Free The Curse of a Single Red Rose (Haunted Hearts Series Book 7) by Denise Moncrief Page A

his, and he knew for certain Murphy disdained anything fried or battered. That was a good thing. The few times he’d observed her meal choices he’d surmised Elsa was a food snob. Collin hoped she would approve of his favorite hang out. If she did, he might ask her… He stopped that thought before it exploded into ill-conceived action. No sense in getting his hopes up.
    After they’d placed their orders, she glanced around the restaurant. “I’ve never been here before.”
    She smiled, and the warmth in her expression illuminated the dimly lit room. At least, it did for Collin.
    She leaned back in her chair. “If I ask questions are you gonna give me honest answers?”
    Her blunt question did nothing to diminish his pleasant mood. “I’ll do my best. If I can’t, then I’ll tell you I can’t.” He grinned at her, hoping his sincerity would come through his guarded response.
    She seemed to absorb his grin and internalize it. Her entire person radiated warmth. “Okay, I guess I can deal with that.” She took another sip of wine before continuing. “Why did you come to the hotel tonight after you’d already left for the day?”
    He allowed himself a bit of relief. Her first question wasn’t too hard, although she might not like his answer.
    He cleared his throat and swirled the last ounce of whiskey in his glass to keep from meeting her eyes. “I was going to remeasure the rooms on the second and third floors just to make sure I wasn’t imagining things.” He paused before committing to the full truth. “I’ve had dreams about the corner room on the third floor. I wanted to make sure I hadn’t measured it in a nightmare.” He glanced at her to get her reaction.
    Her breath seemed to escape her in one giant swoosh. “You’ve had nightmares about that room?”
    The truth was out there in the wide world, and he couldn’t rewind his words. “Actually, I’ve had daymares too. Daymares? Is that a real word?”
    Her eyes flashed with understanding, and the air around them sizzled with excitement.
    A suspicion dawned. “You’ve had dreams about that room, too, haven’t you?”
    She leaned forward and propped her elbows on the tabletop. “No. But I felt a strange electrical sort of vibe coming from that corner the first time I toured the building. I have the same weird feeling every time I pass that room. You asked me if I’d sensed a presence in the hotel. I said I hadn’t seen one, but I was only avoiding telling you the truth. I have felt something. Several times. Usually near that corner.”
    Her confession caused the hairs on the back of his neck to bristle. He rubbed the spot to make the irritation go away, but of course, it didn’t. “So we’ve both felt something was off about that particular corner?”
    “I don’t know how long I spent tonight staring at those floor plans.” A sheepish look covered her face. “I think I need to tell you… I guess it’s the truth, but I don’t know why it’s the truth.”
    Well, that was cryptic.
    “I think I knew the plans were off.” The anguished look in her eyes begged him for understanding.
    His first angry reaction died on his tongue. Understanding settled into his consciousness. She hadn’t kept her discovery from him on purpose. The thought that she’d known and kept it to herself apparently mystified her as much as it had at first angered him. How he read all that in her distressed attitude, he wasn’t sure. He was quite certain he hadn’t gotten to know the woman that well. Not yet, anyway.
    “Why didn’t you say something?” A very simple question, yet he believed there would not be a simple answer.
    “I don’t know if this is going to make much sense.” Her hesitancy seemed genuine and not the least bit contrived.
    “Try me. I might understand.”
    “It was like I knew, but I couldn’t make my mind deal with it. Like the words just wouldn’t come out of my mouth.” Her pause vibrated with her distress. “Like someone or