These Haunted Hills by Jana Denardo

Author:Jana Denardo [Denardo, Jana]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: NineStar Press
Published: 2024-02-20T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

BRENDAN DROVE UP to the cabin, surprised to see Josh’s truck parked there. He hadn’t told Josh when he was returning. There’d been a text alert while he was driving, and he refused to look at those when behind the wheel. When he checked, he saw a cryptic message. In the woods. Damn trash pandas.

Brendan assumed the cameras had gotten knocked aside again, and Josh was out there somewhere fixing them. As tempting as it was to go play Grizzly Adams with Josh, Brendan went inside and mixed up another dark ‘n’ stormy, heavy on the rich rum. He might need it, because he wanted to pick up where he’d left off. He didn’t want to be drunk but needed to file the edge off.

Leaving his drink on the table, Brendan took off his pendant and tucked it reverently away inside his suitcase. There. He’d given himself permission to go that far. Brendan opened up his laptop as he settled down to write and wait on Josh. He assumed Josh would knock on the door when he saw Brendan’s car. He hoped. No, maybe I should go outside.

Relocating his computer and his drink outside to the porch, Brendan tried to work. He struggled not to think about the hot tub and splashing down into it with Josh. He rubbed his chin, feeling bare skin for the first time in a long time. After meeting with Heather, he’d gone home and shaved. He swore years had come off with the beard. He hadn’t realized how much his beard aged him. He hoped Josh didn’t mind. Truthfully, he was glad to be rid of it; he could handle a goatee, but the full beard made him itch. He’d only grown it because, most days, he’d been too mentally exhausted to care about grooming.

Brendan eventually lost himself in the haunted world he was creating, not even hearing Josh’s approach until he was shockingly close. Josh waved, a bashful expression on his face as if he were sorry he’d startled Brendan. He wore jeans with the knees torn out and a T-shirt with a dragon sitting on a hoard of books with the words “book wyrm” on it. He had twigs in his blond hair and a smudge of dirt across the bridge of his nose.

“Hey. You’re back. I almost didn’t recognize you.” Josh scrubbed a hand over his chin, leaving behind more dirt.

“I got back a little while ago.” Brendan set his computer side and stood. “Did the raccoons mess with your camera again?”

“They won’t be doing it again, stupid things.” Josh huffed. “Or should I say smart things, tremendously, ridiculously smart things. I hopefully have the cameras locked in better. I wouldn’t leave any trash around the pit, though, or you’ll have them swinging off your chimney.”

“How scary do they sound?” Brendan didn’t want a repeat of him freaking out about noises in the night.

“Like giant rats climbing on the roof.”

“Perfect.” Brendan shuddered and then closed the distance between them. He pulled Josh close, kissing him as if his life depended on it.

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