Only in Time (A Mystique Antiques Novella) (14 page)

“If love means you want to give every part of your heart and soul to another person, just to make them happy, then yes. I love your daughter with every part of me. Do you, Pauline? Do you love her enough to lay off the sauce?”

“Yes,” her mother nodded, moving her eyes to the ceiling. “Starting tomorrow, I’ll never drink another drop.”

The glimpse of hope that played in Jonah’s eyes diminished. He turned his head toward the piano, where Ally stood watching the scene unfold. While she knew he couldn’t see her, she
could
see pain in his eyes. Could hear it in his voice as it shook. “You always say that, but you’ve never followed through. I don’t know if you ever will.”

“I will.”

Jonah shook his head again. He stepped away from the edge of the couch, making his way across the living room floor with long strides. His feet didn’t stop until he reached the archway. Giving her mother one final look, Ally didn’t miss the way tears spilled from his eyes, over his cheeks. Nor did her mother.

“I have your keys, Pauline. I’ll bring them back later, after I stop Ally. She isn’t going to New York to fulfill a dream. The only reason she’s leaving is because she doesn’t feel like she has anyone here. I’m going to prove her wrong.” The door swung open as he stepped outside, issuing out one final promise. “I’m going to show her she does have someone here. Someone that loves her. I’m going to show her she has me.”

As Jonah’s image faded from Ally’s sights, she braced herself as the room began to shift once more. Her head grew lighter with each spin. Then the sensation began to slow, filling the scenery with blurry images. And when the fog of confusion lifted, Ally found herself standing on a cement pad. A long pad that held wooden posts and a large tin roof.

The scent of oil and grease penetrated her nose. Along with a whiff of diesel. It only took her a second to realize where she stood. In the middle of the loading dock of the train station. And she wasn’t alone.

Standing just a few feet away, a man stood in front of her. Judging by the long hair that poked out from underneath his Georgia Bulldogs hoodie, he couldn’t be more than twenty.

Inside his clenched hand lay a paper. One he held on to for dear life. Or at least she thought before he released his grip. The paper floated to the ground, barely skimming the pavement before the man stepped away. As he drew closer, she couldn’t help but notice the way his cheek shimmered in the fluorescent lights above. Her heart ached for the man. For the pain that caused the tears on his face. She wanted to ask him what caused his pain, but he wouldn’t meet her eyes. Could only blink away the tears that filled his.

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.

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?”