Must Love Ghosts by Jennifer Savalli

boutique winery.”
    Tia scowled. She’d discovered the wine on their trip to Napa following a psychology conference in San Francisco. Richard could at least give her some of the credit.
    Not wanting to sound petty by correcting him, she took a deep breath and dipped a piece of bread into her little dish of olive oil. Richard was only getting on her nerves because her emotions were all stirred up by last night’s incredible revelations. The paranormal was real. The ghost of her long-dead great-uncle Billy had moved into her house.
    Dec hadn’t betrayed her.
    The words had beat a staccato rhythm in her head all day. Dec hadn’t betrayed her. Dec hadn’t betrayed her.
    Sure, he’d broken into her office, and that was something she’d hold him accountable for, but he hadn’t been trying to con her or her patient. Relief washed through her again like a cleansing spring rain and made it hard for her to keep a silly grin off her face.
    Not that it changed anything. She’d meant what she said last night. Dec conjured way too many strong emotions for them to live peacefully together. But maybe they could be friends.
    â€œDr. McGarry, we don’t make many academic grants, but your work caught my eye.” Cassandra’s thin lips stretched into a smile. “So rare in this day and age to find a young person like yourself with such rock-solid, old-fashioned values.”
    â€œWell.” Tia fiddled with her fork. She prided herself on her moral compass, but as a scientist, she didn’t let her personal beliefs drive her research. “I’m glad you approve. However, our research is really a separate thing from—”
    â€œWhat Tia means to say,” Richard cut in smoothly. She shot him a quick glare. He knew she hated it when he spoke for her as though she were a toddler. “Is that we were both thrilled when our research findings mirrored our deeply held core beliefs. We believe in the sanctity of the family as strongly as you do, Mrs. Jameson.” He raised his wine glass. “To marriage.”
    Cassandra, Jules and Leo echoed the toast. Tia raised her own glass reluctantly. That hadn’t been the point she was trying to make, but she interpreted the look Richard sent up the table as a warning to let him do the smooth talking. Fine. This once.
    Dec never spoke for her and he always respected her opinions. The thought caught Tia by surprise.
    â€œWe believe in the importance of your work.” Jules leaned toward Tia. “There’s never been a divorce in our family. Not in generations.”
    â€œThat’s right.” Cassandra nodded at Jules and Leo. “You see, Dr. McGarry, that although some of my ideas are old-fashioned, I’m not completely behind the times. We’ve welcomed dear Leo into our family and expect these two will have as successful a marriage as any Jameson.”
    â€œUm. Yes, ma’am.” Not knowing what else to say, Tia forked up another bite of lasagna. Leo caught her eye and winked at her, clearly used to his grandmother-in-law’s bluntness.
    â€œJules has told me all about your work.” Leo draped an arm casually over Jules’s shoulder. “You’ve achieved a lot for someone so young, but I’m not entirely sure about all this love-as-biochemicals stuff. What about passion? Romance? Soul mates?”
    Before Tia could answer, Cassandra chuckled. “Leo is the romantic in the family. I’m afraid funding research on marriage is a pet project of mine, not something typical for the foundation. But until I’m dead, the boys will have to humor me.”
    â€œThat’s a long way off, I’m sure,” Richard said heartily. Inevitably, they all glanced quickly at Cassandra and away again. What an asinine thing to say about a woman who looked like she was pushing two hundred.
    Cassandra’s face pinched up even more, giving her a sudden resemblance to a rodent.