That Thing You Do (Whispering Bay Romance 1)

“Two entities, huh? In and out?” Gus said.

Madame Gloria let out a long suffering sigh. “I should have brought a muzzle for you people.”

This was apparently all the permission Phoebe needed to speak again. “Two entities? Are you quite certain? I only picked up a masculine spirit.”

“Two entities,” Gloria repeated. “One male and one female.”

Gus began chuckling.

Somewhere in the back of Allie’s mind she registered the sound of more gravel crunching but the music was beginning to drown out everything. Louder and louder until she thought her head might explode.

COME ON BABY, LIGHT MY FIRE.

Oh, Lord, maybe she had a brain tumor. Or maybe Martians were invading the planet and using her as a conduit to get to other earthlings or maybe—

COME ON BABY, LIGHT MY FIRE.

She had to stop it. She had to. Or she’d go crazy. But how? It was as if whatever was making the music in her head was urging her to do something. Or say something. Like when Tom admitted he’d heard the song Help in his mind and it had only ceased when he’d told her he’d stop the demolition.

Impulsively, she pushed herself up from the table. “Okay! I admit it! Tom and I had sex last night.”

The music came to a screeching halt.

“Oh, thank God!” She placed her hands against the sides of her head. Beautiful, blissful peace! Her head belonged to her again.

“I knew it,” Gus said. He grinned and gave Tom a big thumbs up.

Madame Gloria pointed a finger at Phoebe. “How can I be expected to commune with the non-living when my instructions to keep the building pure were deliberately disobeyed? I thought you were a professional.”

Phoebe kicked back her chair and stood. “I am a professional! And I can vouch that no one has stepped foot inside this building for over twenty-four hours.” She waved her hand at Tom. “Isn’t that right?”

Tom didn’t say anything.

“Right?” Phoebe persisted.

“Go ahead,” Gloria said smugly. “Tell them.”

“It was an accident,” Allie blurted. “We didn’t mean to have sex. It just sort of happened.”

Phoebe looked incredulous. “You had sex here? Inside this building? When?”

“Um, last night,” Allie admitted.

Viola reached out to pat her on the arm. “Isn’t that lovely? Er, at least, I assume it was lovely. Was it?”

Everyone at the table turned to look at Allie.

“It was…you know, nice.”

Tom muttered something under his breath that Allie didn’t catch.

Phoebe looked incredulous. “I specifically told you that the atmosphere was to be kept pure for tonight’s séance! What are you, people, animals?”

More gravel crunching. More giggling.

Madame Gloria threw her hands in the air. “Does anyone besides me hear that?” she demanded.

“I hear it,” Gus said.