
it was something less tangible. Something about the way he moves, or the look in his
eyes , Dean mused, taking a sip of his wine.
Sommer stopped at every table as he made his way toward where Dean, Ron and
Kerry sat. He seemed to know practically everyone, and he had a smile and a friendly
word for all of them. Dean found himself fascinated by the way the right side of
Sommer’s mouth would rise first, making his smile adorably lopsided. The way the man
looked every person right in the eye, holding their gaze as if each one of them was the
only person on the planet, piqued Dean’s curiosity. It was very different from how he’d
behaved at The Open Eye, and Dean wondered why the turnaround.
Finally, Sommer moved away from the elderly couple he’d been talking to and
sauntered up to Ron, Kerry and Dean’s table. “Hi,” he said, flashing that impossibly
sweet smile. “Glad y’all could come tonight.”
“Me too. We love Karaoke Night.” Ron gestured toward Dean. “Sommer, I’d like
you to meet an old friend, Dean Delapore. He went to college here with Kerry and me.” Sommer’s cheeks pinked as he turned and held out a hand to Dean. “Nice to meet
you, Dean. I’m Sommer Skye. Yes, it’s my real name.”
“Good to meet you too, Sommer.” Dean shook Sommer’s hand, fighting the urge to
pounce on him and cuddle him like a kitten. The man’s blush and the sudden shyness in
those big, pretty eyes did all kinds of interesting things to Dean’s insides. “I like your
name. It’s cool.”
Sommer laughed and shrugged, retrieving his hand and coiling the fingers nervously
in his hair. “I don’t think anybody’s ever said that before.”
Leaning forward in his seat, Dean gave Sommer his very best seductive smile.
“Excellent. That means you’ll remember me.”
Sommer’s blush deepened, and Kerry snorted. “He’s flirting with you, Sommer. Just
tell him to quit.”
Dean glared at her. She raised her eyebrows at him.
“It’s okay,” Sommer said, his voice soft but clearly flattered. “I don’t mind.” Sticking his tongue out at Kerry and ignoring Ron’s resulting laugh, Dean turned his
attention back to Sommer. “So, Sommer. Kerry tells me you have a