Romance in Time: An Oregon Trail Time Travel Romance

by Susan Leigh Carlton

  Romance in Time

  An Oregon Trail Time Travel Romance

  Susan Leigh Carlton

  Susan Leigh Carlton

  Tomball, Texas

  Copyright © 2016 by Susan Leigh Carlton.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  Susan Leigh Carlton /Amazon

  Tomball, TX 77377

  www.susanleighcarlton.com

  Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

  Romance in Time/ Susan Leigh Carlton. -- 1st ed.

  Time travel used to be thought of as just science fiction, but Einstein's general theory of relativity allows for the possibility that we could warp space-time so much that you could go off in a rocket and return before you set out.

  Stephen Hawking

  Description

  In July, 2015, just days before her wedding, Abby Sanders came home early from shopping for a wedding dress and found her fiancé in bed with a co-worker. Distraught, she visits her grandmother in Laramie, Wyoming

  Caught in a time warp, she is transported to 1867 where she meets Thomas Barnes who wants to get married… to Abby. Can she get past her heartbreak and find love with Thomas on the Wyoming frontier? Can he face the fact she may return to her own time?

  *** Rated PG. The content herein contains no profanity, and one scene with violence. There is one non-descriptive sexual scene in the prologue; no more other than three chaste kisses.

  Heat level of 1 on the low to high scale of 1-5.

  “Rekindled Love” is the story of Caroline and Ben who grew up together, shared a desk in their one-room school, shared a first love, and shared their first kiss. At fifteen, Ben’s family sold their farm and joined a caravan on the Oregon Trail. Separated by half a continent, Caroline and Ben both grew up and moved on, marrying, having children and losing their spouses. They meet again years later through the mail and find that initial spark rekindled, can they get past their grief and find each other, and happiness together? There is a lengthy excerpt in the back of this book. Enjoy the book and please leave a review on Amazon.

  Prologue

  Rebecca and Abby had found the perfect wedding dress in the Nordstrom’s store in Water Tower Place, their first day in Chicago. They spent two more days picking out frilly underthings, and a travel wardrobe for Abby’s honeymoon trip to Hawaii.

  “Mom, Brett doesn’t expect me back until Saturday. I want to surprise him when he gets home from work.”

  “Why don’t you bring him back for dinner?”

  “I’ll ask him. He probably hasn’t been eating anything other than breakfast tacos and Big Macs all week. a home cooked meal will do him good.”

  Humming to herself, Abby used the key Brett had given her to enter the apartment they planned to share after the honeymoon. He will be surprised we’re back so soon. We found everything we were looking for in just hours.

  The blinds were drawn, and it was semi-dark. I’ll leave a note on his pillow so he’ll find it when he gets in from work.

  A moan, increasing in intensity came from the bedroom, followed by “ooh-ah” then silence. The door was partially open; Abigail saw the two forms, making the beast with two backs. She gasped. She paused in mid-stride and stumbled back. A high pitched scream came from the bed. Brett stopped in mid-stroke.

  “Holy shit. What are you doing back,” he panted.

  Abby stammered, unable to find any words. The blonde secretary from Brett’s office pulled the blanket up to cover her bare chest.

  Abby picked up the pair of black panties from the floor with her thumb and forefinger. “You might need these, sweetie,” and tossed them at the girl.

  Her eyes became cold and flinty, she threw the key at Brett, “You might want to give this to your friend too, since I won’t be needing it,” she said in a flat, monotone voice. She turned and left the apartment, slamming the door behind her. Hot tears burned a path down her cheeks.

  She went straight to her room when she got home. Her mother found her on the bed sobbing.

  “What’s wrong, dear? Did you and Brett have an argument?”

  “There was no argument. He was breathing too hard to talk.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “He was in bed with someone from his office.”

  “Oh no, honey, I’m so sorry. You’re lucky you found out before it was too late.” She put her arms around her daughter and pulled her to her bosom. She stroked her hair and felt the trembling body shake.

  “Did he say anything?”

  “He cursed.”

  “I wish I could help, honey, but I don’t know what to say.”

  “Since we got back early, I planned to leave a note to surprise him. There won’t be a wedding.”

  The phone rang. Two times, three times. The answering machine picked up on the fourth ring. Brett’s voice said, “Abby, honey pick up the phone; I can explain. This is all a big misunderstanding.”

  * * *

  Her father answered the doorbell and found Brett standing there, his hands in his pocket. “Could I speak to Abby, please?”

  “I’ll ask her.” He closed the door without inviting him inside.

  Jason returned five minutes later. “She doesn’t want to see you. Ever. She asked me to give you this.” He handed Brett the diamond engagement ring and spoke in a voice so cold it could have frozen coffee, “Don’t come around here again, and if I hear of you bothering her, or talking about her, I’ll get a court order charging you with harassment and have it served in your office. Don’t misjudge me. I’ll go after you in a heartbeat with all the force I can muster. The judge is a golfing partner of mine and I will not hesitate to use my influence.” He closed the door and returned to Abigail’s bedroom to comfort her.

  * * *

  Abby had taken vacation time from the engineering firm where she worked, so she was not due to return to work until Monday. Feeling tired and wrung out; she stayed in her bedroom, coming out only to eat.

  “Honey, I’m worried about you,” her mother said. “Your mother told me what happened. I’m sure it was a terrible shock, but you can’t let it ruin your life.”

  “Mother, you’re trying to help, but I really don’t want to talk about it. We need to cancel all the arrangements and return the things we bought. I won’t need them. I don’t want to see anyone either. Everyone will want to know what happened and I don’t want their pity.”

  “Don’t mistake sympathy for pity. Your friends can help if you let them. If you don’t pick up your life, he wins. Is that what you want?”

  * * *

  On Monday, she went into her supervisor’s office. “Mr. Haverty, I have a personal problem I need to work out, and I’d like to take a leave of absence, please.”

  “What sort of problem? Is there anything we can do?”

  “No, sir, it’s personal and something I need to take care of myself.”

  “How long will you need?”

  “I don’t know. It might be better if I turn in my resignation.”

  “Abby, that’s unne
cessary. Take as long as you need. Your job will be waiting when you return.”

  “Thank you, I appreciate it.” She gathered her few personal things from the drawer in her desk, put them in an envelope and went home.

  “Mom, Dad, will it be all right if I call Grandma and see if I can visit them for a while?”

  “Do you think it will help?” her mother asked.

  “I don’t know if it will help or not, but sitting here isn’t, and I don’t want to face anyone and be forced to lie about what happened.”

  “If you think it will help, call them,” her father said. “They’ll be glad to have you.”

  Chapter one

  Abigail Sanders

  Her ears popped as the plane descended in its initial approach to prepare for landing at the Laramie Regional Airport. Abby awoke with a start, bumped her seatmate when she moved.

  “I’m sorry. I must have fallen asleep,” she apologized.

  “That’s quite all right,” the stranger in the next seat said, his eyes dancing in amusement at her apparent discomfort. “You fell asleep shortly after we took off from O’Hare. I apologize if I crowded you a little. These regional jets don’t give you much room.”

  Abby was not looking for conversation, so she took the Sky Mall catalog from the pocket of the seat in front of her, turning pages without looking at the content.

  “I try not to pay attention to those; they’re always full of so many things I can’t do without.”

  Her smile was polite, and without warmth. She took a deep breath and turned to look through the tiny, scratched up Plexiglas insert that served as a window. The stranger leaned over to look out the window, invading her space. “Excuse me, do you mind?” she asked. He got the message, rearranged his posture, and stretched his long legs into the aisle.

  The flight attendant began her canned preparation for landing speech. Abigail had packed her iPad and turned her iPhone off, so she ignored the speech.

  The plane touched down and taxied to the terminal.

  The pilot brought the jet to a stop on the tarmac and waited for the portable steps to be brought to the door. Her seatmate stood in the aisle and motioned for her to move ahead of him. She shook her head, “Thank you. I’m in no hurry, I’ll wait.”

  He nodded, and turned as those ahead of him moved to the exit. Abigail was the last one to exit after retrieving her carry-on from the overhead bin. She walked to the small terminal where she found her grandmother waiting in the holding area just beyond the security gate. She was well dressed, and had cut her dark hair in a stylish fashion. Her long fingers were manicured. She smiled and opened her arms.

  “Who are you?” Abby asked. “You’re not old enough to be my grandmother.”

  “Flattery will get you anywhere, Abby. And look at you,” she said, embracing her. “You’re prettier than ever. It’s so good to see you again. Your grandfather said to tell you he was sorry he couldn’t come meet you because he had a cattleman’s meeting.”

  “It’s good to see you again, Grandma. I’m sorry it’s on such short notice, but it’s a difficult time for me right now.”

  “Your mother told me about it. That man needs to be horsewhipped, and I’d be just the person to do it. You’re welcome to stay with us as long as you want. I’ll bet you have had nothing to eat. Would you like to get a bite before we head to the ranch?”

  “I’m fine. Can I get a sandwich to eat on the way?”

  “Hon, there’s nothing but a couple of vending machines in the terminal. The Prairie Rose is pretty good and is on the way home. Jim and I like it, and eat there at least once a month. Okay if we stop there?”

  “It’s fine, Grandma. I haven’t had much of an appetite since…” Her emerald eyes moistened as her mind flashed back. She shook her head to clear the wayward thoughts. “I’ve got to stop moping and get on with my life. I’ve been thinking about moving somewhere away from Ohio,” she said.

  “We’re a long way from Ohio. It’s a nice town.”

  “It is, but I doubt there’s much demand for the kind of work I do.”

  “What is it you do, exactly?”

  “My degree is in Civil Engineering, and I’m good at it.”

  “I’m sure you are; and you’re probably right about there not being much demand for it in Laramie. You might find more opportunity in Cheyenne.”

  Lunch finished, they headed for the Bar B cattle ranch. “I love this view,” Abby said as the four chimneys on the ranch house appeared in the distance. It had been constructed by her sixth great grandfather, Josiah Barnes, using stones found on the property. When a need for additional space arose, new rooms were added. Over the years it changed from two rooms to a large rambling structure, with the newer portions painted a sparkling white; the sole concession to modern times was a satellite dish. It looked out of place sitting on the hill with the mountains providing a backdrop.

  “Abigail, this is our housekeeper and cook, Donna Stanley. She’s been with us for ten years and pretty much runs things, so if you need anything, just ask her.

  “Abby is the daughter of my oldest, Rebecca. She will be visiting with us, I hope for a long while. She graduated from college two months ago and is taking it easy while deciding whether she’s going to stay in school, or join the working people.”

  Abby’s eyes widened. Where in the world did that come from? Her grandmother’s eyes twinkled and she gave the slightest hint of a wink.

  “The University has some programs you might want to check into while you’re here,” she said.

  “That’s a thought. I could get some credits toward an MS, or a second major. I’ll have to check into it. I’ll need to scout around for a car too.”

  “You can use my car anytime you want.”

  “Aw, Grandma, I couldn’t take your car and leave you stranded out here in the boondocks.”

  “We have a new F-250 four-wheel drive pickup that’s usually here and is used most of the time, and it’s going to be great to have this winter. We flat wore the old one out.”

  “Miss Abigail, I thought you’d be comfortable in the room at the end of the hall. It’s nice and quiet, so you could study there,” Donna told her.

  A mischievous smile played on Abby’s lips. “Miss Donna, nobody calls me Miss Abigail. I’m just plain old Abby.”

  “You are anything but plain, darlin’. You are just about the prettiest girl I’ve seen in a long time. Your long, dark hair frames your face perfectly, and I can just see the devil in your eyes.”

  “She looks like her mother,” her grandmother said. “Thank goodness she didn’t take after her dad.”

  “Mom says I took after him in some ways. She says I have the same stubborn streak he has and I should have been a lawyer too instead of an engineer. I guess my stubbornness reared up.”

  “Why don’t you go to the law school at the university?” her grandmother asked. “You might find some rich, handsome young man and decide to stay here.”

  “I’m not exactly in the market for a young man, rich or otherwise right now, Grandma,” she said, twisting the bangle on her wrist, as a heaviness settled in her heart.

  A pained expression appeared on her Grandma Martha’s face. “I’m sorry honey. I spoke without thinking.”

  “It’s all right. Maybe someday, but not yet. I have to get the bitter taste out of my system first.

  “I need to call Mom and let her know I arrived safely.”

  Chapter two

  Laramie

  The temperature was below fifty this morning and there was a chill in the air. Abby donned a light blue jacket and went to the kitchen. She poured a mug of coffee, added Sweet ‘N Low, and Coffee mate. She took the mug and sat on the front steps to watch the sun make its appearance over the mountains.

  She stared at the ripples in her coffee as the memory of her aborted wedding returned. Her anger at Brett bubbled up, an acid in her stomach.

  “Are you all right, dear,” her grandmother asked, and sat beside her
on the steps. She draped her arm over Abby’s shoulder and pulled her close. “Sometimes life dumps on us when we least expect it and certainly don’t deserve it. I’m sure you’ve heard enough clichés to last, so I won’t lay another on you, but sometimes just talking helps, and I’m here if you need me.”

  “Thanks, Grandma. What I feel right now is betrayal. He betrayed my trust and the love I had. I’m not a vengeful person, but I feel that way now. I don’t like that feeling. I hoped by getting away, it might make things easier, but it hasn’t.

  “Mom and Dad spent a lot of money on my wedding dress, and the bridesmaids had already bought theirs. I feel like I let everyone down.” Tears shimmered in her eyes.

  “You have a measure of revenge already. His little bit of afternoon delight cost him the love of a kind, and caring girl. It probably wasn’t the first time he has done something like this, and wouldn’t have been the last. It has probably saved you a lot of future heartbreak.

  “The thing to ask yourself is whether you are going to let it fester and grow, or if you are going to find something better which shouldn’t be too difficult, all things considered.”

  “Thank you Grandma. Of course you’re right. I’m glad we didn’t go any further than we did. I would have felt soiled if we had.

  “You said something last night about continuing school. I’ve been thinking about it. If I go back home now, there is a possibility I might run into him, and I don’t want to do that. I think I’ll see about what the university here has to offer in their master’s programs.”

  “Here’s something for you to consider, and is not a suggestion. If the idea of running into him causes you to move away or some other life changing event, aren’t you giving him a semblance of control over your life?”

  “I guess so. What really bothers me is why? Could I have prevented it? Should I have known?”

  ‘Now you stop that right now. You can’t blame yourself because he was deceitful and unfaithful. Your self-confidence is shaken. You’re an intelligent, beautiful girl and graduated with honors from OSU. You can do anything you set your mind to, so pick something. Find something you can pour yourself into. Now, enough of that. My lecturing is over. The sun is up and it’s going to be a nice day. Let’s enjoy it, and start out by having a good breakfast. Donna makes the best breakfasts around.”