Donna Fletcher Short Story Collection (23 page)

“My grandmother inherited Blackstone Manor?”
Amanda asked shocked at the news.

“You didn’t know that, honey? Your
grandmother didn’t tell you?”

Amanda was relieved that Susie got called
away to pick up an order. She needed to collect herself and digest
the startling news.

“Why did Gram lead everyone to believe she
bought the place?”

Mitch reached out and took her hold of her
hand. “I don’t know, but I do know that people don’t leave valuable
property to strangers. There’s a connection there somewhere and we
need to find it.”

They finished their meal and returned home
going straight to the computer but found nothing that connected
Sophia Barnes with Thomas Blackstone. They continued their hunt
well past midnight until finally their continuous yawns drove them
to bed.

They both stood staring at the bed after
changing their clothes... in separate rooms.

“I have to say something before we get into
bed together,” Mitch said.

Amanda waited.

“I’m attracted to you, have been since I
first saw you standing outside when I pulled up. I’ve had the urge
to kiss you long before that damn ghost got in the way.” He shook
his head. “I can’t get the thought of making love to you out of
mind. It haunts me as much as the ghost haunts this house. I’ve
never felt like this before and...” He took a fortifying breath. “I
want to make sure it’s real because if it is I don’t think I’m ever
going to be able to let you go.”

Amanda couldn’t help it; she was so thrilled
that she chuckled.

His eyes turned wide. “Do that again.”

“What?”

“That little laugh.”

She found it easy to do again, still
delighted with the turn of events.

“That’s the chuckle I’ve been hearing.”

“But I haven’t done it before,”—she
gasped—“I’ve been told repeatedly that I sound just like Gram when
I do it.”

“I should have known,” Mitch said. “The signs
were obvious. There isn’t one ghost here, there are two.”

“Gram is here?”

“No doubt she’s the one affecting the lights.
New ghosts have a tendency to do that where older ghost can
materialize easily, though I wonder why she remains here.”

The ghost of Michael Blackstone appeared so
suddenly that they both jumped startled. Mitch didn’t hesitate, he
skittered across the bed and wrapped his arm around Amanda.

“Where’s Gram? I want to see her.”

He pointed at her once again.

“I don’t know what you want,” she cried out
to him. “Please, I want to see Gram.”

He disappeared as fast as he had
materialized.

“I don’t understand,” Amanda said close to
tears.

“I think I do,” he said and took hold of her
shoulders and turned her around. “He wasn’t pointing at you. He was
pointing at the portrait of your grandmother.”

Amanda scrambled up onto the bed along with
Mitch and each of them felt along the edges of the picture frame.
Mitch found the latch and when he clicked it the portrait slowly
moved away from the wall to reveal a wall safe. Attached to the
combination knob was a note.

Amanda grabbed it and read Gram’s
message.

The combination is hidden where you spent
hours of play as a young child.

Mitch helped her off the bed and she ran to
Gram’s vanity dresser with the triple mirror. She would sit on the
floor and watch her Gram get ready for parties or dinner guests,
and while she did...

She opened the bottom drawer on the right
side of the vanity and took out a flora cloth-covered box and
opened it. It was here her grandmother had deposited costume
jewelry for her to play with and tucked among the mound of jewelry
that had been so precious to her as a child was a folded piece of
paper.

Amanda smiled and hurried to the wall safe,
quickly feeding in the combination. When the door popped open, the
only thing in there was a brown leather journal. She took it out
and hugged it to her chest.

Mitch closed the safe and clicked the
portrait so that it would return to its position.

The two sat on the bed beside each other,
Mitch’s arm going around her waist and moving closer.

She snuggled against him glad he was there to
share this with her and when she opened it a letter fell out. They
both read along silently.

My dearest Amanda,

This letter will briefly explain everything
and my journal tells the whole story. Let the world know if you
want for it is a grand romance. Since you’re reading this Michael
has succeeded in helping you find it. Please don’t mourn me. My
time has come to an end there and I must journey on. But I could
not leave you, my granddaughter, the love of my life, without
explaining everything.

Many years ago when I was young and just
starting my acting career, I had volunteered my time with the USO.
I danced with many soldiers, handed out food and listened to their
stories. One night I danced with an army officer and as soon as he
took me in his arms I knew we were meant to be and so did he...
that officer was Michael Blackstone.

We had one glorious night together and he
had to leave the next day, he promised me he’d be back and we’d be
together forever, but he never came back. I feared the worst since
I knew in my heart he loved me and meant to keep his word and
return to me. It took almost a year to find out what happened to
him and his death devastated me. I never found a love like him
again, never found a man who could melt my heart with a simple
touch or make my body quiver with just one kiss. Instead I went
from marriage to marriage until I finally gave up.

When I found out that I had inherited
Blackstone Manor I was shocked. Never had anyone in the Blackstone
family contacted me until that day and even then it was done
through a lawyer and he even wondered why the house was left to
me.

I found out why the first night in the house
when Michal came to me. In dreams he explained everything to me.
How it had taken him years to finally be able to communicate with
his grandfather and how in the end it had been his grandfather’s
idea to leave the house to her so that Michael and she could be
together.

Oh my darling, Amanda, I had never been so
happy to see him and feel his touch again after all those years. It
may seem crazy to you but the many years spent there with him were
some of the best years of my life. I felt alive again and even more
startling, I didn’t fear death for I knew Michael would be there to
greet me and we would finally be truly together.

Know that I am happy and that I love you
dearly.

One last important thing, in your dreams
you'll find the truth. It is there that your yearning desires
conjures the man of your dreams and brings him to you, though I
gave a bit of a nudge in the right direction. You have talents
you’re just beginning to learn about, but then perhaps Mitch
Connell can help you develop them.

Kisses and hugs, my darling, live and love
well!

Gram

P.S. How appropriate it would be if
Blackstone Manor became a center dedicated to gathering data on
ghosts and teaching those with a talent for seeing them. You could
call it The Sophia Barnes Center for Ghostly Phenomenon.

Amanda jumped out of bed and hurried to the
table next to the pink velvet chaise lounge. She ran her finger
along the stack of books piled there and eased one out. She rushed
back to the bed beside Mitch and flipped through the pages and
stopped at a picture of him speaking before a large audience.
Tucked in the page was a picture of Amanda taken about a year
ago.

“I remember now. One day when I was young I
had told Gram that I had seen a ghost looking out one of the
windows while in the backyard. She told me it was nonsense and
after a heated debate I stomped off and told her that it was easy
to see ghosts and I didn’t know what all the fuss was about, and
one day I would prove it to everyone.” She shook her head. “But all
thoughts of ghosts faded over the years until, I had completely
forgotten it all.”

“No, you tucked it away until the time was
right and you were ready.”

Amanda smiled. “She left the books where she
knew I would easily find them; her chaise had always been a
favorite spot of mine for reading. She placed you in my thoughts
before any of the strange activities started.”

“I like your grandmother.”

The chuckle sounded loud and clear and they
both smiled.

“I think she likes you too,” Amanda said and
wasn’t surprised to see Michal Blackstone materialize in his
favorite corner.

He smiled and nodded at them.

“Take good care of my Gram and give her a
kiss for me.”

He nodded, waved and just when she thought he
would vanish, her grandmother suddenly appeared. She was younger
looking, so very beautiful and wore the happiest smile. She blew
Amanda a kiss and then Michael slipped his arm around her and
together they vanished.

Amanda hopped out of bed and ran to the spot
where her grandmother had stood. “It’s over,” she said with a bit
of sorrow.

“No, it’s not,” Mitch said advancing on her.
“It’s just beginning.”

A shot of desire hit her like Cupid’s arrow
and spread like wildfire.

“You do realize that it was me you conjured
in your dreams, me who touched you, me who you desired.”

“It makes sense,”—she shook her head—“and
then it doesn’t. I had been reading your book before I fell asleep
and had seen my picture next to yours, so I suppose one could say
it was a subliminal suggestion that conjured the dream.”

He scooped her up. “You have a special gift,
Amanda. You travel the dream world and bring people into it. Your
unique talent can be an asset to my business and I could use a
partner, but first... it’s time that dream became a reality.”

“I always believed that dreams could come
true.”

“Tonight, Amanda, I’m going to make all your
dreams come true.”

He carried her to the bed and as he lowered
her down... the lights went out.

~ The End ~

This is an original short story, not based on any
characters from a book, though I have thought that Mitch and
Amanda’s skills would make for a great ghost hunting series.

Single Titles

San Francisco Surrender

Untamed Fire

Rebellious Bride

The Buccaneer

Tame My Wild Touch

Playing Cupid

Whispers on the Wind

Series Books

Wyrrd Witches Series

The Wedding Spell

Magical Moments

Magical Memories

Remember the Magic

The Irish Devil

Irish Hope

Isle of Lies

Love Me Forever

Dark Warrior

Legendary Warrior

The Daring Twin

The Bewitching Twin

Taken By Storm

Highlander’s Bride

Sinclare Brothers Series

Return of the Rogue

Under the Highlander’s Spell

The Angel and The Highlander

Highlander’s Forbidden Bride

Warrior King Series

Bound To A Warrior

Loved By A Warrior

A Warrior’s Promise

Wed To A Highland Warrior

Highlander Trilogy

Highlander Unchained

Forbidden Highlander

Book 3 – coming late spring 2013

Donna Fletcher is a USA Today bestselling
romance author. Her books are sold worldwide. She started her
career selling short stories and winning reader contests. She soon
expanded her writing to her love of romance novels and sold her
first book
San Francisco Surrender
the year she
became president of New Jersey Romance Writers. Donna is also a
past President of Novelists, Inc.

Drop by Donna’s website
www.donnafletcher.com
where you can learn more about her, read her blog, and enjoy her
short stories.

Want to be alerted to Donna’s book releases?
Sign up for Book Alert. Send Donna an e-mail at
mailto:[email protected]
with Book Alert in the message box and you’re all set. Book Alert
will keep you updated about Donna’s releases.