Free Together Again: Spirit Travel Novel - Book #4 (Romance & Humor - The Vicarage Bench Series) by Mimi Barbour

Dorn.”
    “Yer right, but there’s one thing I do know for sure. There’ll be the mother of all rows if she ever finds out he’s been fibbing her.”
    “I have no doubt the doctor knows what he’s about, Mrs. Dorn. We’re merely here to support him and to look after Dani.”
    “Yes, miss. By the way, the test results have arrived from hospital, and he told me I should pass them on to you as soon as ever they came.”
    A large brown envelope, previously propped up on the side of the table, changed hands.
    Nurse Joye slipped out the pile of forms and looked them over as she walked towards the room housing her patient.
    With a sudden muffled exclamation, her slender form stopped dead.
    Flipping the pages back to the beginning to check the name on the envelope, she squeaked, coughed to cover it up, then much more slowly continued on her way.

Chapter Eleven
    The local establishment pulsed that night, brimful of customers mingling, drinking, and carousing. Situated at the back of the room, the bar area, bordered on one side by stools full of half-sodden adults, was reflected in the mirrored wall behind. It looked to be very busy.
    Upon his arrival, Troy spotted a man clumsily packing away his cigarettes and sweeping his money from the counter to his pocket in preparation to leave. Troy wasted no time in weaving his way through the packed tables to grab the empty chair.
    Beatles music started up and blasted the eardrums; its discordant sounds intermingled with those of the noisy patrons. A jolt of pleasure struck his midsection, and the homesickness he’d battled since his arrival in Bury faded. When the initial smell of beer gave over to the stench of cigarette smoke, Troy relaxed, comfortable and at peace with the world.
    His finger flicked, pointing at the glass in front of the bloke next to him, sufficient information for the blonde working the taps. She nodded, poured him a mug, and passed it over with a naughty wink. The first sip fulfilled his expectation. He groaned from pure pleasure.
    “So this is what the inside of the pub looks like. I’ve wondered.”
    “Why would you care?”
    “Being it’s a sanctified adult area, all kids want to know what goes on here. Some of my mates got phony cards and tried to get in, but they were I.D.ed and thrown out.”
    “And so they should be. It’s no place for youngsters.”
    “I’m a youngster. I’m here.”
    “Yeah! But you’re with me, and if there’s any nonsense going on you shouldn’t see, I’ll close my eyes.”
    Erupting giggles tickled him. He lowered his head and stared at the beer-foamed glass in his hand so no one could see the silly grin fighting to appear on his face.
    Dani, the bane of his existence, made him laugh more than anyone else he’d ever known. And she was only sixteen years old.
    “I’m not a child, you know. And I’m almost seventeen.”
    “So tell me, Miss Methuselah, how did you get inside me? Are you ever going to explain? I’m thinking to take out a long-term lease if you’re planning to homestead.”
    She teased right back. “You’ll have to co-sign for me, ‘cause I’m underage.”
    “Whoa! I’ve never met anyone who can play the age game better than you. You’re an adult when it suits you. On the other hand, reverting back to childhood when you feel the need doesn’t bother you at all.”
    He loved hearing her cheeky laughter, but not nearly as much as he liked the warmth flooding over his internal self. Exuberance filled him, and he had to admit to getting hooked on the high.
    “You are so easy, Troy. I’m gonna hate to leave you. But I guess I’ll have to, since tomorrow’s Saturday, and that’s the day we’ll be able to undo the switch. Right. Here goes—and don’t interrupt, no matter how silly it seems. The fact is—well, it really is the rose bush.”
    “You’re still trying to feed me that baloney. The rose bush! I thought we settled that subject. Next you’ll be saying it’s magical.”
    “It