Page 26 of Road Trip With the Ghost Hunter
Li
The rattling of the bus engine vibrated against my head, that’s leaning against the window. I didn’t know how many hours had passed. I was stuck in the loop of his goodbye. And that kiss. Every now and then, tears streamed quietly down my face. It was too much. My breakdown last night was too much. I scared him away, and worse, I think he felt guilty about it. I hated that he felt any of that was his fault.
But what was I supposed to do? Beg him to let me stay with him? We were strangers mere days ago. Only that didn’t feel right to say anymore. How in just a handful of days could you feel like you knew someone to their soul? That’s ridiculous. I’m not even a model of commitment. Every job, I quit after a year. Every guy who wanted to commit, I ghosted. Friends, I let slip through my fingers, one missed text at a time. Lucas deserved better.
I knocked my head against the window as red rock mountains came into view. But damn it! He just let me go. He had to have felt it. I knew he did. That kiss wasn’t like any first kiss I’d ever experienced. Sure, it was the most heartbreaking, but it was also the most enlightening, bring-you-back-to-life kisses—not even just first kisses—I’d ever had.
Which made me irrationally mad. I could’ve gone without knowing what that felt like, only to have it taken away.
“Next stop,” called the bus driver. “Rustic Junction.”
The next half hour felt like swimming through water. We arrived. I cradled his sweatshirt with lao lao’s shards against my chest, trying to juggle my suitcase and bags. They actually weren’t expecting me till tomorrow, but hey, arriving early should speak favorably as an employee. Was I really going to be a playacting saloon girl in this cosplaying western town?
Oh wow. This town takes the theme very seriously. I felt transported to America’s Gold Rush era. The saloon stood big and proud, almost in the center of town. There were wagons, horses, antique shops, and men and women dressed in western garb.
Sighing, I dragged my stuff as best I could to the Rustic Love Hotel, where I’d be staying until we finalized everything and found me an apartment. I made no plans. I just picked an online ad that sounded fun and road tripped my ass over here. And that lack of preparation was giving me hives.
A gorgeous older woman, entirely done up, greeted me at the front desk. “Hello, darling. Welcome to Rustic Junction. Can we get you a room?”
“Hi,” I dropped my stuff, carefully laying the bundled up sweatshirt on the counter. “Yeah. I have an interview tomorrow at Gun Blazing Saloon. I’m here a day early.”
“Oh,” she remarked, writing in the ledger. “Your name, Dear?”
“Li Cheng.”
She wrote my name down next to a room number, then looked up to study me. Her bright smile dimmed. “Oh, darling. What’s with the red eyes? Is that sadness you’re bringing with you?”
I gave her a tight smile. “It’s been a long few days. Months, really.”
“Well, this town might just be the remedy you’re needing. Once settled, head over and have a drink at the saloon. My daughter Melody is there. She’s great when you need an ear.”
I recognized that name. “Actually, I think that’s who I’m meeting tomorrow.”
“Oh! Perfect. Come, come.” She floated around the desk—no other way to describe it—her gauzy white dress danced behind her. “I’ll have someone take everything to your room. You leave all these heavy things here. Let me show you where you’re staying, darling.”
Still feeling like I was swimming through water, I barely noticed the details of the room. I nodded politely as Wynona spoke. She shooed me out the front and pointed me in the direction of the saloon. As if one could miss it.
Not going to lie, entering that place felt trippy. Sure, some tourists were dressed in modern clothes, but most people were leaning hard into the Western vibe. I found a corner seat tucked away under the stairs. Grabbing my phone, I swiped through pictures. Of course, I took pictures of him. Him driving. His strong profile was grumpy because he didn’t want me taking his picture. Driving, his hand holding mine on my lap. I snuck that one without him knowing. Another image was Dawn and me taking a selfie. I took another at Kathy’s diner.
Did any of that even happen? Felt like a different life, and it was just days ago.
“Hey, Doll! What can we get you?”
A young woman with brown hair and jade eyes that sparkled with mischief stood with her hand on her corset cinched hip. “Oh. Um,” I thought. My first instinct was to ask for a whiskey. Only reason I hesitated was because it made me think of Lucas. “Whiskey sour and a shot on the side,” I ordered.
“Girl after my own heart,” my western waitress smiled. “I’m Melody Shoehorn. If you need anything, make sure to holler.”
“Wait. I met your mother.”
“Rustic Love Hotel. Indeed. She sent you over, I’m sure.”
“Actually, I’m supposed to meet with you tomorrow about a job here?”
Melody’s smile fell. “Oh, hun. Where did you come here from?”
I didn’t have a good feeling about where this was going. “Tennessee.”
“What’s your name?” she asked, sitting across from me.
