Page 22 of All In Good Time
Chapter 6
Sara’s braintraveled along at a mile a minute. Everything around her was so different than back home. So beautiful… she was trying to keep an eye on the castle so she could find her way back to Helene’s, but it was definitely hard to do when she wanted to take in everything from the color of the sky after that storm to the smell of the clean air, to the sun hitting the peaks in the distance. Everything except what was directly in front of her. She didn’t see the wagon rut in the road until she stepped into it and lost her balance. She felt herself falling, but before she hit the ground, two strong arms reached out to grab her.
She gazed down at the rut and was thankful she hadn’t fallen into the giant puddle of mud in its center.
“Thanks for saving me,” she muttered as she quickly glanced up, adjusting the hood of her cape and then looked away without registering the face of the man who’d so gallantly saved her from becoming a muddy mess.
“Sara?”
Familiar tingles ran through her body as she recognized the voice and ventured another peek at the face of the man she’d been longing to see. “Logan!” Sara threw her arms around his neck and held on tightly. “I’ve been hoping to find you. Can you believe we bumped into each other like this?”
“What…” Logan stammered, “what are ye doing here?”
“I came to see you.” Happiness like she’d never felt before gave Sara an euphoric feeling.
Those same strong hands that had saved her and were attached to the man she’d been wanting so badly to see were now removing her arms from around his neck. She couldn’t read him. Wasn’t he excited to see her? Sara couldn’t be sure if he was simply shocked at finding her in his time or if he wasn’t happy to see her at all. Her first clue that it might be the latter was the serious expression on his face as he gazed down at her. As a matter of fact, he almost seemed angry.
“Are you mad at me?” Sara asked. “I mean, aren’t you happy to see me?”
“It doesnae matter if I’m happy to see ye or not.” He was so quiet. Was he actually scowling at her?
Panic started to well up in Sara. “That’s a weird answer to a very simple yes or no question.” She stiffened her spine and backed away from him. “What’s wrong with you?” He was huffing and puffing at her like an angry bull.
“Sara, ye dinnae belong here. Yer much better off in yer own time.”
Weighing her responses to this unexpected reception, Sara remained silent. The deep disappointment she was feeling was the polar opposite of the happiness she’d just experienced. She was determined that she wouldn’t cry. She wouldn’t let him see the tears that were on the verge of falling.
“So, you’re not happy to see me.” She choked back the emotion that was about to overcome her. “I’m sorry, I thought we had something special when you came to San Francisco, but I can see that I was wrong.”
He didn’t respond.
“Well, if you’ll excuse me, I’m heading back to Helene and Dougall’s. If I don’t see you again, I hope you have a happy life.” She didn’t really, but she couldn’t possibly say what she was thinking right at this moment. She was so angry with him and even more so with herself for being stupid enough to think this crazy time traveling escapade was going to work in her favor.
Sara tried pushing him out of the way, but it was as if she were trying to move a giant redwood tree. He simply didn’t budge. She resisted the urge to look up at him and instead trudged straight through the muddy wagon rut to get around him. In this moment, it was as if the sky, the distant mountains, the very air had disappeared completely and all she could do was stare at the castle to guide her along the road to Helene’s house.
* * *
Logan was stunnedas he watched Sara march down the road away from him. He resisted the urge to go after her, to take her in his arms and crush her to him. To kiss the lips of the woman he’d been obsessively thinking of for months. Instead he stood there watching the only woman he’d ever wanted walk away from him. His heart pounded frantically in his chest as he struggled to breathe, wondering what cruel twist of fate had brought her to him at this very moment in time.
He had to let Sara go. He’d given his word. Aisla needed him. He would take care of her and her child. He was a man of his word. He made a commitment. He would stick to it. No matter what his feelings were for Sara, he couldn’t go back on his promise. It was best to leave her thinking he had no feelings for her.
It tore at his heart to do so, but it was best for Sara. If she was angry with him, it would be easier for her to get over him. The last thing he wanted on his conscience was Sara’s broken heart, but he doubted he’d ever be able to forget the look on her face when she thought he wasn’t happy to see her. In fact, it had taken everything he had not to jump for joy at the sight of her.
He wished now he had taken her back with him when he returned from the future. Back then, he wasn’t sure whether the few short days they had spent together would have been enough for either of them to build a life. He could not be certain they were meant to be together. But he had held on to those few days like a precious gift. Now, she was here. She had travelled through time hoping to be with him. Fate was cruel.
Sara couldn’t possibly stay here in his time. She required his protection and as long as he was married to another he wouldnae be able to give it. It was for her own good that she go back to her own time and forget about him, just as he should stay here and do his best to forget about her. She was used to the finest luxuries in her own time, something that, no matter how hard he tried, he’d never be able to provide for her.
If he thought long and hard enough, he was sure to come up with an infinite number of reasons why she didn’t belong here. He must keep those thoughts at the forefront. If he did, he’d be sure to keep from going to her and confessing his true feelings. That must never happen.
* * *
“Good day to ye, Aisla.” Logan said as she opened the door to him.
“Come in,” she said.
Logan closed the door behind him and attempted a smile for her, but she wasn’t fooled.
“What’s wrong? Have ye had a run in with me Da?”