Free Ghosts of Coronado Bay by J. G. Faherty Page A

house. We’ll have the place to ourselves for hours. You remember how to get there?”
    He nodded. “Five o’clock. I’ll be there when you get home.”
    “Cool. See you later.” She blew him a kiss and took off at a fast walk towards Main Street. She was all the way to the corner when she remembered that without her nearby, Blake had just turned invisible in front of dozens of people.
    Well, I didn’t hear anyone scream. That’s good, I guess. Gotta be more careful next time. God, dating a ghost is harder than dating a regular guy.
    Still preoccupied with the image of Blake fading away in front of the Sunday congregation, Maya didn’t notice the tall, dark-haired young man standing in front of the diner until she bumped into him.
    “Oh! I’m so sorry. I’m like a total flake today.”
    The man, who looked about twenty or so, smiled. “That’s all right. There are worse things than having a pretty girl step on your toes.”
    Maya tried to think of a witty come back, but her mind went blank as she stared into the stranger’s movie-star dark eyes. He looked like he’d just stepped out of one those hip TV shows where wild teenagers spend their whole lives hanging out at the beach or in the mall. More like one of those movies about angst-ridden vampires who pine to be human again, she thought. His fancy white dress shirt, worn untucked, and the waist-length black jacket with the silver buttons added to the look.
    “What’s your name?”
    It took her a moment to understand he was talking to her.
    “Oh, um, Maya. Maya Blair.”
    “Pleased to meet you.” He nodded to her. “My name is Gavin Hamlin.”
    “Hi. Did you come out of the diner?”
    “No, I was just walking the streets, getting to know the town.”
    “Oh, are you new here?”
    “Yes. My family...owns a business in Boston, and I’m here for a while working on some contracts.”
    Maya gave a small laugh. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you look a little young for that. Shouldn’t you still be in like, college or something?”
    Gavin shrugged. “I attended university for a while, but...” He let the words trail off, and then gave Maya a quick wink. She smiled.
    “Wasn’t for you, huh? Sometimes I think school’s not my--”
    “Maya!” Her mother poked her head out the door. “Hurry up. You’re already late.”
    “I’ll be right in, Mom. God, gimme a minute.” Hoping her embarrassment didn’t show too much, she turned back to Gavin. “I, um, gotta go.”
    “I understand. Perhaps we could meet later?”
    “I’d love that.” Don’t gush, Maya! Then she remembered Blake would be at her house after work. “Um, but I’m getting together with friends later. How about we meet tomorrow afternoon? Around four-thirty?”
    His lips curled up in a half-smile that promised hard, rough kisses. “I’ll be counting the hours.”
    “Um, cool, I, uh--”
    Maya’s mother saved her from further embarrassment by opening the door again. “Maya! We’ve got tables waiting! Shake a leg.”
    “Sorry. I really gotta go. See you tomorrow.” She fled into the noisy safety of the diner before her tongue made her sound like a complete spaz. But he’d been so handsome! Then there was no time to even think about the encounter as her mother pushed an apron into her hands and told her to bring coffees to table seven.
    It wasn’t until her shift ended that she realized she hadn’t given Gavin her number, or gotten his.
    Great. That’s twice this week you’ve acted like you’ve never met a guy before. At least Blake, thanks to his being dead and all, had a way of finding her. The only thing Gavin knows is where you work. Which means hanging out by the diner after karate practice tomorrow, hoping he’ll show up.
    That thought led to another. What about Blake?
    She knew what Lucy would say. “It’s a no-brainer. You just started dating Blake. You’re not married to him. You’re not even going steady or anything. You’re totally free to see