Only in Time

by Kelli McCracken

  He brushed by her, like she didn’t exist, leaving a juniper scented trail in his wake. Ally inhaled a breath, nearly choking on the air when she spotted the paper on the ground.

  “Sir,” she called, gazing at the figure still retreating toward the door behind her. “Sir, wait! You forgot something.” Picking the paper off the ground, she turned for the door just as he disappeared inside.

  Great. Either he was hard of hearing or was too lost in the pain consuming him. He should have heard her calling for him. Should have heard her footsteps as they echoed across the platform.

  Gripping the door handle, she tugged it open, stepping inside the building. She’d have a hard time locating the guy if the station was as busy as normal.

  Much to her surprise, white walls and wooden benches stared back at her, not a crowd of unfamiliar faces. Nor the one face she was searching for.

  Glancing down at the paper, she unfolded the crinkled edges, skimming over the printed words it contained. A train itinerary. Destination, New York City on August second.

  A wave of confusion fluttered her heart. She didn’t understand why the man would have an itinerary for August in the middle of July.

  Searching the paper for more clues, her eyes trailed over the passenger’s name. And as she read each word, her heart seized inside her chest.

  Ally Jacobs. Departure time: 7:50pm

  As she stood there, staring at the paper in disbelief, reality finally hit her. The deserted station. The train schedule. The guy with the tear filled eyes. It was Jonah the night she left for New York. He had come to see her. Had left the station in tears because he’d missed his last chance to talk to her.

  Everything he told her was true.

  The scenery began to shift once more. When it finally stopped, Ally found herself back inside her kitchen, still seated at the table with the watch in her hands. No longer split into two pieces, the scratch free face revealed hands frozen in place. One just past the seven, the other resting on the ten. 7:50 … The same time her train left the station.

  A stream of tears spilled from her eyes, sending a wet, warm path down her cheeks. And just when she thought the images had stopped, one more played through her mind.

  Her father stood in their back yard, decked out in his dress blues. Beside him stood another man who resembled Michael McCabe. The longer she stared at him, the more she realized it was Jonah’s father. A little boy, no more than six, stood beside him, fidgeting.

  Her father glanced down at the boy, offering him a smile before kneeling down in front of him.

  “You must be Jonah,” he smiled. “Your father has told me a lot about you, son.”

  The younger version of Jonah gazed up at her father with bright eyes and an even brighter smile. “Nice to meet you, sir.”

  Her father’s laughter filled the air when little Jonah saluted him. “At ease, soldier.” He teased.

  The smile on Jonah’s lips hadn’t faded. If anything it had doubled its size. He tugged on her father’s shirtsleeve until he regained his attention. “Sir,” he said as her father kneeled in front of him again. “Would it be okay if I married your daughter someday?”

  The question squeezed Ally’s heart. She watched as her father met Michael McCabe’s eyes, then Jonah’s. “Well that depends. Do you think you would be a good husband?”

  “Yes, sir.” Little Jonah answered with a dimpled grin. “Because a good husband can make his wife smile, even when she’s feeling sad. He can also make her laugh more than anyone else. Your daughter already smiled at me. I bet I can make her laugh, too.”

  Ally watched her father study little Jonah as a smile crept over his face. Then he rustled Jonah’s hair, giving him a nod. “I’ll tell you what, Jonah. If you can make sure my Ally laughs and smiles everyday, and if she decides that she wants to make you laugh and smile too, then I think I’d be okay with you marrying her someday.”

  Little Jonah’s face lit up at the news. It only took him a second to shake her father’s hand then race off toward a little girl standing under an oak tree. A little girl she would recognize anywhere.

  The last of the images faded from Ally’s mind, leaving behind a wicked thump in her head. As a million thoughts continued to tumble, she couldn’t deny the truth in what had unfolded this evening. Her mother hadn’t just gifted her with some dusty old antique watch that kept losing time. She’d gifted her with the truth. And a second chance to right the wrongs she’d caused.

  CHAPTER 11

  Jonah placed the last folded shirt into his suitcase before closing the lid. Once zipped, he wheeled it toward the bedroom door. He’d shower in the morning, then put everything else in his carry-on bag. The quicker he left this place, the better.

  Stepping into the hall, images of Ally played through his mind. He eyed the corner wall, remembering the way he’d pressed her body against it. How the heat of her thighs wrapped around his waist. Had it not been for his conscience, he would have made love to her in that very spot.

  He could have avoided this had he stuck to his original plan. Sleep with her and then leave. Maybe if he were half the jerk she thought him to be, he would have. Too bad she didn’t know him as well as she thought. He’d loved her for many years. More than he could remember. Deep down he knew he could never spend just one night with her. Not when he wanted a lifetime.

  But none of that mattered now. He had his last moment with her. Had his last chance to show her how much she meant to him. And he blew it. With a little help from his brother.

  No. He couldn’t blame Theo for this. At least not all of it. Jonah had asked Ally to hide. All because he didn’t want to share his time with her. God knows Theo would have made himself at home, ready to shoot the breeze and talk about the glory days.

  Then again, Theo’s sole purpose for stopping by was the date he and Cassie were arranging.

  Sending his fist into the wall, Jonah cursed himself for his stupidity. His selfishness had cost him Ally. She’d hate him even more when she found out he’d paid her mother a visit.

  Karma definitely had a sense of humor. He’d finally earned Pauline’s respect while losing her daughter’s.

  He pulled his hand away from the wall, clenching his teeth as he forced his fingers to move. At least he hadn’t broken them, though he wouldn’t have minded the pain of a fractured bone. Anything to distract from the ache in his chest.

  A knock resonated from the door, drawing his attention to the sitting room. Must be Theo. Maybe his brother wanted to have a beer with him before he left. At this point in time, he’d give his brother the small stuff and hit the wet bar instead.

  Leaving the suitcase by the wall, he made his way across the room. The knob cooled his hand as he gave it a twist, pulling the door open. A wave of cherry scented goodness washed over him, kicking his pulse up a notch. Especially when he gazed at the brown-eyed beauty in front of him. Ally’s dark locks fell in waves around her shoulders, accentuating the glow of her skin.

  As much as the sight of her stirred his heart, their last conversation haunted his mind. Pauline must have paid her a visit. Why else would she be here if not to chew his ass for talking to her mom?

  Trailing his eyes over her face, he searched for any signs of her anger. Short of her folded brows, he couldn’t sense any negative vibes. Then again, he hadn’t this morning either. He couldn’t let his guard down.

  “Hey, Ally. What brings you by? I didn’t think you ever wanted to see me again.” Freaking idiot. He didn’t have to add the sarcasm. The roughness in his voice was a big enough clue of his frustration. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

  “It’s okay, Jonah. I deserved it, but I’m not here to fight with you.” Her eyes fell past his chest, slowly working their way down until they met the ground. “I came to apologize for being such a bitch. And for not believing you.”

  The admission sent a twinge of satisfaction through his heart. Not because she was admitting fault, but because she’d discovered the truth
in his words. Though which words, he couldn’t say. He doubted it was his confession of love. Maybe Pauline had come clean with her daughter about drinking. Which meant Ally had a lot on her mind. She needed the comfort of familiar arms. The same arms that held her every other time her mom had upset her.

  He couldn’t deny those arms ached for her too, but giving in would open him up to further rejection. His heart couldn’t take much more, yet here they stood.

  Pulling the door open, he stepped out of the way. “You can come in, if you want.”

  Ally’s eyes found his again. She pressed her lips together, hesitating on taking another step. When he cocked his head to the side, she finally nodded, moving past him as quick as she could. He inhaled her sweet scent, savoring the way it calmed his racing heart. His foot greeted the door with a kick, then the lock clicked behind him.

  He found Ally standing near the sofa, focused on the hallway. The slow rise and fall of her chest became her only movement. He couldn’t help but wonder if she was thinking about their last moment together before everything went to hell. Just like he had before she showed up.

  Clearing his throat, he waited for her to meet his eyes, but she didn’t. “Ally? Is everything okay?”

  “No,” she whispered.

  He took a step closer, expecting to gain her attention, but her body remained frozen in the same spot. “You gotta talk to me, girl. I can’t help you if I don’t know what’s wrong.”

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have dropped in like this. I’m sure I’m keeping you from packing.”

  The heat of her body radiated to his chest as he stopped just behind her. His fingers itched to touch her. To draw her into his arms and whisper words of comfort. Pride kept the desire at bay.

  “You’re not keeping me from anything. I finished packing a little while ago. If you need to talk—”

  “What time is your flight?”

  Clenching his teeth, he fought the urge to growl. Why did she keep avoiding his questions? She’d come here for a reason. Whatever the reason, she needed to say what was on her mind.

  “Ally, why are you here? I know it’s not to ask about my flight.”

  “I, um…” The air fell silent between them as she shook her head.

  Jonah curled his fingers over her shoulder, urging her to face him. She did, willingly. Her big brown eyes roamed his face before falling to his chest. Then she released a long sigh.

  “I had the strangest thing happen to me tonight. I don’t know how to explain it without sounding like an escapee from the mental ward, but I swear to you, Jonah, I didn’t imagine any of it.”

  The more her lips moved, the more his mind spun with questions. “Tell me what happened. I’ll see if I can help you figure it out.”

  Her eyes widened at the suggestion before she moved away from him. She didn’t stop until her fingers gripped the bar. Long wavy locks swayed from side to side as she shook her head. “Do you think it’s possible to travel through time? Because that’s what this is about.”

  “Time travel? As in, going to the future?” He tried to hide the humor in his voice. She was serious in what she was saying. Laughing at her would break her heart.

  Making his way across the sitting room, he stepped up to the bar, counting the seconds until she looked at him again.

  “Not into the future. More like the past.”

  “Are you sure it was time travel and not just a memory resurfacing?”

  As she stroked the edge of the bar, her shoulders jiggled from the chuckle escaping her lips. “It can’t be a memory when I was never part of the original conversation. You know the one I’m talking about, don’t you? It took place between you and my mother, six years ago. In fact, you and my mom had a couple conversations you kept from me.”

  Jonah’s eyes fluttered shut. “Wow… For a second, you had me going. This isn’t about time travel, Ally. Your mother told you about those conversations.”

  “No, she didn’t.” The crack in her voice had his eyes darting back to hers. “My mom did stop by, earlier. She gave me a letter my dad wrote her. The same one you read the night I left for New York. But we didn’t discuss you.”

  The words were like a punch in the gut. She wouldn’t have known about that if she hadn’t talked to her mother. Why did she insist on pretending like she’d witnessed the conversation?

  “I hope your mom came clean with you. About everything. It’s the main reason I stopped by to see her after I left your office. I know we can’t salvage anything between us, but I think you can with your mother. She does love you.”

  “I knew you wouldn’t believe me.” Her eyes began to water as she stared into his. They matched perfectly with her trembling lips. “I swear to you, my mom didn’t tell me anything. I watched the whole thing unfold with my own eyes, Jonah. My stupid watch transported me back in time.”

  Had she hit the bottle before coming to see him?

  “Ally… What you’re saying is impossible. Time travel doesn’t exist. Did you fall asleep when you got home? Perhaps you dreamed the whole thing.”

  “No!” she pushed away from the bar, storming across the carpeted floor until she reached the window. “How could I dream about something I knew nothing about? I saw the argument between you and my mother. The first one happened on my porch, when she threatened to tell me that you had a thing for Cassie. Then again the night I left for New York. The same night you stopped her from driving drunk.”

  “Impossible.” The edge of the bar pressed into his back as he leaned against it. “Why can’t you be honest and admit that your mother told you all of this?”

  “Because she didn’t. I watched you tell her how much you loved me. Saw how much pain filled your eyes when she made her threats.” She pressed her head against the window, letting her shoulders slump. “If my mom had told me, how would I know that you stood at the train station with my itinerary clenched in your hand. Or the fact that tears steamed down your face when you finally left the station. Did you tell that to my mom?”

  No. He hadn’t. But he had told someone else.

  “Theo. You talked to my brother, didn’t you? He’s the only person that saw me after I left the station.”

  Turning away from the window, she tossed a glance over her shoulder, narrowing her eyes at him. “I haven’t seen or talked to your brother since the last time I was here.”

  The pain of that memory affected her as much as it did him. The way she avoided his eyes said as much. Did she really expect him to believe she’d traveled back in time? That she’d witnessed everything he’d confessed to her earlier?

  Pushing off the bar, his feet brushed against the carpet with each step. He didn’t stop until he reached the edge of the coffee table not far from where she stood. “You’re telling me that a watch transported you back in time to witness all this and now you believe me?”

  “Yes,” The hardness in her eyes faded the longer they stared at each other. “Okay. So hearing it come from your mouth isn’t as convincing.”

  He gave her a slight nod, fighting back a laugh. While he didn’t find any of this humorous, he didn’t know how else to react. Covering his eyes, he did his best to massage the tension from his temples. “Forget the fact that what you’re claiming makes you sound like a lunatic. I’m kinda hurt that you’d believe a watch over me? Maybe that makes me just as crazy.”

  “It doesn’t make either of us crazy. This watch came to me for a reason, Jonah. To right the wrongs that kept us apart.”

  “And now that the wrongs are righted, where do we go from here?” The gruffness in his voice reverberated around them, causing Ally to wince. “Knowing the truth doesn’t change anything. Your life is here in Savannah. Mine is in L.A. Long distance relationships don’t work. Not even for the people who try to make them.”

  “Are you saying I wouldn’t try?”

  “I’m saying that I don’t know if I want to. My God, I’ve stood by and watched you walk out of my life twice. Six years ago because
I was a coward. And six hours ago, because I wasn’t. This isn’t going to work.”

  “I…I see.” She pressed her lips together, shifting her focus to the floor. “I, um…I better go.” Stepping from the window, she swept past him, stopping just shy of the chair. It took her a moment to meet his eyes with her tear filled ones. “You know, you were right? About what you said to my dad the first time you met him. You did make me laugh. And smile.”

  All the blood drained from Jonah’s face. Ally didn’t know about the conversation he had with her father. He’d forgotten it himself. Now every word played through his mind.

  Had her father told her about the conversation, she would have mentioned it before. She told Jonah everything else about her dad. That only meant one thing. The story about the watch had to be true. She knew too many details about everything else.

  Footsteps sounded in his ears, drawing his attention back to Ally. Her retreating figure sent an icy chill down his spine. A few more steps and she would be free. She’d walk out of his life once more, this time for good.

  He tried to call her name, but his words caught in his throat. Maybe it was for the best. He needed to let her go. Needed to accept the fact that she’d be better off without him.

  * * *

  Ally knew she’d made a mistake coming to Jonah’s suite. She’d hurt him with her earlier words. Now he couldn’t forgive her. Not that she deserved his forgiveness after ordering him out of her life.

  Unable to form any more words, she gathered what dignity she had left and hurried across the floor. There was no point in staying. He didn’t want to work things out. Had said as much.

  Choking back the tears, she reached the door. The brass knob pressed into her palm as she squeezed it. Then strong arms crushed hers, pulling her against a broad chest. The warmth of Jonah’s body drew out the fear and the anger eating away at her soul. And she wept.

  Jonah squeezed her closer, the heat of his breath caressing her ears. “I can’t do this, Ally.” Raw emotion cracked in his voice. Then he pressed his face into her neck, mumbling against her skin. “I can’t lie to you or myself, anymore. I don’t want you to go.”