Scream in the Wind (Paranormal Peacekeepers: Book Two)

Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO

Grace

Half Racks, a steakhouse nestled in the center of a bustling outlet mall, wasn't at all what we expected, but it was exactly what we needed. The ambiance didn't scream romantic, but neither of us had our hearts set on a candlelit dinner. That just wasn't necessary. We could eat McDonalds in a parking lot and be just as happy.

Miles order a rack of ribs and I took my chances on the chicken fried steak. We ate our meals in comfortable silence, our eyes locking every now and again as we relaxed for the first time in months.

We were always going, going, going. Very rarely did we have time to just sit back and enjoy each other's company. And sharing a hotel room every night didn't count, since by the time we stumbled through the door we were too exhausted to do much more than shower and collapse on top of the sheets.

However, that wasn't on my agenda for our night off. It had been far too long since I'd had Miles all to myself and I fully intended to take advantage of the hours spent away from orbs, apparitions, and EVPs.

If there was one crucial thing I'd learned in the last year, it was that when you die, your regrets don't die with you. They live on, tethering you to a plane of existence you're not meant to wander. And I didn't want that. I didn't want a single regret. Time could so easily slip away. It's easy to get caught up in work or school or family... While you're busy living your life, it's sometimes easy to forget why you're living.

My shoulders rested comfortably against the back of the vinyl booth, and I took a moment to watch the person my heart had chosen.

The lines around Miles' lips and eyes were more pronounced than they had been during our senior year of high school. He wore dark scruff on his chin that made him look older, and maybe a bit run down. Even his skin had changed. It was paler, since we didn't have the chance to spend time outdoors in the sun like we once had.

But his green eyes hadn't dulled a bit.

We'd seen enough evil, been touched by enough darkness, to last a normal person a lifetime. It aged us, both on the inside and out. But the intensity of his gaze was the same as it had always been. Every time he looked at me, I felt it, even if my back was turned. The invisible line that bound us together had only grown stronger with time. And still, I couldn't get enough.

"What are you thinking about right now?" Miles asked after placing his fork and napkin on his now empty plate.

I took a drink of sweet tea and crossed my legs under the table, thinking of the best way to word it.

"Time."

One dark brow quirked up.

"Time?"

"Yeah. Like, does it really seem like we've been in this life for just a year? Kinda feels like we've been part of this family for longer than that, doesn't it?"

He nodded solemnly. "Yeah, it does. But there's nowhere else I'd rather be."

"Me either," I said with a smile.

He took a long pull of his drink, and by the clenching of his fist on the table, I could tell he had something on his mind. When he licked a droplet of soda off his bottom lip, I watched, entranced by the small movement. Then he dropped the bomb.

"So, where do you see yourself - where do you see us - in five years?"

"Five years?" I laughed nervously. "Oh, gosh. It's crazy thinking that far ahead."