Christine by Lori Wilde

Author:Lori Wilde
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2011-12-01T00:00:00+00:00

On Thursday evening, as Christine was closing up the bakery, she heard her name being called. A man’s voice, familiar but ragged, as if he’d sprinted all the way to Jubilee from Twilight.

“Chrissy.”

She turned to see Eli standing there. Her heart reeled. He looked like he hadn’t slept since the last time she’d seen him. His hair was mussed, his shirt rumpled, his hands clutched in front of him, fingers interlaced, as if to keep himself from touching her. Shoppers bustled by, laden with packages. There was a chill in the air, and the sky was clouded gray.

“Eli? Are you all right? Is something wrong?”

“I miss you,” he said.

“It’s only been two days since we saw each other.”

“I know. It’s crazy. Illogical.”

“It’s not crazy,” she murmured. “I feel it too.”

“My kids.” He motioned in the direction of Jubilee.

“I know. We discussed it. I’m content to take this relationship on your timetable. We won’t rush into anything.”

He looked relieved. Took a step closer. “I feel—”

“Out of control?” she finished for him, moving in his direction.

“I feel like I’ve been given something precious, and all I have to do is close my fingers around it, and it’s mine, but I can’t move my hand. I’m paralyzed with wanting. I’m not accustomed to this feeling.”

Cars motored by on the street, but they could have been standing on an island, so focused were they on each other.

“I’m afraid to trust it,” she admitted. She had to curl her hands into fists to keep from reaching out and touching him.

“Me too.” He jammed his hands in his pockets, hunched his shoulders against the wind, but he did not drop her gaze. A horse-drawn carriage pulled up and deposited a family of laughing tourists.

“Would you like to take a ride?” He inclined his head toward the carriage.

She should have said no, but instead she nodded.

“Okay.”

All over town, the Christmas lights were starting to wink on. Eli climbed into the carriage and held out his hand to Christine. She put her foot on the step, and he hauled her inside. They sat on the same side of the carriage, and Eli drew the warm blanket up over them as the carriage driver clicked his tongue and the Clydesdale moved forward, his hooves clip-clopping over the cobblestones.

“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking,” Eli said. “About Twilight’s sweetheart legend.”

“You mean the legend that says if you throw a penny into the fountain and wish for it, you’ll be reunited with your high school sweetheart?”

“That would be the one.” He slipped an arm around her shoulder and she snuggled against him. “Most people in town seem to believe it, and you’ve got to admit, it’s pretty compelling.”

“But we weren’t high school sweethearts.”

“We could have been. We should have been.”

“We weren’t.”

“If I could go back in time,” he said. “We would be.”

“Got a DeLorean parked out back, do you?”

“Back to the Future. I get it. Funny. We don’t need a DeLorean, Christine.”

“Don’t we? It’s the only way I know of to rewind the past.

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