Page 76 of All Your Tomorrows

“No, but you would have been screaming with the other girls as I ran across this field.”

“Probably. You’re hot.”

He laughed, and I wished I could always make him laugh like that. “I think we were meant to meet now.”

“Yeah?”

He nodded, and the way he looked at me heated my shivering body to the core. And, though his words—and the notion—should have made me happy, a dull ache formed in my chest like an emptiness that needed to be filled. We both understood the curse of our timing, and the ticking clock hovering above us with every one of our breaths.

“Let’s keep living in the moment,” he said, noting the unease in my eyes. “Because those moments become our tomorrows. And, you promised me all of yours.”

I smiled. “I did, didn’t I?”

“You did.” He smirked.

“And I’d never go back on a promise,” I said, playing along.

He shook his head slowly as rain continued to fall. “You wouldn’t.”

“So, I guess—”

He didn’t let me finish. His lips crashed down on mine, determined to show me that our timing wasn’t ill-fated. He lifted me off the ground, and my bare legs wrapped around his hips. He never stopped kissing me, giving it all he had and then some as the rain continued to pour down upon us.

We had today.

And, that would lead to tomorrow.

Was anyone really promised more than that?

CHAPTER 19

I stood at my kitchen counter arranging the Christmas cookies I’d spent the last three hours baking on a platter.

“You need to be careful.”

I froze. The male voice behind me wasn’t Kyler’s.

“You’re getting in too deep.”

Normally, the voice brought me comfort. Normally, I couldn’t wait to see the smile on his face. But this time, I knew there wouldn’t be a smile. He’d been a spirit for the past twelve years. He knew how things on the other side worked. I only knew how things worked here—at least I thought I did until Kyler showed up.

I slowly turned.

My father stood there looking the same as he had when he was healthy. He never appeared as the frail version of himself, the one I remember from when he passed. And, unfortunately, I was right. He wasn’t smiling.

“Hi, Daddy.”

“You know I try to stay out of your business,” he said. “But I’m worried about you.”

“You don’t need to worry about me. I’m good. Better than I’ve been a very long time.”

His eyes cast down. He knew I meant since he’d passed. I hadn’t meant to make him feel guilty, but it was the truth.

“I’m happy, Daddy,” I explained. “Please don’t make me feel bad about that.”

“You’re involved in something you don’t understand,” he said.

“Do you understand it?”

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