Stealing Time (5 page)

“Like you’ve been crying.”

“Not good.”

“Take a minute and compose yourself. I’m
going to find Jack and bring him up.” Drew disappeared and within a
minute was back with Kate’s dad.

“Are you two sure you checked everywhere?”
Her father glanced around the room. “I don’t know what to say.” He
hit himself lightly in the head. “Think! I want to be an
investigative reporter, and I’ve got nothing.”

“Investigative reporter?” Her father’s
comment distracted Kate for a moment. “Where did that come
from?”

“Always wanted to be one. Maybe write a crime
novel or two.”

“But your books are about travel and...”

“Just fluff pieces, practice.” Her father
abruptly cut her off. He rubbed his face. “Sorry to be so
gruff.”

“We’re all upset. Can’t think straight right
now.” Drew laid his hand on Jackson’s shoulder. “We’ve got this. Go
back to the party.”

“
Do a thorough search and then come
down. Act like nothing’s happened.” Kate’s dad turned and left the
room.

They stayed a few minutes longer, feeling
under the bed, crawling on the floor, searching corners of the
room.

“Drew, it’s pointless. He has the book. I
know he does. I’ll just wait till he leaves tomorrow and run over
to his house. I’ll make some excuse to his mom and find the
book.”

“I’ll feel better when I see the book for
myself.” Drew stood up. “Let’s get back.”

Time seemed to drag. Kate felt like the party
she looked forward to would now never end. Tyson returned with
Erin, and it was hard to be civil. Kate knew she needed to be nicer
than ever and managed to get him alone in the house before he left.
He was more than happy to come with her, telling Erin he’d meet her
at the car.

“
Ty, I’m working on Drew. I think he’s
close to making his decision.”

Tyson grabbed Kate and swung her in the air,
lightly kissing her. In the past, she would have protested, but now
she had to go along with it. She cringed when she saw the look of
surprise on his face. He saw it as a sign to come in for another,
longer kiss.

“Don’t push it.” Kate put her hands up and
gave him a slight shove. Tyson laughed like he did in her
dream.

“You’re still a challenge. There’s nobody
like you.” Tyson threw his head back and let out a loud whoop that
no one seemed to hear. “One day...one day...” He nodded his head.
“We’ll be together. Have a good trip...Arizona, right? See...I pay
attention. I won’t be here to say good-bye or hello when you get
back, but I’ll see you in my dreams.”

Tyson tried to get one more kiss, but Kate
was able to dodge him. He headed for the front door, turned and
saluted her before finally leaving.

Oh, you’ll be seeing me alright but not in
your dreams and not in 1927 if I can help it.
Kate slammed the
door behind him.

* * * *

Kate waited a few days before she visited the
Gray’s home. Tyson said he was leaving the day after her party, so
it was safe. As she crossed the street, the sun was setting,
filling the sky with the colors of warm peach and cotton candy
pink.

Waiting for dusk. It had such a different
meaning now. It was the sign the book would work and take her back
to 1927. It always filled her with a warm glow, but now made her a
little nervous. Tyson could be heading to the canyon. He needed to
be stopped.

Mrs. Gray greeted her at the door. “Katie, so
good to see you. We really enjoyed your party.”

“Thanks.” Kate gave her a quick hug. “I have
a favor to ask. Tyson borrowed my music player at the party. I
can’t find it anywhere. Maybe it’s here by mistake. Is it alright
if I go up to his room and take a look?”

“Sure, just like old times, you running up to
Tyson’s room and the two of you causing some kind of chaos around
here.” Mrs. Gray laughed at the memory. “He’ll be glad...”

Kate darted up the stairs before she
finished. She knew which bedroom was his, quickly nudging open the
door.

“
Ty!” Kate almost gagged on the word.
“You scared me!”

“Never expected to see you in my bedroom
again.” Ty got off his bed and put down the controller he was
holding. He was shirtless and wearing only boxers.

Kate tried not to look at him, staring at the
wall over his shoulder.

“What are you doing here?”

“I...I...” Kate stammered, trying to give
herself time to think. “I saw your car was still here and wanted to
say good-bye again. I’m leaving tomorrow. You’re not going to New
York?”

“I called the school to tell them I accepted
the offer. They said they wanted to overnight some papers for me to
sign so I had to delay my trip. I’m leaving tomorrow, too. So what
about Drew? Is he signed, sealed and delivered?” Tyson smiled, but
it wasn’t a friendly smile. It was more like a smirk, the way he
always looked when he talked about Drew.

Kate noticed he was coming closer as they
talked. “Did you ever return my iPod?” She tried to distract him as
she spotted the book on his desk. It was so close yet
unattainable.

“Yeah, I left it on the table in your family
room.” He was now just steps away.

“Okay, I’ll have another look. Have a great
trip!” Kate nearly tripped getting out of the room and down the
stairs. “Bye, Mrs. Gray!” She hurried out the door and ran across
the street, bursting through the door to her house, nearly out of
breath.

Three sets of questioning eyes waited for her
as she walked into the kitchen. Her dad, Mom and Drew were at the
counter with all their attention focused in her direction.

“I can’t stand it.” Her mom stood up. “Tell
us something!”

“It was a bust. Tyson was there. He’s still
home!” Kate covered her face with her hands and let out a muffled
scream of frustration. “He has the book! I saw it.”

“Did he try anything?” Drew was on his
feet.

“No, he didn’t.” Kate withheld the
information on how Tyson was dressed. She thought back to the
conversation in the kitchen with Ty’s mom and should’ve realized he
was home. Mrs. Gray started to say “He’ll be glad to see you”, and
Kate interpreted it as “He’ll be glad to return your music player.”
How stupid could she be?

“Well, at least he hasn’t read the book.”
Kate looked from Drew to her parents. “You do know Drew went back
every day since Ty took the book just to make sure.”

Her dad nodded. “I went a few times myself.
We need a plan in place when he does get there because you know
he’ll show up eventually.”

“Dad, I think Carl needs to be in on the
strategy session. I’m giving him a call.” Kate reached for her cell
and made the call. “He’ll be here in a few,” she said as she placed
her phone back in her pocket.

“
Count me out.” Joanna, Kate’s mom,
called over her shoulder. “I don’t need to go back until fall—and
Kate’s wedding.”

“Mom, you’re included.” Kate started after
her.

“Let her go.” Her dad took her by the
shoulders. “You know your mother. She wants no part of the past
after what almost happened to you.”

Kate shivered as she always did when she
thought of the day she was fading away, afraid she’d never see her
family again or even exist in their minds. “You’re right. The less
she knows the better. If she has to help us, she will.”

Carl appeared on the back deck, peeking
through the screen door. Kate motioned for him to come in.

“I have a few ideas that I’ve been mulling
over.” Carl came in, sliding the screen door shut behind him. “Glad
you called because I’m leaving for Texas tomorrow to visit the
family. We’ll head for Arizona, just in time for your birthday,
li’l sis.” Carl sat down in the family room across from Kate and
Drew, staring intently at them. “The one thing we all have to agree
on is that whoever sees Tyson first has to make him think he’s
dreaming.”

“Agreed.” Kate’s dad seemed too serious. “My
concern is that he comes across Kate when she’s alone.”

“I can handle it, Dad. I know him pretty
well.”

Now it was Drew’s turn to look worried.
“Let’s make sure that doesn’t happen. You’ll be at the
boardinghouse with Maya and then in the car with Carl Sr. and the
girls. Once you get to El Tovar I’ll be close by. And I’m going to
tell Thomas to keep an eye on you.”

“You can’t bring Thomas into this.” Kate’s
fear of too many people knowing the secret seemed to be coming
true. “I know he’s your best friend, but he needs to believe we’re
all living in the past with him.”

“I’m not planning on telling him any secrets.
I’ll tell him I have reason to believe something might happen to
you.”

“We’ll have to think on our feet if we spot
Tyson...or should I say when we see him. It’s just a matter of
time. You may be taken completely by surprise. He could pop up
anywhere.” Carl got up to leave. “We’re a team. We can do this. See
you all in Arizona.”

“Hope my birthday party turns out a little
better than graduation.” Kate hugged Carl tightly. “Have a safe
trip. See you in a week.”

After Carl left, Kate turned to her dad and
Drew. “Does he seem a little upbeat these days? I thought he was in
such a depression over Rachel, he’d never come out of it.”

“That’s what a new sports car will do for
you.” Kate’s dad also got up to leave. “I’ll go help your mother
pack and leave you two alone.”

Kate sat next to Drew. “Are you alright with
this? There’s nothing we can do now except go on defense.” Kate
thought she’d use some football terms he could relate to.

“We’d never be in this position if I wasn’t
so careless. This is my fault. I should have put that book away
before the party. I’m so stupid. Now I put your life in
jeopardy...again.” Tears filled Drew’s eyes. “I’ll never forgive
myself if he does something to you.”

Kate reached over and lightly touched his
face. “I love you, Drew Kelly. I won’t let you talk like that.”

Drew pulled her closer and kissed her,
holding on like he was afraid she’d disappear if he let go. “I love
you, too,” he whispered in her ear, then picked her up and whisked
her up the stairs, closing her bedroom door behind them.

Chapter
Four

Kate rushed down the stairs, grabbing a cup
of morning coffee on her way outside. Her parents were already on
the deck having breakfast.

“Good morning, sweetie.” Her mom placed her
fork on her plate. “All packed?”

“Uh-huh,” Kate mumbled as she pretended to
sip from her mug. She couldn’t believe what happened last night and
wanted to tell the world. Drew made love to her for the very first
time—in the present, that is.

When he carried her upstairs last night they
had no idea that would happen. He gently placed her on her bed and
kissed her good-night. Kate grabbed Drew’s hand as he began to walk
out of the room, saying, “Don’t leave.”

Kate smiled, remembering what he said. “If I
don’t leave now, you won’t get rid of me.” He was still sleeping in
her bed.

“I better go wake Drew. He never oversleeps!”
Kate put her cup on the table and slipped back in the house. She
ran upstairs and into her room, but he was gone. Rushing into his
room, she found him sitting on the edge of his bed.

“What have I done, Kate?” He looked like a
lost puppy. “I broke my promise to you...and your family.”

“Drew, it’s not a big deal. It was bound to
happen sooner or later.” She sat down next to him.

“We’re not married, not like back at the
canyon.”

“
I think I have a say in this, Andrew
Martin-Kelly. Stop being a martyr. This is the twenty-first
century.” Kate got up, kissed the top of his head and
left.

“Do your parents know?” Drew called after
her.

“Maybe...” she yelled back. Kate laughed and
danced around her room. She felt freer than she had in awhile. Then
she remembered something and stopped in her tracks. Anna asked her
to bring the book to Arizona. It was an odd request, but Kate would
never deny her anything. There might be a curiosity on Anna’s part.
Maybe she wanted to see the magical book for herself. She really
didn’t say.

Kate took the book from her nightstand and
stroked the cover. Turning the book over and over in her hands, she
saw nothing special about it. The outside was black leather with no
other markings.

“Here’s hoping you think this looks like a
very boring book, Tyson.” Kate wrapped the book in one of her
shirts and placed it in her carry-on luggage. No way was the book
going to be out of her sight.

* * * *

Boarding the plane, Kate grabbed Lindsey’s
hand and squeezed it. “I have something to tell you,” she
whispered, hoping Drew wouldn’t hear. “You’re sitting by me,
right?”

Lindsey held up her ticket. “Aisle seat, you
in the middle and Drew by the window, just like we planned. What’s
up? I can’t wait. Tell me now.”

They were walking through the business class
of the plane when Kate whispered to the back of Lindsey’s head the
news about her and Drew.

“What!” Lindsey’s blonde hair flew around,
hitting Kate in the face. A few passengers looked up as she spun
around.

“Shhh, we can’t talk about it.” She cocked
her head back toward Drew. Kate walked past her row, waiting for
him to slide in. He gave her a quizzical look as he slipped into
his seat. “Buckle up!” Kate told him as she sat down next to him.
Giving him her best smile, he quickly kissed her cheek.

“If you think that’s ever happening again
until we’re married, you’re mistaken.” Drew opened a magazine and
began to flip the pages.

“Unfair! Not the best place or time to start
this argument.” Kate poked him.

“Oh, it’s the best place to tell you so it
doesn’t turn into an argument.” Drew smiled slightly as he
continued to turn the pages.