Ghostly Worries (A Harper Harlow Mystery Book 4) Read Online Free Page B

“We can’t skinny dip in the lake.”
    “I love you dearly, but I think skinny dipping together would be … weird.”
    “Not you and me together,” Zander corrected. “You and me and our significant others. That’s who I was talking about.”
    “I think a foursome would be even weirder,” Harper said.
    “Not all four of us at the same time. I … I can’t even look at you now,” Zander lamented. “You have a filthy mind.”
    “I know,” Harper said, smirking as she licked her ice cream cone. She opted for bubblegum but was starting to wish she’d gone the Blue Moon route with Zander. His tongue was blue, but the ice cream looked heavenly. “Give me a lick.”
    “I can’t give you a lick after the skinny-dipping confusion,” Zander countered. “It will give me nightmares.”
    “You’re just paying me back because of the whole ghost thing this afternoon,” Harper complained. “I don’t see how you can blame that on me. I had no way of knowing that would happen.”
    “I’m not convinced of that,” Zander said, his voice airy. “Maybe you developed psychic abilities when I wasn’t looking. It would be just like you to go all X-Men and not tell me. Oh, the horror.”
    Harper didn’t want to laugh and encourage him, but she couldn’t help herself. “You know darned well I would tell you if I developed super powers.”
    “Okay, you would tell me,” Zander conceded, hopping up on one of the large rocks that littered the area between the town’s main drag and the beach area. “Would you tell me before or after you told Jared, though? That’s the question of the day.”
    “Are you asking where you are in the pecking order of my life?”
    “Yes.”
    Harper tilted her head to the side, the sun glinting off her blond highlights as she considered the question. “I would tell you first,” she said finally.
    “You took an awfully long time to think about that,” Zander groused.
    “I wanted to be sure.”
    “And what, pray tell, tipped me over the edge?” Zander extended one arm to balance himself on the rock as he licked his ice cream cone.
    “Well, if you want to know the truth, I figured telling you first was in my best interests because I’m going to need help hiding Jared’s body if he doesn’t take the news well and breaks up with me,” Harper said, causing Zander to grin. “I’m always thinking ahead.”
    “Yes, you’re a regular genius,” Zander said, hopping down from the rock.
    The duo lapsed into comfortable silence as they plodded down the beach. Zander had no idea where Harper was going, but he hoped she would stop at the water’s edge so they could do some wading. That was one of their favorite childhood activities and neither one of them outgrew it.
    Instead of heading toward the water, though, Harper adjusted her trajectory and aimed herself in the direction of a building down the way. Zander watched her for a moment to see if she was meandering, but then he realized exactly where she was heading.
    “I knew it!” His bellow was loud enough to cause Harper to jolt.
    “You knew what?” Harper asked, her cheeks flushing with color.
    “I knew you had an ulterior motive when you talked me into coming down here,” Zander said. “You tried to seduce me with those big blue eyes … and the big blue ice cream cone … but I knew you were up to something.”
    “And what am I up to?” Harper asked, shifting her eyes so they didn’t meet Zander’s intense stare. “It’s a beautiful day. We’re taking a walk on the beach. What do you possibly have to complain about?”
    “That.” Zander pointed at the building.
    “What’s that?” Harper asked, faux innocence practically dripping off of her tongue.
    “That is The Landing,” Zander answered. “That is Jason Thurman’s restaurant. That is … deceitful!” He pointed at Harper in such a manner she had to glance down and check to make sure she wasn’t wearing a scarlet A on her shirt.
    “Oh, fine,” Harper