“I expect him to stay with his wife,” Sabine said angrily. “And where do you get off popping in and out like that when you want? I ask a question and you ignore me. I thought you were my guide or something like that?”
“Don’t act like a snot-nosed brat, Cadet,” she quipped, taking another large bite. “Where have I misled you? Specifically.” She arched a black eyebrow and sat on the bannister. Tucking up her legs, Eve slid down sideways with a flourish and landed near where Sabine stood. “Let’s hear how I misguided you. Enlighten me, please?”
Sabine met Eve’s blue, all-knowing gaze and looked away. It was hard to stare the woman in the eye for very long. There was something that was powerful, magical, mysterious and threatening in her that was scary. Instinct made you wary… and in awe.
“You yanked me into this time,” she began and stopped when Eve wagged her finger at her.
“Nope. Gave you options and you chose,” she countered with a knowing smile.
“You left me!”
“Of course, I did. You had to meet him, choose him and get to know him. All of that does not involve me in the slightest. He isn’t my soulmate, Space Cadet. He’s yours.”
“So why would my supposed soulmate leave me then?” she asked, swallowing hard as she felt her throat get thick at saying the words aloud. Her chest hurt at the feeling of loss that came with his absence.
“Why not, if he isn’t wanted?”
“He is!”
“You sure about that? Did you tell him that?”
“He is planning on dumping me off here, alone, for who knows how long!”
“Did he say that?”
“No. I assumed-”
“You made an ass out of you and… you,” Eve interrupted quickly with a grin. “The saying is that ‘you made an ass out of you and me’. I’m fantastic. So, I’m not the ass here. And before you say anything, an ass is a donkey. I checked.”
“It’s a waste of breath to argue with you, isn’t it?” Sabine felt emotionally exhausted and hated to admit Eve was right. She had assumed and was paying the price now.
“Pretty much. I’m awesome.”
“You’re conceited.”
“That, too,” Eve announced enthusiastically. “I’m all of that and a bag of chips.”
“So where is my husband?”
“Off licking his wounds,” Eve said simply and gave a fake shocked look in Sabine’s direction. “What? Did you think that being rejected by others, his parents leaving, being alone and then being rejected by his new wife wouldn’t take a toll on someone? Please!”
“I didn’t reject him,” she blustered at the blunt accusation.
“Didn’t you? You can’t toy with people like I do, Miss La-La-Ladykins. You are no good at it. It takes thousands of years to perfect it and I am a pro. You, my dear, are a noob.”
“Noob? Really?”
“Noob. Like a boob, but you are new. New at loving someone and what a relationship is. N. Oh. Oh. Bee!” she spelled out emphatically, waving her finger in her direction before continuing on her tirade.
“In fact, I think maybe we should upgrade your name, Space Cadet, to Noob. Your proud, strong man that you accepted into your life is out there thinking he was rejected by the one person he let into his world. How would you feel if that was you? I think maybe the lesson is best taught by your parents, Noob. Did your dad ever make your mom feel small? Insignificant? Did she ever blow him off for assuming the worst? Nope. Noob,” Eve said shrugging, “some learn easy and some learn the hard way. My little Noob, you picked the hard way.”
“I think I prefer Space Cadet,” Sabine muttered, looking away, feeling ashamed. She had assumed that Jack would be leaving quickly for long periods of time. Where, in fact, he said he would go only when called. She had also assumed he was like the stories of guys back home. Love ‘em and leave ‘em.
“Exactly,” Eve interjected, with a grin. “I can read your mind, Noob. When you love someone, you love them for who they are. Not based off what happened with someone else or what you want to change. Each person has a different history, a different path. You love their soul, not their choices. Their essence is what makes them who they are.”
Sabine stood there, looking at the ground feeling like less than nothing. Eve circled around her and she felt like a pupil being lectured by a teacher for things that she knew deep in her heart.
“Love is when you accept them, cherish them. You know this, yet fear pushed you. Are you afraid to be alone? Don’t answer because I know you aren’t. You, Sabine Taylor, have jumped into your new life wholeheartedly and thrived. You are brave and fearless, to the point of recklessness. I know you. I accept you. I cherish you because you are young and growing into the beautiful soul that I have seen you to be. You have never let being afraid of the unknown stop you. Why start now?”
“It’s Sabine Noble,” she whispered, correcting her. “I… I … we got married. Jack and I.”
“Don’t stammer, Mrs. Noble. It doesn’t suit you,” Eve admonished tenderly, putting her hands onto Sabine’s upper arms. “Look at me, Space Cadet.”
Looking up, she met Eve’s gaze for a brief moment. The admiration and unfettered love was humbling. “Now, you have to decide what you want. Do you want to stay here and live your life with Jack? Or do you want to go on to the next life? I can’t let the timeline change and your thread is woven with his. It’s your choice and always has been. You’ve passed on and chosen to live. If you regret that choice, I can unwind your thread but it cannot be woven again. You’d never see Jack ever again. Can you live with that choice? Missing him? What it would do to both of you?”
Sabine shut her eyes, flinching at the thought. Jack’s laughing eyes would haunt her. His warm smile and affectionate teasing. The way he looked at her at the hotel, his touch. Could she deal with the emptiness of losing him over the thought of him leaving for unknown lengths of time? Her proud scruffy cowboy that made her weak at the knees with just a look. Why on earth was she even debating or thinking about changing things with him?
“I want my husband and this life,” she whispered. “I want my Jack and all that he is.”
Good, Eve’s voice burned in her mind with a flash of light behind her closed eyelids. Flinching, she opened her eyes and saw she was alone, standing in tall grasses. Glancing around, she spotted Jack about twenty feet away. He sat cross-legged in the grass, throwing pebbles into the beautiful pond she had first spotted near the shack. Brilliant colors of aqua, blue and green silhouetted his body from where she stood.
“Jack?” Sabine said softly, seeing his shoulders tense.
“Go home,” he bit out. She realized that Eve was right. Her proud man was protecting himself from being hurt. Again. The exact same way she did when she was feeling hurt. When she was expecting a letdown, she lashed out or drew back away from everyone. Perhaps they were cut from the same cloth. Maybe Eve was right after all.
“Why didn’t you come home last night? Were you here the whole time?” she asked, taking a seat in the grass near him. He looked shuttered, closed off. Like he was protecting himself… from her. That made her heart ache with shame for how she had jumped to conclusions and tenderness towards him.
“No.”
“Why didn’t you come home?” she asked again, laying a hand on his arm, trying to coax him out of his shell.
“I was home,” he muttered, looking straight ahead, unmoving. “I watched the house to make sure you could sleep undisturbed. I didn’t leave until dawn. I was on the porch waiting for you.”
“Jack,” she whispered, touched by the revelation that he gave her space but hadn’t left her alone, unprotected. “You should have come up and joined me.”
“I wasn’t wanted.”
“You are always wanted,” she countered. “I promise you that. You are wanted, to the point it scares me.”
“And you think I don’t? That I don’t get scared?” he asked bitterly, his eyes looking pained. “You could tear m
e apart and I don’t think you know it. I have fought all my life and never been scared until you appeared.”
“I wouldn’t hurt you.”
“But you could. I don’t know how but you stole my heart, Sabine. You could crush me or kill me with a word,” he admitted, feeling embarrassed. “Men don’t say things like this but I never held back from you. I couldn’t.”
Jack paused, choosing his words carefully. “You are my everything and it terrifies me because I have never needed anyone… and I need you. I hate the thought of you ever leaving or being in danger. I want to protect and love you for all time.”
Jack looked in Sabine’s eyes. “I love you,” he admitted thickly, pulling her lips to his. “You’re my life.”
“And you are mine,” she whispered against his mouth, feeling the surge between them. This was perfect and she felt everything snapping into place. He was hers and she was his. Two pieces of the same puzzle, perfectly fit.
“Love me and make me whole,” she beckoned with a smile, getting to her feet. “We are in paradise here. Together.” Jack didn’t say a word and got to his feet, watching her. It was “put up or shut up time”. She had made her decision and she had decided upon a life with Jack. Here and now.
Unbuttoning her dress, she let it puddle in the grass around her. Jack matched her by removing his shirt. “That’s just not fair you men don’t have the contraptions that women have to wear.”
“I agree,” he said softly, his eyes warming and the wary look disappearing. She saw his hands reach out to her and she swatted them away. Standing there is the morning light, she unlaced her corset and peeled it from her body leaving the chemise. His gaze became incredibly hot as she reached up and untied the ribbons at her shoulders, letting the thin fabric drop. “It’s your land and no one will come, right?” she asked softly, stepping out of the clothing, naked.
“It’s our land,” he stressed with a wicked glint in his eyes. “And I plan on making you come often, sweet wife.” She laughed at the dirty innuendo and ran into the cool aqua-colored water, splashing.
“You mean to distract me from swimming then?” she teased, splashing in the waist-deep water.
“I intend to distract you often and every chance I get,” he promised as he hopped around the grass, yanking off his boots. Dropping his pants, he ran into the water after her. Grabbing her, he swung her around, sending water flying about them in a large spray.
“There are no springs here to squeak,” Sabine said hotly in between kisses. His hands began roving all over her body, burning a path of longing that felt so good in the cool water.
“Nope,” he agreed. “No bedsprings. I bet I can cause you to make a few other creative sounds to show that I satisfied my wife.” Cupping her bottom, he picked her up off the sandy floor of the small pond causing Sabine to wrap her legs around him tightly. “Now, this is paradise. I am enchanted by you, my sweet wife.”
Epilogue
Christmas, 1850
The small pine stood alone in the far corner of the front parlor room. She wanted to sit beside it, dreaming of how wonderful her year had been and the upcoming events. While Sabine wanted the tree near the warmth of the fireplace, she also knew that trees went up in flames easily. She had no desire to see the beautiful house burn, she just wanted to keep warm. Christmas was truly special this year. Launching into her first (and last) space flight, finding Jack and marrying him. So many changes and developments, it could have been overwhelming.
Except it was completely peaceful instead.
They had been married for three months. Blissful months! Each day, while she didn’t think it possible, she had fallen more in love with Jack every time she laid eyes upon him. It was humbling and breathtaking. Growing together, while scary, was incredibly heady, too. He was such a soft, tender soul in a strong body that mesmerized her and fascinated her. The gentle touches and warm smiles never got old.
Gathering up the popcorn she had made, Sabine sat in the rocker near the fireplace and watched the wind howl outside. They didn’t have snow often in Texas according to Jack. But this year? This year it whirled outside like a snow globe. Flurries and fat flakes formed great clouds of white as they drifted past the windows.
Stringing the popcorn, she snacked on several kernels and stared at the fireplace to pass the time. Jack was supposed to be home soon and she couldn’t wait. It was Christmas and they would be celebrating together for the first time ever. It was strange not to be searching online catalogs or waiting for Black Friday emails to bombard her inbox. Instead, she had to get creative and clever, making presents or purchasing items from the general store in town.
Fibbing a sore throat, she had ridden into Austin and purchased some marshmallow root in order to make his surprise: Homemade marshmallows. It would be easy to make them here and store them away. The gooey dessert was a simple recipe that was bound together with the root of marshmallow. She remembered camping with her parents and roasting them. How sticky sweet and delicious they were! She wanted to have the same memory with Jack, and to see his expression, too. It was the only way she could think to bring something slightly modern to him. That and she had the most wonderful present of all…
Sabine was pregnant.
Blessed beyond words, she had been fairly healthy and only gotten sick once. She didn’t want to tell him until some time had passed, almost scared to breath the words aloud. Now? Now she wanted to tell him because she would be showing in the next month or two and the precious little cap and socks she had knitted were wrapped in a small box underneath the tree she had religiously watered daily.
Getting up, she carefully folded the lap blanket and placed it in her seat. Draping the long strands of popcorn on the tree, she thought of how next year she would make a flour ornament with the baby’s footprint and hang it from the tree. Things would be so different for their little family!
“Whatcha gonna name him?” Eve asked aloud. Sabine whirled around to see Eve sitting in the rocker she had just occupied.
“Excuse me?”
“Him,” she said, pointing at Sabine’s belly with a grin. “You know, the little dumpling? The bambino? Le bebe? The jellybean? How many other ways do I need to say it? Little Jack-goober?”
“It’s a boy?” Sabine said faintly, sitting down on a bench and placing her hand on her stomach. Jack would be so happy and proud to have a son. She just wanted the child to be healthy and deliver easily since there were really no hospitals around.
“Boy,” she shrugged. “Maybe a girl. It’s supposed to be a surprise, remember?”
“You said boy.”
“I like Alfred,” she said with an authoritative wink. “Alfred Nobel it will be. Get used to ol’ Alfred. You could call him Al for short, if you insist.”
“It’s Noble. And no,” Sabine corrected and saw Eve’s crestfallen face. She looked quite put out as if someone took the wind from her sails. Holding back a laugh, she said gently, “Seriously, you didn’t know Jack’s last name was Noble? Not Nobel?”
“Sure, I did! I know all, remember?”
“Why do you look so upset then?”
“Nobel, Noble. Pecan, puh-kahn. Whatevs. If I goofed, I can certainly fix it. Remember I mentioned you had a pairing with a caveman, too? Get your stuff kiddo, you are about to rock Bedrock. I think you might be the missing link. Are you into making regular peeps that we all know and love?”
“WHAT? No!” Sabine said panicked. “I’m not going anywhere! I am certainly not leaving Jack on Christmas Eve! Are you sick?”
“Fine, celebrate tonight and I will return tomorrow.”
“No! I am not going! This was your mistake, if you screwed up, and you will just have to get over it.”
“I told you everyone had a purpose and you are brewing Alfred Nobel in there,” Eve announced, pointing at her midsection. Sabine quickly put her hands over her abdomen, as if to hide her nonexistent stomach.
“Alfred Nobel was freakin’ Swedish, Eve! I’m in Texas.
I am not going anywhere with you!” Sabine stammered and backed away from the woman as she stood.
“I don’t make mistakes,” she announced. “I make opportunities and if you are dead set on staying here…”
“YES! I am not going to Sweden or any cave to be dragged by the hair, okay?” Sabine beseeched, feeling nauseated. “Seriously, I have made my home here. Can’t the next person go? Please?”
“That is a thought,” she said, cocking her head sideways and tapping her chin. Sabine just stared at the strange, magical woman.
“I need to stay. Jack will be home soon and I am going to tell him about the baby,” she whispered, staring at the woman as she sized up the potential threat to her current happiness.
“Baby? You are preggers?” Eve suddenly gasped, acting shocked.
“You told me it was a boy,” Sabine retorted, shocked by the change in her expressive face and dark blue eyes. “Are you okay, Witchy Woman? You literally just popped in here threatening me. You said I was going to caveman times.”
“I did? No, no silly Space Cadet,” she admonished. “I did send you a little something for Christmas though. Well, not sent yet.”
“You sent something?”
“Why have fun with one, when you can have two?” Eve suddenly grinned and disappeared. Sabine’s midsection and lower abdomen grew increasingly warm. Feeling nauseated, she ran for the basin that served as a sink in the kitchen. Clutching the sides, she heaved for several minutes and then caught her breath. The warmth was gone and the nausea was subsiding.
“Don’t you touch my baby,” Sabine warned aloud to Eve as she felt another wave wash over her and felt Eve’s presence nearby. She stood there silently, breathing and waiting for the illness to pass.
Babies, Eve corrected. And you are welcome, Space Cadet.
“Thank you,” she breathed, feeling twice blessed on this day. She couldn’t wait to see Jack and could hardly believe her good fortune. Not only was she gifted with her soulmate, she knew, deep in her heart, that she had just been gifted twins. Hearing a noise at the door, she raced over and grinned as Jack’s snowy, dark head appeared inside.
Enchanted by You: Timeswept Soulmates (Timeless Brides Book 3) Page 13