Free Haunted (Wolf Lake) by Alzena Summers Page B

up shirt and ran it through his thinning grey hair.  “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.  Anyway, welcome back.  I saw your car coming down the road and figured I’d stop by to say hello.  If you need anything you know where my cottage is.”
    Amelia’s mouth was dry.  “Okay, thanks…for everything,” she said softly.
    “Anything for Jake’s wife,” Harold told her with a nod.  His eyes clouded over.  “He was a good boy…well, man.  It’s a real shame, what happened out here.”  He cleared his throat.  “Anyway, I won’t keep you.  I’m sure you have lots to do before your guests get here – it’s nice to see you back out here enjoying the place.  It’s what Jake would have wanted.”
    Amelia managed a small smile as she swallowed the lump in her throat.  She didn’t bother mentioning that she wasn’t expecting any guests.  She knew he’d find it peculiar that she was planning to spend a quiet long weekend in the wilderness all alone – because it was peculiar.  But being with a bunch of happy-go-lucky people was the last thing she felt like doing.
    She pulled the key out of the pocket of her shorts, noting that her hand was trembling.  She managed to get the door unlocked and turned the knob.  It opened with a loud creak and she somewhat apprehensively stepped inside.
    A flood of memories hit Amelia like a ton of bricks.
    She paused in the living room, her gaze fixed to the wedding portrait of her and Jake that hung above the fireplace.  He was everywhere in the cabin.  She could almost feel his presence there beside her. 
    It was too much.  She needed out.
    Amelia stumbled out onto the back deck and inhaled the fresh air greedily.  She sat on the back step, no longer trusting her legs.  She traced her hand over the wood thoughtfully.
    Jake ha d built the deck that last summer.  It had been a scorcher but he’d gone out there faithfully each day with his hammer and measuring tape.  She’d opted to stay inside, reading novels and admiring her shirtless husband from the comfort of the cabin.  She’d take him lemonade from time to time, teasing him in her short skirts and skimpy tank tops. 
    He’d come in sore at the end of the day, sweaty and stiff.  After a hot shower, he’d lie face down on the bed and Amelia would straddle him, rubbing thick, creamy lotion onto his muscular body to soothe away his aches and pains. 
    There was something sacred about those moments when they were just quiet together, her hands kneading his sore body, working out the kinks in his muscles.  She’d felt connected to him during those moments of silence.  She’d taken pride in being able to relieve his discomfort with her small but strong hands.
    He’d always recover from his aches and pains quickly.  Before long his exhaustion would subside and he’d let out a playful groan, turning over and overtaking his petite wife.  He’d pick her up in his arms and set her on his lap.  Then he’d strip her naked, kissing her all over as he undressed her. 
    She swiped a hand across her eyes angrily.  How could one simple, stupid decision cost her kind, generous, loving husband his life? 
    Amelia felt herself going down that familiar road she’d been down so many times before.  She tried not to beat herself up – she really did.  But ever since Jake’s untimely death, Amelia had felt like she could have saved him if she’d just gone with him that day.
    Instead, she’d let her stupid pride get in her way.
    Her regret was so deep it made her bones ache.
    Suddenly there was an awful racket in the forest nearby.  An all-terrain vehicle emerged from the brush.  It was driven by two shirtless, board short wearing college-aged guys.  They were ripping around like they owned the place, causing startled birds to fly out of the nearby trees.
    “Hey!” the barely clad driver shouted when he spotted Amelia.
    She winced.  She wasn’t in the right frame of mind to talk to anyone –