Soul Legacy: A Supernatural Ghost Series (The Windhaven Witches Book 2), Carissa Andrews [best books for 7th graders .TXT] 📗

such warm gloves. The iron handle of the door is likely to remove skin at this temp. Other than the cold, when I reach the front door, I pull it back and enter without any of the previous reservations I had about the building. It’s funny how much a little perspective shift makes such a big difference.

I walk down the hallway, noticing the old-fashioned sconces along the wall. The decorative embellishments suggest they were created in a different era, which makes me smile. Blackwood Manor is full of the same kind of antiquated decorations, and they add to the overall ambiance of the place. I couldn’t imagine it being updated for a more modern look. It would just seem weird. This sort of decor makes me wonder if the same architects designed both buildings, or if the lighting was just the “in thing” at the time.

As I raise my hand to knock, Wade pulls back his door, ready for me.

“Hey, thought that was you,” he says, swinging it open farther. His eyes sparkle, taking the edge off my nerves about his tuition.

“Really? Was I walking like an elephant or something?” I laugh, dropping my arm to my side and walking in.

He chuckles, twisting around to point behind him. “No, I saw you pull in, thanks to the extra large window currently lacking curtains.”

“Ah, I see,” I say, smiling. “Guess we should make a trip to the store to get some of those, huh?”

“Probably wise.” He nods, closing the door with a click.

“So, go on then. What’s the good news?” I say, unable to help myself.

Wade takes a step back, his eyebrows lifting into his hairline. “Well…”

“Oh no, it is good news, right?” I say, my nerves getting the better of me again.

He flinches. “Yes and no, I guess.”

“Okay, you gotta give me more than that,” I mutter, removing a box from one of his wooden chairs that are butted against his tiny, two-person dining room table. Setting the box on the floor, I take a seat.

He leans forward on the other chair, pressing the palms of his hands against the back of the seat. “Well, do you want the good news or the bad news first?”

“Good, definitely good,” I sputter.

“Okay, then. Good news is,” he takes a deep breath through his nostrils, “I can pay tuition for this semester.”

“Yay,” I say, clasping my hands together as relief floods through me. “That’s excellent news. Are you kidding me?”

“It is,” he says, his expression faltering.

I narrow my gaze. “But?”

“But…” he pulls back, running his hand across the back of his neck. “My inheritance money won’t cover as much as I originally thought. Even with the house sale, the county is taking a large chunk to recoup the costs for having the hospice services come out. So…” His voice trails off and he walks away.

“So…? What does that mean?” I repeat, standing up and following him.

“It means I’ll just about have enough to cover a full year.” His eyes drop to the floor and he presses his lips tight. “And that’s it.”

“Okay, well, that still gives you time. Right? I mean, that’s not terrible.”

He tilts his head to the side, shrugging. “I suppose. But it really just delays the inevitable. I either have a money problem now, or I have a money problem in a year.”

“But in a year, a lot could change. You can apply for scholarships and grants in the meantime. If you get a part-time job, you could save up. There are options,” I say, pressing my fingertips into the tabletop.

Wade steps forward, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. “Have I told you, I love your optimism?”

I press my cheek into his chest and pull him in tight. “Why do I get the impression that’s your way of saying you’ve lost hope?”

“I’m not. I’m just a realist, Autumn. There’s a good chance I won’t be able to continue after this year,” he says, stepping back. “I don’t want to sugarcoat it and make it something that it’s not.”

I shake my head. “No, I refuse to accept that. There’s gotta be something we can do between now and then.”

“There is,” he says plainly.

“What? Anything… Name it, let’s do it,” I say, my eyes wide.

“Come with me to the academy so I can give them my cashier’s check for the year. Then, help make this year the most amazing one ever,” he says, pushing a strand of my hair behind my ear.

He flashes me one of his trademark winks only he can manage.

I swallow hard. Can I do that? Spend the next year trying to forget that it might be his only year in the school? Or act like it’s no big deal?

“Please, Dru?” he whispers, rubbing his thumb across my cheek. “I need this.”

I sigh, dropping my gaze to the tabletop. “All right. Get your things.”

He bends in, kissing the spot where his thumb just was. “Thank you,” he breathes against my cheek.

I roll my eyes in defeat and stand up.

Twisting around, he walks over to the breakfast bar and grabs his keys and wallet. Then, he moves to the door and swings it open. “After you.”

I tip my head, walking out the door and into the hallway, practically running straight into Chelsea.

“Sorry, dear. Had my head in the clouds,” she says, wrapping her hands around my upper arms and steadying us both.

I shake my head. “No, it’s my bad. I wasn’t looking where I was going. I guess I sorta figured the hallway would be deserted.”

“Fair dues, considering most of my tenants are introverts,” she chuckles. Then her face suddenly turns dark and serious. “Hey, did you guys hear about what’s happening in town?”

Wade steps out, locking the apartment door. When the lock clicks into place, he spins around and shakes his head. “Been holed up trying to get unpacked. What’s going on?”

Chelsea looks to me and I shake my head as well. She leans in, clasping her hands together. “Someone’s been digging up graves in town. And it’s not