Eventide: The Days of Redemption Series, Book Three

  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?

  Don’t miss the next book by your favorite author. Sign up now for AuthorTracker by visiting www.AuthorTracker.com.

  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

  Found

  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

  13 14 15 16 17 OV/RRD 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  about the publisher

  Australia

  HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty. Ltd.

  Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street

  Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia

  http://www.harpercollins.com.au

  Canada

  HarperCollins Canada

  2 Bloor Street East - 20th Floor

  Toronto, ON, M4W, 1A8, Canada

  http://www.harpercollins.ca

  New Zealand

  HarperCollins Publishers (New Zealand) Limited

  P.O. Box 1

  Auckland, New Zealand

  http://www.harpercollins.co.nz

  United Kingdom

  HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.

  77-85 Fulham Palace Road

  London, W6 8JB, UK

  http://www.harpercollins.co.uk

  United States

  HarperCollins Publishers Inc.

  10 East 53rd Street

  New York, NY 10022

  http://www.harpercollins.com