Reno didn’t get a chance to respond before she shut the door, leaving him alone.
…Journey almost ran down the hall, putting as much distance between her and Reno as possible and still stay in the same house. She couldn’t believe he’d caught her touching herself. He would have to know she was thinking of him. “How embarrassing.” She snapped her fingers to call the dogs, then retreated with them to the sunroom, shutting the French doors behind her. Only then did she allow herself to take a full breath. Leaning against the doorframe, she gave herself a stern talking to. “There’s no way this can work if you don’t get a handle on yourself, Sojourner. Just get it through your thick head that there can’t be anything between you two. You’ve got to try thinking of him as your brother.” The thought made her groan with disbelief. “Oh, yea. That’s gonna work. Count on it.”
But – really. She had to come up with some type of plan. Some kind of shield that she could utilize to prevent her from making a total fool of herself. Shaking like a leaf, she sat down at her workstation while the dogs climbed the puppy steps onto the sofa and proceeded to look out the window. “If you two start barking at things, I’ll put you in the garage.” Both dachshunds gave her what looked to be a scowl, but they didn’t begin to bark.
Needing to do something that didn’t require much thought, she filled roller bottles with a blend of ten drops each of frankincense, helichrysum, then to the top with coconut oil. This was a recipe she’d developed to strengthen eyesight. The people who had used it, applying it on their cheekbones and on their brow, swore they were able to quit wearing glasses after a few months. As she filled out labels for the content, Journey tried to work through what was going on between her and Reno.
In just two days her world had been turned upside down. The one thing she’d longed for most had incredibly come to pass. From the first moment of recognition, Journey fully opened her heart and arms to him. The things she knew of Reno, or thought she knew, gave her what might be a false sense of closeness. She needed to remember that he didn’t necessarily share those feelings. What she needed to do was slow things down and alleviate the pressure between them – tone down the expectations. On her part, anyway. Like Reno said, he could be here one day and gone the next. She needed to keep that in mind.
After the last roller bottle was ready for packing, Journey felt like she’d made some headway. She felt better prepared to deal with the situation they found themselves in. She closed the storage box and patted the lid. Tomorrow, she would begin the process to help Reno get the answers he needed. Together, they would solve one of the greatest mysteries of all.
How a person could travel through time.
“You can do this without losing yourself, Sojourner.”
Oh, who was she kidding? “I’m talking to myself. And answering!”
She moaned and softly beat her head on the table. “I’m going to get my heart broken, aren’t I?”
Probably, she admitted to herself. Would it be worth it?
Only time would tell.
…In the guestroom, Reno lay on his side, his head propped up on his hand. After taking a shower, he’d opened the pages to Saul’s journal. Now, he was immersed in memories and captivated by glimpses into the future – which was also the past. He rubbed his eyes, his head throbbed from fatigue and the strain of dealing with revelations he could barely comprehend. As he turned page after page, he learned the fates of people he loved. Some good. Some heartbreaking. If he were to return – when he returned – what would he do with this information? Warn them? Guide them? Try to change the future? “Oh, God. What am I going to do?”
Reno put the journal aside and switched off the electric lamp, sending the room into darkness. He needed time to mull over what he’d learned. There were gaps in the story he needed to fill. He was surprised to learn that after his apparent demise, the children were adopted by one of Gentry’s sisters and spent the remainder of their childhood up north. Apparently, they would be isolated from the trouble they’d left behind in Texas. From what he could tell, Saul didn’t return to the old homeplace until after he finished college and passed the bar. While he was pleased to learn how Saul, Huck, Emory, and Tess had not only survived but thrived, there was no further mention of Cole.
Reno knew he wouldn’t rest until he knew Cole was safe. If he couldn’t go back to see for himself, maybe he could find an answer in the pages of history. Yawning despite his turmoil, Reno closed his eyes. Journey would know what to do. Just the thought of her brought a smile to his lips. He was lucky to have her as a friend. He couldn’t imagine facing this ordeal without her help. Why, he’d be as lost as a goose in a snowstorm. There was so much Journey could teach him. Show him. The sky was the limit to what they could do together.
Drifting off to sleep, his let his mind run free. She was in his arms and they were dancing beneath the stars. Her laughter was music to his ears. Bending his head, he kissed her sweet, rosy lips again and again. As he slipped into a dream, one last truth became crystal clear. Meeting her was destined, being her friend was his choice, but falling in love with Journey
