Ascension by Bailey Bradford (desktop ebook reader txt) 📕

that really wasn’t my fault. Still, that’s how I felt. Took a long time to get past being jealous. I had to be nice to Sev even when inside I was raging over losing Laine. I had to put Laine first, and let him have his happiness. That’s what we do when we love someone. We want the best for them, what makes them shine. Laine lit up like never before every time he looked at Sev. Still does, and Sev has that same love-struck gleam in his eyes when he sees Laine. Just like I look at you.”

Ro leaned against Conner. “You do get that mushy, head-over-heels expression when you see me.”

“I do. I always will.” Conner snuggled him closer. “Maybe we should get out of McKinton now and then. Go give Laine and Sev hell. I bet they miss us pranking them.”

“I bet you’re right.” Ro felt happier already. “And you know I love you with every bit of my soul, all of my heart.”

“I do,” Conner said. “I do.”

* * * *

The idea had come to Conner then, when Ro had been so down and out, and he’d turned love-filled eyes up at Conner.

And Conner had said, “I do.”

The niggling little voice in his head had begun to plot in that moment. Now, after much planning and secret keeping, he had everything ready to go.

He hoped what he was doing wasn’t weird. Conner was aiming for romantic, fully, whole-heartedly romantic.

He glanced down at himself. The suit he had on had appeared when he’d imagined himself wearing it. Not a tux, though. Conner closed his eyes and dragged up an image of a tuxedo, one he’d worn to the Fireman’s Ball when he’d been alive. He’d hated it, but he’d looked damned hot, and Laine had told him so later, once they’d been home and Laine had seen him.

That easily, Conner’s suit was gone and he was dressed as sharply as he could imagine himself being clothed.

“Whoa, you look good!”

Conner turned to Stefan. “You think so?” He fiddled with the lapel.

“Yeah, you think so?” asked Gideon, one of Stefan’s partners.

Jordan, Stefan’s other partner, glowered at Conner, though there was no missing the teasing glint in his eyes.

Stefan sniffed, turning his nose up haughtily. “Duh. He’s wearing a tux. What man doesn’t look sexy in a tux?”

“Sexy?” Jordan’s glower deepened.

Conner smirked at him, confidence restored. “You know I rock this penguin suit.”

Jordan laughed and slapped him on the back. “Yeah, yeah, you do. And how could Gid and I ever compete with that? We don’t mind Stefan ogling you somewhat, but—” Jordan waved one hand in front of himself, and said, “Voila!”

He and Gideon then wore their military dress uniforms. “Now who’s the stud?” Jordan asked, preening and puffing out his chest.

“You forgot the shoes,” Conner pointed out. “You have really white feet, man.”

“Shit!” Jordan glanced down at his toes. “I do. Kinda…”

“Aw, don’t say it,” Conner pled.

“Ghostly white, wouldn’t you say?” Jordan continued, showing him no mercy.

“Maybe you should go play in traffic,” Conner grumbled.

“I’m already dead, so that’s not much of an insult,” Jordan informed him.

Mrs. Matthers, mom of Ezekiel ‘Zeke’ Matthers, and one of the first spirits to make herself at home in McKinton, popped in and waved at them. She pointed at her watch and disappeared again.

A moment later, several vehicles pulled into the parking lot, one behind the other, as if they’d formed some kind of convoy for the drive. Conner wouldn’t have put it past them.

When Laine and Sev got out of their truck, Conner whooped and dove at them. He was happy to see them, though it’d only been a short while since he’d last popped in on them.

Sev’s smile made him look younger by a decade. Laine’s wrinkles were etched deeper and his hair completely white, but he had an ease about him that he didn’t used to have. Retirement worked well for him.

Conner pushed Laine’s cowboy hat right off his head.

“Damn it,” Laine muttered. “One of these days, boy, I’ll get you back.”

That kind of put a damper on Conner’s joy for a minute, because Laine meant once he’d died. Conner didn’t want to think about that.

Then he told himself to stop being morbid. Laine could have meant something else entirely.

“Is everyone ready?” Sev asked.

Conner still had to concentrate to push words at Sev, but it’d gotten easier over time. “Yup. Just waiting on Ro.”

Sev leaned back into the truck and took out a black suit jacket. He had on dark jeans and hiking boots, and a muted pink shirt that made his celadon-colored eyes really stand out. His hair, like Laine’s, was white, but unlike Laine’s, it was long and loose, flowing down Sev’s back to just above his butt. The man was still attractive, just as Laine was.

“We all doing this?” asked Matt, who held his partner Carlin’s hand as if they were in the first blush of love.

“You know it.” Sev winked at him. “You get to play usher since you got here first.”

“We all got here about the same time,” Matt said.

Sev shrugged. “You got to me first, then.”

Matt laughed. “Well, all right. Make the town sheriff do the grunt work. I see how it is.” He led Carlin away, into the building.

It wasn’t long until everyone was gathered, all of Conner and Ro’s friends and family. Conner was glad to note that no one seemed uncomfortable. In fact, everyone was happy, smiling, chatting. It made his heart swell with love for the town and its residents.

Then he thought of Ro, who had been at Darren and Lee’s, watching over the hens since a fox had gotten into the pen.

At least, that’s what he’d been told, that he was needed to keep an eye on the chickens while Darren and Lee ran some errands for a few hours.

The truth was, not a fox around would mess with the evil Rhode Island Reds Darren and Lee raised.

“Sev, I’m going to get him.” Conner saw Sev