Kim Robitalle glanced behind her again. Yep, he was still there.
The church choir sang its “Ave Maria” as the congregation started finding its way out. The last song of the Easter Sunday mass, and people wanted to get home to their dinners. She was going to get home to…Vincent.
Well, actually, she didn’t have to go home to Vincent. Vincent was always with her. Even in a church, in sanctified ground, she couldn’t get rid of him; which was the whole reason she had come to church anyway. Both of them thought maybe that would chase him away, but, unfortunately, it didn’t.
She left the church, Vincent coming up on her left side, “I didn’t think it would work, but it was worth a try.”
“Yeah,” she muttered under her breath, and kept on walking.
“Well, we could go to my grave, if I knew where it was. Maybe if we get a priest?”
“Nobody sees you,” she said, turning to face him, looking directly at him. He was a gray form, his face a little darker than the clothes. He wore a pair of overalls, a white shirt and work boots. He had the body of a working man, broad shoulders and huge biceps and arms; but a bit of a paunch.
She’d found him – or he’d found her – when she was crossing the railroad tracks a little more than a month ago. He had been hit by a train on the exact spot she crossed, and something “hooked” him to her. Now she couldn’t get rid of him.
He sounded like he came from somewhere south, with a bit of an accent. He had a deep baritone voice that sang some of the spirituals from his youth, and she liked listening to him. Except when he went on a roll, like he was doing now.
“So the priest, right? He could probably see me. If he’s any good.”
“Can you just be quiet and let me—“
She didn’t even see the car coming, as she kept on walking. She walked behind a car backing up, and got hit, very gently, on the side of the knee. The car jerked to a stop and she fell, even while Vincent held out his arms to catch her. Instead she fell through the ghost, hitting the pavement, not hard, but enough to scrape her hand.
She was already sitting up when she saw the pair of jeans and cowboy boots before her. She followed them up, noting quite a package, and up higher, noticing a loose polo shirt over some tight abs, and up further to a pair of broad shoulders, and up further to a handsome man with hazel eyes and brown hair with a little salt and pepper in it.
He was bending down to her as she gaped. “I’m sorry, are you okay?”
“Huh?” She shook herself out of her reverie and stared at the man. “Yes, yes, I’m fine.” To prove it, she got up on her own power, but wavered a bit. Both Vincent and this man held their hands out to steady her, and she went to grab Vincent since he was closer, but her hand went right through him and she stumbled. The man caught her.
Then the man was looking at Vincent. “Huh,” he said.
“What the blazes is going on out there!” screamed an old man’s voice.
“Coming, dad,” the man said, still staring at Vincent, accusing him of something. Then he looked back at Kim. “Sorry, are you sure you’re okay?”
“Just woozy, I’ll be all right.” She made it to the car next to them, and leaned against it, still staring at the man’s beautiful eyes.
“C’mon, let’s go!” yelled the old man again.
“Coming, dad,” said the man, and pulled out his wallet. He handed her a business card, a plain card with a lawn mower on it. “Call me if you have any trouble, please? Will you?”
She pushed her brown hair out of her eyes and nodded, some stray bits going in front of her. She studied the card: “Paul Landry, Small Engine Repair and Handyman. No Job Too Small!” Two phone numbers were on the bottom.
Kim watched Paul get back into his car, and slowly back out while she waited. Vincent stood next to her, protective, as Paul caught his eye while backing up. The two men watched each other warily and then Paul broke the contact and concentrated on driving. He waved to Kim, who waved back.
“Now what was that all about?” Vincent said, looking at Kim.
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26. Your heroine has a spirit attached to her. It’s not evil; instead it’s just part of her life. It seems to essentially live off of her. One day when the spirit is particularly distracting she literally bumps into a man who can see the spirit too.
Elton, Annette (2012-10-23). 101 Paranormal Romance Story Starters (101 Romance Story Starters)(Kindle Locations 155-157). . Kindle Edition.