Chapter Twenty-Six

I thought about Renn all night. All through my grandmother’s meatloaf dinner. Through watching Sex and the City reruns with Lilly. Especially through the conversation I had with Kyle when he returned my call around ten-thirty, as I was getting into bed.

“Hey,” he said. “What’s up?”

“Not much. Where are you?”

“Doing clean up. I’m closing all week. Management decided that a guy has to be here at night.”

“Makes sense,” I said.

“I still don’t see your name on the schedule.”

“I’m on leave. For the next few weeks, at least.” I heard rushing water in the background.

“Gives you time to write.”

“True.” I ran my finger along a crack in the wall. “Are you working tomorrow? We need to talk.”

“You’ve come to your senses about Renn, and you need me to coach you through the dark times?”

“No.” I chuckled. “But I do need your help. Can we meet tomorrow?”

“I’ve got a client after my shift. I can meet you here afterward. You want to meet at the new wine bar across the street?”

More than anything, I wanted to say yes. I’d join him, like old times. But this was a new time, and I had a threat hanging over my head, as strange as it may be.

“How about here?” I asked, raising my voice a little.

“A little us time?”

“Kyle, we already tried that.” I kept my voice light and breezy, pushing away the anxiety reeling through my body.

We arranged to meet after his shift tomorrow. No matter how much Kyle thought he knew what was bothering me, he’d never guess in a million years what I was going to ask him.

I tossed my phone onto my nightstand next to the leaves Renn had plucked from my tree. The disc, almost completely blank, was safe inside my nightstand drawer.

With a renewed energy, I opened my journal.

His presence moved her to places she had only imagined. Touching him became a part of what made her who she was.

The darkness unfolded exposing another layer of evil. Without someone to destroy, there was no one left but herself.

What started off as random thoughts became connected in ways I never imagined. Closing the journal, I was filled with lightness. I could feel the spaces between each word breathing life to the story.

It was time to send something to my advisor.

****

The next morning, I woke up with the urge to spend time with my grandparents. I’d been avoiding them. But after last night’s surge of writing I felt more positive than I had in days.

I put on a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt and walked into their kitchen.

Something wasn’t right.

An eerie silence met me as I crossed the cold tile. I didn’t hear my grandfather snoring from his living room chair or the clicking of computer keys from my grandmother’s office.

Not seeing a note from Grandma heightened my uneasiness.

The newspaper was still in its plastic wrapper. A glass with a few drops of orange juice sat on the table next to a cup of cold coffee.

I walked slowly down the hallway to my grandparents’ bedroom, feeling the silence that lay ahead. Each breath stopped in my chest for a second before it came out.

Panic swelled inside me.

“Get a grip,” I whispered. My senses were in sync. Natasha was not here. At least, that’s what I kept telling myself. She. Was. Not. Here. And apparently neither were my grandparents.

I turned off the dripping faucet in their bathroom, left their room, and headed back toward the kitchen. My step was lighter. But when I called my grandmother’s cell and heard it ringing in the living room, my heart sped up again. Trying to remain calm and act normal, I poured myself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table, unwrapping the newspaper. I read the headlines, but I was merely reciting the words in my head without grasping their meaning.

The seconds turned into minutes. The clock chimed. The refrigerator hummed.

As I began to relax the world shifted slightly. I heard footsteps behind me. My breath escaped into the air like thin wisps of snow. My body shook from the inside out.

I grabbed my grandmother’s letter opener off the counter, raised it in the air, and spun around. A tall man stood in front of me.

“Jessie, honey.”

“Papa!” My body sagged. “What are you doing here?”

“I didn’t mean to scare you.”

I flung my arms around my father. His large belt buckle poked against my stomach as I hugged him tighter. He smelled just like he was supposed to. A mixture of mint aftershave and cherry pops. I didn’t realize how much I had missed him until he squeezed me back, making up for all the hugs we’d missed in the last few months.

“How’s my little cowgirl?”

I pulled away and stared at him. He took off his black leather hat and set it brim up on the table.

His bushy eyebrows, hanging over his glasses, still reminded me of tufts of grass. But his hairline had receded several inches since his last visit. What little hair he had left was almost all grey.

He was thinner and more muscular. Most likely due to his current role. As always, he wore a plaid shirt, jeans, and cowboy boots.

“Why are looking at me like that?” Pa asked. “I don’t look that different, do I? Well, my ponytail’s a smidge longer.”

His words were in total sync with his lips. I had been freaking out over nothing.

“I’m just glad to see you. I mean, really glad.”

The front door opened, and I heard my grandparents coming toward the kitchen.

“Hey there, Jake.” Grandpa gave my dad a loose hug, his eyes brimming with tears. “Good to see you. Your flight was okay?”

“Smooth sailing. I can’t say the same for that whipper-snapper who drove me here,” Pa answered.

Grandma came in a second later, carrying a large grocery bag. She set the food on the table next to my dad’s hat and squeezed him tightly. Her head barely came up to his shoulder.

“I’m sorry, Jessie,” she said. “I forgot to leave a note.”

Not as sorry as I was. “No worries.”

“Are you surprised?” Grandpa asked me.

“Why didn’t you tell me he was coming?”

“It was my idea to keep it all hush-hush,” Pa said.

“We rushed off so fast in order to get back here before your dad.” Grandma placed canned vegetables and pasta into the cupboard. “But I guess we weren’t quick enough. Have you had breakfast?”

“Not yet.” I ran my fingers around the brim of my dad’s hat. His presence made our house feel complete.

“Your hands are shaking,” Grandma said. She clasped my hands between hers and massaged my fingers. “And they’re so cold. I’ll turn up the heat.”

“It’s not too cold,” I lied. “Papa, are you hungry? I’ll make that omelet you like so much. We have peppers, don’t we, Grandma?”

I needed something to keep me busy. Anything.

“I’m not hungry, little lady,” Pa said. “How about just a cup of Joe.”

“You got it.” All my life I’d been embarrassed by my father’s old-fashioned language. But right now, I could speak cowboy talk all day, I had missed him so much.

“You two need some time alone,” my grandmother said. She excused herself to pay bills insisting my grandfather meet her in their office.

“So, how is life treating you?” Pa asked, taking a sip of his coffee. “You seem a bit off your saddle. Are you expecting someone? You keep looking outside.”

“No.” I smiled, savoring his words. A sparrow skimmed by the window. “How long are you here for? I thought the shoot didn’t end until August.”

“Eh? My part was basically over,” he said, squinting at me. “You look fine as a daisy. I was expecting you to…”

“Aunt Beth called you, didn’t she?” I interrupted.

If anyone told the truth, it was my dad. He never even told those little white lies my grandmother insists are okay in order to not hurt someone’s feelings.

“She was worried about you.”

“What’d she tell you?” I asked.

“You know your aunt. She said you were hospitalized and almost kicked the bucket.”

I snickered. “As you can see, I’m fine. And I did not almost die.”

But when he gave me a concerned look, where he presses his lips together, puts his fingers on his chin and sort of smiles, I lost my composure. Tears streaked my face because my family was safe and because I was so scared about what was happening to me.

“Come here.” He held open his arms. We hugged for several minutes. That’s all it took, and I felt a million times better. At least for the moment.

“Tell me what’s going on?” he said.

“It’s crazy. You won’t believe me.”

“We all got pieces of crazy in us, some bigger pieces than others. How about we talk outside?”

This was a pretty big chunk of crazy I was about to tell him.

My father opened the umbrella on the picnic table to keep the sun out of our eyes. For the next hour, we sat and talked. Well, I talked. Pa mostly listened with an occasional uh huh, his bushy eyebrows curved inward, the way they used to get when I told him stories as a little kid.

“That’s quite a tall tale,” he said when I was through. “Good to see you haven’t lost your imagination.”

“You don’t believe one word, do you?”

“Jessie.” He lowered his head, peeking over the top of his glasses. “Did you expect me to?”

I shrugged. “I guess not.”

“You’ve been under a lot of pressure, from what your grandmother tells me. School. Your breakup. Car problems. Which, you should have come to me about.”

“But Pa, I saw him disappear,” I said. “Several times.”

“I believe that you believe you saw him go poof.” He raised his hands in the air. “But, hey, you know about special effects, what with your uncle in the business.”

“Then I must be losing my mind.”

“Oh, for Pete’s sake, Jessie. There’s nothing wrong with you. Besides you’re too young to be in love.” He took two cherry pops out of his pocket and handed me one.

“Too young? I’m twenty-nine. Most of my friends are married. With careers and futures. You were already married to Mom by then. And what about that woman who’s after me?”

“Now listen here.” Pa stuck the pop in the corner of his mouth. “I haven’t been the best father. I know that. But I’m here now. And no one is going to take you anywhere. Besides, time travel is pure hog wash.”

“You don’t know that.” I unwrapped the cherry pop, even though I didn’t really want it. The sweet flavor exploded into my mouth.

“I know you’ve been through something traumatic and that…”

“No,” I said, getting up. “You’re wrong.”

“Hey, there you are.” Renn walked through the side gate, his hands in the pockets of his trench coat.

“Renn!” I jumped out of my chair. “I thought you left.”

“I couldn’t leave without seeing you again.”

I threw my arms around him, inhaling his lemony scent. I could feel his heartbeat against the crook of my neck. “Come meet my father.”

Taking his hand, I pulled him toward the picnic table. We had only taken a few steps when Renn stopped walking. His hand tensed in mine as he stared at my father.

It’s not often that people recognize my pa since most of his movies are European spaghetti westerns. But every now and then someone does.

“Pa, this is Renn. Renn, meet my pa, Jacob.”

“Glad to make your acquaintance, son.” He stood up, extending his hand.

Those old feelings of wishing he were more normal rose to the surface.

Renn stood stiff as a mannequin, gawking, his arms at his sides. Sure, my pa was weird, but Renn was really overreacting. I nudged him with my elbow bringing him back from wherever he had gone.

“Nice to meet you too, sir,” Renn said, his voice faltering. “A real pleasure.”

“Jessie’s told me about you,” Pa went on, giving Renn the once-over.

“She has?” Renn gave me a quizzical look.

“Oh, all good, I assure you. Please sit down.” Pa motioned to the empty chair.

I pulled my chair closer to Renn’s and placed my hand on his armrest.

“So, tell me young man, you live around here?”

I groaned inside. It was a typical father to boyfriend question, but Renn wasn’t your typical guy.

“Not far,” Renn said.

Only over one hundred years from now, I wanted to add. But I kept silent.

“And you’re about thirty?”

“Thirty-three, sir.”

“What do you do for a living?”

“Papa.” I finally entered the conversation. “Please, don’t give him the third degree. I’m not a teenager anymore.”

“It’s okay, Jessica.” Renn smiled at me. His uneasiness passed replaced by a regular guy who knew perfectly well how to handle my father. “I work for an internet-based company.”

All true there.

“An established one, I hope.” Pa pulled a cherry pop from his pocket. “Have a hankering for one?”

“Thanks.” Renn took the sucker but didn’t remove the wrapper.

“They’re sweet, but good,” I said.

“Don’t force the young man, if he doesn’t want one,” Pa said. “So, tell me, what goods do you sell?”

“We’re in the service business, sir.” Renn twirled the stick between his fingers.

Still true.

“How so?” Pa asked.

“Mind if I ask you a question?” Renn leaned back, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

“Shoot.”

“Where is your family from?”

Pa straightened up in his chair. “Jessie hasn’t told you?”

“No, sir.”

“We haven’t known each other that long,” I said.

The story of my father’s unusual past, of how he couldn’t remember anything from before his life with my mom didn’t usually come up in casual conversation. Fact is, he rarely talked about it anymore. None of us did.

“My father had some kind of accident right before he met my mom, and he’s never been able to remember anything,” I said. “But it’s been okay. He became part of my mom’s family, and that’s all that mattered.”

Renn’s face took on a reverent look.

“But I’m sure you know where you’re from, young man,” Pa said, not even trying to hide the sarcasm in his voice.

Renn nodded. “Just north of here.”

“And this business you’re in, you makin’ good dough?”

“Pretty much so.” Renn reached over and squeezed my hand.

The situation was about as comfortable as wearing one of those white paper gowns, waiting for the doctor. Pa glanced from me to Renn and back to me again.

“Aren’t you tired?” I asked my father.

“I should be. But I get your drift.” He grinned at Renn. “I’ll leave you two alone.”

Renn stood up. “It’s been an honor.”

An honor? Being polite is one thing, but that was carrying it a bit too far.

Pa squeezed my shoulder as he walked past my chair.

We waited until he was inside before moving to a lounge. Renn’s coat felt soft against my arms.

Without saying anything I kissed him as if I hadn’t seen him in years. As our tongues pressed together, the heat spread from between my legs up through my entire body. I craved his nakedness against mine.

Renn shifted in the lounge, pulling me on top of him. If not for the fact that my grandparents and my dad were in the house, we would have made love right there in the backyard.

“I was so worried about you,” he said between kisses.

“Tell me you’re here to stay.” I danced my fingers over his chest, twirling a soft, blond hair with the tip of my pinky.

“I’m under strict orders to quietly disappear.”

“Renn.” His name escaped softly from my lips. I wasn’t even sure I had said anything. “Are you?”

He held my face between his hands. “You must not take chances while I’m gone.”

“Is that why you came back? To lecture me about my life? Weren’t you listening when I told you about Kyle?”

“You’re going through with that?” he asked.

I rolled onto my side. “I can’t just sit around doing nothing. If I can’t come with you. At least with Kyle I’ll be safe.”

“Maybe.” Renn shook his head.

“And what was it with my father? You acted so strange when you saw him. Telling him it was an honor meeting him? Please, don’t tell me they taught you that in one of your classes. Because it’s a bit overboard.”

“We did learn to be polite. But that’s not exactly what happened here. I have something to tell you about your mother and father.”

Renn glanced toward the house. All the sparkle drained from his eyes. He sucked on his lower lip, taking a deep breath.

I untangled myself from his limbs and sat up at the foot of the lounge.

“Did you see my mom on one of your time travels?” That pressure against my chest, the one that made it hard to breathe, crept up on me.

Renn put his arms around me and pulled me close. I inhaled his sexiness, wishing so much he was just a normal guy who I could count on for the rest of my life.

“I believe so,” he said. “But what’s more important is what I’m going to tell you.”

I picked at a tear in the lounge. “What could be more important than my mom?”

“To you, probably nothing. But to us in the future, your parents are famous. And seeing your father’s face jolted my reality. Up until now, I’ve only seen it in our Big Book of Success Stories.”

His words scared me. Did I want him so badly I fell for his crazy time traveling story?

“Your father and mother are one of our most successful matches to date. They truly were soulmates. Your father was picked up by one of our first matchmakers in 1872 and brought to your mom in…”

“You’re saying my dad is from 1872?” I seriously needed my head checked for ever believing him.

Renn placed his fingers over my lips. “Yes. Think about it, Jessica. He doesn’t remember anything from before meeting your mom. I know their entire history. He was picked up by one of our best matchmakers, Sienna, and taken to Arezzo where your mom was traveling. And I guarantee you he has very vivid dreams about his past.”

I studied Renn’s jawline as the words sank into my brain. All my life, my dad’s been telling me about this one recurring dream of his. About a ranch with a gigantic room and a covered wagon with one broken wheel. Maybe Renn was telling the truth.

“And furthermore,” Renn continued. “As a child of matched parents, if you haven’t found your soulmate by the age of twenty-three, your odds decrease significantly. That’s probably the biggest reason Natasha picked you for Frank.”

He ran his thumb down my jawline, sending a river of warmth through my body. I placed my hand on his, staring into the blueness of his eyes. “I…I…This is so…” My lips parted against his.

Neither of us heard my grandmother until she was standing a few feet away from us.

“Kyle is here,” she said.

“Can you talk to him for a few minutes?” I asked. “Keep him inside.”

“I’ll try.” Her eyes crinkled as she nodded at me and headed back toward the house. “But you know Kyle.”

“I should be going anyway,” Renn said. “I came to tell you I do care about you touching Kyle. It does hurt to think about. I want you to know that. You must believe me.”

“I want to,” I said.

I leaned forward to kiss him when Kyle came through the sliding door, ignoring my grandmother as she tried to stop him. One glance at Renn and the smile on his face disappeared. His eyes narrowed into a glare, directed at Renn.

I rushed toward Kyle, stopping him from getting any closer.

“What is he doing here?” he asked.

“Chill.” Renn raised his hands in the air. “Everything’s good.”

Kyle’s body tensed. He clenched and unclenched his fists, anger spreading onto his face.

“Relax,” Renn said. “I was just leaving.”

“You bet you are.” Kyle stepped forward. “I don’t know who you think you are hanging around her, after what you did.”

“He didn’t do anything.” I grabbed Kyle’s arm. The size of the shock passing between us startled me. I flinched and jumped back.

“Is that what you were talking about with his extra energy?” Renn asked.

“You guys were talking about me?” Kyle said.

I stood between them, feeling as if I were balancing on a tightrope.

“Jessica has this idea that…” Renn started.

“Let me tell him.” I took Renn’s hand and pulled him toward the side gate. “I have to do this my way,” I whispered.

I leaned forward, stopping anything he might have said with a long, luscious kiss. My groin ached for his touch. I wanted his tongue against the inside of my thigh. Sliding down my legs. Over my belly. I wanted this kiss to never end.

Renn pulled away first. He cupped my face in his hands. “I love you.” His word brushed against my lips like a soft feather.

“I love you, too.”

With his hand on the gate, Renn turned to face Kyle.

“Keep her safe,” he said.

The sleeves of Renn’s coat shimmered as he waved. My heart twisted and tugged. I wanted to throw myself in his arms again.

The gate clicked shut, with my soulmate on the wrong side. With me standing helpless, wondering when I would see him again. If ever.

****

Renn walked quickly down the block. The image of Jessica’s fists pressed against each other as he backed out of her yard chiseled a hole in his already breaking heart.

Fortunately, Natasha’s plan had failed. He couldn’t bear to think of another man kissing Jessica’s delicious lips, holding her curvy body, pressing against her.

Oh crap. He had to stop thinking of her. And focus on the task in front of him—bringing Natasha to justice.

He didn’t know if Frank Griffin was still waiting for his soulmate, but he was going to make sure Frank was informed of Natasha’s felony behavior.

He realized he had stopped walking and picked up his pace. But no matter how fast he moved, Jessica’s image stayed with him.

After meeting Jessica’s father, it was all beginning to fall into place.

When Jessica touched the fabric in his presence he was booted to her parents’ wedding. Her touch had spun him to her beginning, another proof that they were soulmates. Several years after that wedding day, she’d been conceived. She was at that beach in spirit, in the love her parents shared.

If it all worked out as he wanted, once Natasha was behind bars, maybe they could travel together to meet her mother.

He sent a message to Arlianna.

Mission #265

Instant Communication Renn: I have news about Jessica’s father Arlianna: Leave it B

Renn: Where R U

Arlianna: Abandon mission ASAP. U R no longer employed. Ret hme Renn: Abandonment complete.

He touched his locator and spun home.