Strange events are heavy on Barker Christian's mind this summer at Northshire Inn along Lake Erie. Although the inn feels sleepy, romantic, and hidden, innkeeper Barker knows all its annoying in and outs, and supernatural and grating secrets. Barker's very much aware of the drug use that occurs in room 202, and there are disturbing ghosts in room 112 that haunt the paying guests. Nor can he forget about Radcliff Roberts, the famous horror writer in room 210, who is up to something naughty during the evening hours. Two other strange events occur: Matty Lavender, lead singer of The Thorns, is missing; and a watercolor artist appears on the opposite side of the pond that some guests can see and others can't. Barker stays grounded by his interest in Cal Pipp, the inn's maintenance man. Cal is breathtaking, easy on the eyes, and someone Barker's heart desires. Only problem is Cal doesn't know Barker likes him. Until summer heats up, ghosts materialize, and a different side of Cal appears ...

The Men of Northshire Inn

I called him out about his spying on me, lurking around me, and using me as his toy. How dare he play a cat and mouse game with me, breaking my concentration regarding the tasks I had to accomplish at the property. Near the gazebo while surveying its cracked, white paint, making a mental note to tell David that it might just need a fresh coat, I saw Cal at the corner of my left eye. He knelt next to the window of room 112 with a hammer in one hand and an apron filled with nails centered at his middle. Indiscreetly he kept turning his head in my direction, taking long glances at me again and again and again, bothering me, unable to mind his own business. Noticing this, I walked over to him and stood with my pelvis at his eye level, hands on my hips, confident, looked down at him, at the sun twinkling in his shiny-blue eyes, and asked, “You seem to be busy watching me these last few days, Cal. What’s going on? Tell me. I want to know.”


Chapter 26