The right thing to do would be to stand firm. To agree with that plan of action. She was only living at the Yellow Bird Inn in the evenings, as a way to keep an eye on things for Frannie. Never had Frannie imagined that there would be a visitor.
So, yes, it would be best for Chris and his blood and injuries and mysterious life to leave.
But yet . . .
“Chris, it’s almost Christmas.”
“I know.”
“Do you have somewhere to go for the holiday? Do you have plans?”
The look he sent her spoke volumes. “Not everyone remembers it’s almost Christmas, Beth.” His voice was gentle, almost as if he’d hated to be the one to tell her that for some people Christmas was only another day to get through.
It broke her heart. “No?”
“No.” The skin was white around his mouth as he struggled to his feet, obviously favoring his right leg. “I’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”
He was going to be alone. She knew it as surely as she knew that even after all this time, she still dreamed about him.
Still thought about him. Thought about what would never be. Except for this moment?
Before she could change her mind, she said the word. “Stay.”
He stilled. “You sure?”
Her gaze met his. And in that instant, she knew he saw the tears in her eyes. Saw how vulnerable she was . . . at least when it came to him.
“I’m sure. Stay here until after Christmas. I’ll help you get better. I’ll sew up your wound.”
“No one can know I’m here, Beth.”
“Then I won’t tell anyone you are.” There. The decision had been made.
“Thank you,” he said simply. “Now, if you could, please tell me where to go. Because I’m afraid I’ve only got about another two minutes in me before I pass out again.”
Taking a deep breath, she wrapped an arm around his waist and guided him to the one bedroom on the first floor. Their progress was halting and painful. But finally they made it.
When she helped him lie down, he looked up at her. “Beth?”
“Yes?”
“Don’t forget about the blood. I . . . I parked in the back, near the woods. But you’ve got to check for blood. No one can see it. Do you understand?”
Then he closed his eyes and fulfilled his earlier promise.
He’d passed out.
And left her with a terrible load of problems as well a miserable trail of blood to remove. Why did the worst things always happen when Frannie was gone?
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also by Shelley Shepard Gray
Sisters of the Heart series
Hidden
Wanted
Forgiven
Grace
Seasons of Sugarcreek series
Winter’s Awakening
Spring’s Renewal
Autumn’s Promise
Christmas in Sugarcreek
Families of Honor
The Caregiver
The Protector
The Survivor
A Christmas for Katie (novella)
The Secrets of Crittenden County
Missing
The Search
The Days of Redemption Series
Daybreak
Ray of Light
credits
Cover design by Mary McAdam Keane
Cover photographs: (man in buggy) © brt COMM / Alamy; (woman) © Kim Karpeles / Alamy; (landscape) © Konradlew / Getty Images; (flowers) © Mark Yokoyama / Shutterstock
copyright
This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
P.S.™ is a trademark of HarperCollins Publishers.
EVENTIDE. Copyright © 2013 by Shelley Shepard Gray. Excerpt from Peace © 2013 by Shelley Shepard Gray. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
FIRST EDITION
ISBN 978-0-06-220444-8
EPUB Edition © September 2013 ISBN 9780062204455
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