Stealing Time Read Online Free Page B

family, Drew’s football friends
and her group of friends who had stuck together since elementary
school were all coming. Most important were Maya Johnson and her
son, Carl Jr. They lived next door and were like family. They were
time travelers, too.
    Maya, the original traveler from the present,
was the keeper of the set of books. She had them locked safely away
in her home. Drew and Kate kept theirs on the nightstands, right
next to their beds, ready and waiting for the next adventure.
Drew’s was at the Roberts’ house since he spent most of his time
there. The guest bedroom was really Drew’s room. Kate headed for
that room now, needing to be near him for some reason. She opened
the drawer of one of the dressers and pulled out a shirt, raising
it to her face. She took in his essence, faintly smelling him on
the shirt.
    “You could smell the real thing, you
know.”
    Kate jumped, startled by the interruption.
“Drew, you scared me!” She playfully punched his chest and then
melted into him. “I was missing you, and...” No, need to tell him
about her Tyson concerns on their special day.
    “You decided to smell my shirt,” Drew teased.
“Now let me smell you.” He snuggled against her neck, softly
kissing it.
    “You better stop, or you’re taking me to the
canyon right now!” Kate giggled, then gave him a quick kiss. “I
have to get ready. I haven’t talked to Anna yet.”
    “Well, you better get going. I know once you
two get started you’ll never get off the phone.”
    “She’s my best friend, Drew.”
    “Don’t let Lindsey hear you say that.”
    “She knows! Plus she can’t be jealous of her
great-grandmother, can she?”
    “Anna was your first friend at the canyon.
You found her again, right here in the present, so Lindsey would
never deny you that friendship. And like you said, it’s her Grandma
J.”
    “I’m so lucky to have found her. Just wish
she was up for traveling.”
    “At 101-years-old, she’s doing pretty well.
I’m glad we both have her.”
    Kate kissed Drew again. “I am, too.” She felt
happy and lucky at this moment and wished that feeling could last
forever as she headed for her room.
    Kate threw on a sundress, grabbed a pair of
sandals and did a final touch up of lip gloss in the bathroom
mirror before heading down to the party. She wanted to make sure
she was early and available to greet guests. Her phone rang, and
she skipped over to where it lay on the bed, quickly answering
it.
    “Anna, glad you called back. I was surprised
I got your voice mail earlier.” Kate worried when Anna didn’t
answer because she always picked up when she saw Kate’s number,
even if she was on another call.
    “Oh, you know us old folks, always forgetting
where we put things,” Anna joked. “Couldn’t find the darn thing
till now and saw you called. I know you have a party to attend but
had to call and say congratulations, Kathryn. You graduated high
school—finally! It’s been over eighty years since I did, and it’s
about time you did, too.”
    They both laughed together. Kate didn’t know
what she’d do without Anna in her life. She was one of the few who
understood what it was like to live both lives, here in the present
and back in 1927.
    “Anna, I have so much to tell you, but you’re
right, the party’s about to start. Wish you were here.”
    “Me, too, but soon you’ll be here with
Lindsey to celebrate your eighteenth birthdays and
then...college.”
    “I know. I can’t wait. Drew and I plan on
visiting every weekend once we’re at school.”
    “You shouldn’t waste your time visiting an
old lady. It’s a couple hours drive. That’s too much. Don’t you
kids have better things to do? Like head to that cabin in the woods
for the weekend?”
    The cabin was Drew’s home at the canyon,
built for him by his grandfather. When Drew and Kate went back to
1927, they always ended up there so they could be alone. “Anna,
stop it. You know you’re important to us.