Page 104 of Sing For Me

“Yeah, but it’s just Fox,” she argues. “He’s not the least bit scary.”

“Is that right?” a sinister voice asks from a foot away and Santana lets out a shriek.

“He’s here, he’s here! Run!”

I grab Silas by the shoulder and push him behind us before sprinting off with Eva.

“You asshole!” he shouts at my retreating back and I can hear him stumble. “I’m your brother!”

“There are no brothers in Ghost in the Graveyard, kid!” I call back.

When we make it back to the base, Santana smacks my arm. “That was really mean, Will!”

I raise my eyebrows at Eva. “You think I’m mean?”

Her grin looks a little wicked. “All’s fair in Ghost in the Graveyard.”

“Yes, Eva!” Aunt Paige says, giving her a high five. “That’s the spirit!”

Thanks to my interference, Silas gets caught and becomes the new ghost so Fox takes his place on our team. “You’re in so much trouble,” Si says to me as he stomps off to the woods to hide. “I know where you sleep, Will.”

“Love you, Si!” I call after him.

Silas is actually really good as the ghost—the kid moves like a ninja. He catches Uncle Reed’s team within just a few minutes and Everly becomes the next ghost.

Everly has more trouble catching hunters and she remains the ghost for several rounds before finally catching her mom. Everyone groans when we see the new ghost. Aunt Paige has been known to hide in the trees during this game and takes great pleasure in sneaking up on people. I have a feeling she got caught on purpose just so she could be the ghost and scare the shit out of us.

The deeper we get into the woods, the more ominous the silence becomes. “She’s up there somewhere,” Fox says in a low voice, eyes glued to the tree canopy above us. “I just know it.”

“Keep an eye out for any holes or abandoned structures,” Santana says. “Mom loves hiding in stuff like that.”

“Your mom is a little crazy, isn’t she?” Eva asks.

“Oh, she’s totally crazy,” Santana agrees, grinning. “It’s thebest.”

Just then, from somewhere nearby, we hear a sudden shoutedboo!followed by a high-pitched scream. “That was totally my dad,” I laugh as footsteps start to pound through the trees. “Come on.”

We dart around trees, Fox looking back every so often to check over our shoulders. I’m pretty sure most of the yelling and pounding of footsteps is ahead of us but there’s no guarantee Paige won’t double back and nab us. She’s wily like that.

Eva’s hand jerks in mine and I look over just in time to see her go flying over an unnoticed tree stump. “Shit,” I cry, stopping mid-stride to go back for her.

“I thought it was every man for himself!” Santana calls over her shoulder.

“The difference is helikesher,” Fox tells her in a sing-song voice.

“Save yourselves,” Eva shouts after them, breathless with laughter, and I kneel in the dirt next to her.

“You okay?”

“Fine.” She pulls herself into a sitting position. “That stump came out of nowhere.”

“Stretch out your leg for me,” I tell her, hands immediately going to her hip. I would hate myself if she exacerbates her injury because of a dumb game. She does as I say, stretching out her leg and turning it this way and that.

“All good,” she proclaims. It’s dark in the woods but there’s enough moonlight filtering through the trees for me to see her smile. Just like the first time I saw it, I catch my breath. She’s so beautiful. And she’shappy. She’s having a good time here, with my crazy family, and that makes me feel a swelling of pride.

“This has been the best night,” she murmurs, as if reading my mind. “Thank you for bringing me here, Will.”

I swallow, the urge to kiss her so strong my hands tremble. “I’m glad I did.” She holds my gaze and something in her expression shifts, like she’s sensing the intense direction of my emotions. “Eva,” I murmur, moving closer.