When he sat up, he affixed the chain to his belt. “This is the best gift anyone has ever given me.”
“I wish I could take complete credit for it, but I can’t. Aunt Myra, Uncle Myles, and Tess are the real people you should thank.”
“Nevertheless. I love it and I’m thankful you gave it to me.” He reached out and traced her mouth with the tip of one finger. “I have a gift for you too.”
“You do?”
“It’s not something you can open, but I’m hoping it’ll make you happy.”
Her curiosity was aroused. “You make me happy. I don’t need anything else but you.”
“In a way, that’s my gift to you. We are going to be together. We won’t be separated by time or anything else.”
Elation sparked through Journey like fireworks. “I’m going with you. We’ll be together! Oh, thank God. I was so afraid you’d leave me behind. I don’t think I could live without you.”
Reno took off his hat and laid it to one side, running his hand through his hair. “No. You misunderstand. You’re not going with me. I’m staying here with you.”
The joy of the moment disappeared. “What?” Journey’s voice went flat. Disbelieving. “You can’t do that. You have to go back. Cole and Ela are depending on you.”
“You and the baby are more important. I’m staying with you.”
Journey rose and began to walk away. “No. Absolutely not. You’ll regret this decision for the rest of your life. You’ll resent me for it.” She ran back to him, taking him by the hand. “Let me go with you. I want to go with you.”
Reno wouldn’t be moved. “It’s too dangerous. Even if it were just you going with me, it’s too dangerous. Add in the baby and you not being well…”
“I am fine!” She pushed away from him. “This won’t work, Reno. I won’t let you do it.”
“You don’t have a choice. It’s my decision and I’m staying here. I’ve already talked to Kota about it. The portal thing is off.”
“Please, Reno. Listen to reason,” she begged him. “Cole will die. Ela will die. Unless you go back and save them.”
Reno’s voice was low and intense. “They’re already dead. They’ve been dead a damn century and a half.”
“No, they’re alive! And it’s up to you to save them!”
“My place is with you. You and the baby are my responsibility.”
“The way you say responsibility makes it sound more like a burden.” She jerked off the gold band and jammed it in his chest. “Now, we’re not your responsibility any longer.”
“Journey…” He said her name with a note of caution.
“Don’t Journey me. You know as well as I do that this would never work. You have to go back. You have to get on that horse of yours, ride off into the sunset, and be the hero you were born to be.”
Reno followed behind her as she stalked toward home. “Please. Don’t do this to me, Journey. I don’t want to be like my father.”
She stopped and wheeled around. “You’re not like your father. You’re not leaving me for greed, you’re going back in time to save those people because it’s your destiny.”
“You’re my destiny!”
“I think I am too. I think you’re destined for both paths – but you can’t have one without the other.” She put a hand to his chest, taking a moment to cherish the beat of his heart. “If I can’t go with you, you must go by yourself.” When he started shaking his head, she put both hands on his shoulders. “Go. Do what you need to do, then come back to me. We already considered this to be a viable option.”
He looked miserable. “That was before.”
“Before the baby?”
“Before I loved you this much. I love you more each day. The thought of leaving you is killing me.”
“You won’t be leaving me. It will only be temporary. You’ll come back to me and I’ll be waiting.”
“But the baby…”
“The baby will be right here.” She placed his hand over her middle. “We’ll both be waiting for you when you return.”
Reno pulled her to him. “How will I survive without you?”
“The same way I’ll survive without you. One day at a time. Besides, if all goes well, it will only be a month. Ela can help you return on the next full moon.”
Reno remembered Kota and Lou’s warnings of how uncertain this all would be. “If there’s a way in this world to come home to you, I’ll do it. I promise.” He just hoped that was a promise he could keep.
* * *
“What a beautiful day for a wedding.” Aunt Myra put the finishing touches on Journey’s bridal bouquet. “We could’ve got you one from the florist, you know.”
“I wanted to use your roses. They’re much more beautiful than hothouse orange blossoms and baby’s breath.”
Myra’s eyes twinkled. “I think so too.”
“Here’s your dress.” Lou came in with the garment lying over her arm. “How about shoes?”
“There’s some strappy sandals in my closet. I thought I’d wear those.”
“Good. I’ll get them.” Lou laid the dress gently on the bed, then ran to the closet to find the shoes.
Journey sat at the mirror, staring at her reflection. She was about to marry the man who’d lived in her heart for half her life. Despite knowing she’d only have him for two days before he left for the past, Journey felt no regrets. She felt an incredible sense of loss, but no regrets. To make this bearable, she compared herself to a war bride, marrying her soldier just before he shipped off to war. With a shaking hand, she applied a little mascara and lip gloss. She could see the bed they shared reflected in the mirror. The bed
