Across Eternity Read online

  Across Eternity

  by

  Aris Whittier

  facebook.com/ArisWhittier

  awhittier.blogspot.com

  Twitter: @ArisWhittier

  [email protected]

  Other Books by Aris Whittier

  Fatal Embrace

  Secrets

  Foolish Notions

  Copyright © 2011 by Aris Whittier

  Cover Photo

  by

  Donald Ramsay

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Epilogue

  About the author

  Prologue

  Logan Richards tightly gripped the steering wheel as he slammed on the brake and came to a jolting halt in the middle of the busy street. Chest tight, breath abated, his heart leapt while he frantically tried to organize his thoughts as he watched the woman move down the crowded sidewalk. Craning his head, Logan followed her closely as she moved in between people—disappearing and reappearing—it would be devastating if he lost track of her amongst the crowd.

  Where was she going? Logan thought frantically. His pulse raced wildly as he momentarily lost sight of her. And then, after a few seconds, he released his breath in a ragged sigh of relief as he watched her walk into The Pavilion. "It’s her," he whispered to himself. "It’s really her."

  He had waited for this moment his entire life.

  Chapter One

  Logan Richards sat quietly in the five-star restaurant, enjoying the elegant outdoor terrace. The weather was perfect, just as it always was in the beautiful coastal city of Dana Point, California. He looked over his shoulder and stared wistfully into the waning darkness as the cool wind pushed its way across the sea. If he had arrived only an hour earlier, he would have been able to see the sweeping view of the Pacific Ocean, all the way out to Catalina Island. The harbor would have still been humming with sailors, anglers, paddle boarders and tourists. As dusk settled, almost everyone had moved on to other things.

  The table, where he sat, was the same as the dozen or more that surrounded him. Crisp, snow-white tablecloths cascaded to the floor, dancing in the salty breeze. If he chose to eat, which he doubted, dinner would be served on fine, gold-rimmed white china. The tableware would be heavy silver and the stemware delicate crystal.

  Small copper lights shaped as lanterns dangled overhead. The flicker of candlelight, centered on every table, lit the terrace with a warm glow, creating an intimate ambiance. The large stone fireplace, directly across from him, would add to the cozy atmosphere during the cool winter months.

  As Logan sipped the glass of iced lemon water, his eyes moved across the room and fell upon a lovely young server. She was wearing black slacks and a perfectly pressed long-sleeved white button-down shirt—just like the other servers. Her hair was chin-length, jet-black, and the cut was rather sassy. Tiny wisps randomly shooting out in different directions gave her not only a mischievous appearance, but also a very sexy one. When she moved about, gold hoop earrings caught the light. Her figure was slender but flared into perfect curves at her hips. Her frame was of medium build, and he put her at five-feet seven.

  Logan leaned back in his chair, relaxing, as he enjoyed the soothing music drifting from speakers that were hidden in the purple flowering vine growing around the veranda. Their sweet aroma clung to the cool evening air. Casually, his eyes followed the enchanting woman before him.

  Logan’s gaze moved with her, never leaving her, as she worked the floor. She moved with ease and confidence, and she did her job well, he noted. She was cleverly efficient as she bounced between four different tables with a total of eighteen patrons. She never missed a beat as she went down the lengthy list of wines, the specials of the day, and the ordering and serving of the food.

  Others at the restaurant told him that her trademark with the customers was her smile, and he could see why. It was wide and inviting, and she was generous with it. It didn’t hurt, either, that her lips were full and perfectly shaped.

  Logan, however, found her natural allure more appealing than her renowned grin. She drew you in with so much more. Her vibrant blue eyes, with unusually dark rims and thick lashes, reflected kindness and deep emotion. Her incredible laugh, which caused her eyes to crease at the corners, instantly brought you pleasure. Her warm, casual disposition made you feel appreciated and accepted. She was magnetic in the most earnest way. It wasn’t one thing that was the root of her incredible allure, he decided, but a mix of many. He eagerly waited for the moment when he’d personally get to experience it all.

  Merely watching her took him back to the earlier childhood times when he had initially begun to see her. He was about three when he saw her for the very first time. He was playing in the sandbox in his backyard, his parents working in the garden nearby, when she had appeared right beside him. Even though it was the first time he’d seen her, he remembered feeling like he’d been waiting for her for a long time. He was so happy, when she appeared, that he offered her his favorite dump truck.

  Logan shifted in his chair as he stared out into the dark ocean and remembered their first encounter: Dressed in faded denim overalls, she scooted through the sand to sit next to him. "Thank you," she said as she looked up at him through long blonde curls, her green eyes staring deeply into his. He knew she was special the moment he saw her and it wasn’t just because his mom and dad couldn’t see her—it was because she was his.

  He saw her like this for years, her blonde hair and green eyes. She grew as he grew, and over the years, they played and talked, everyday, for hours. However, things changed when he was around ten-years-old—a day he would never forget. He was sitting in a large oak tree, reading a book, when she appeared on the limb next to him. He was happy to see her. He was always happy to see her.

  "Where have you been," he asked curiously. He’d come to the tree, looking for her—waiting for her— because it had been hours since he’d last seen her. They were never apart for that long.

  "Around," she said, with a teasing smile. "What are you reading?"

  He flipped the book over so she could see the title. "The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry," he said.

  "I wish I had time to stay and hear about it—"

  "What do you mean you wish you had time to stay?" She always had time to be with him. They were together more often than not. And besides he always told her about the stories he read. They shared everything.

  "We’re not going to be able to meet like this anymore," she said, with a forlorn expression. Her eyes were averted as she sadly stared at the ground.

  He knew this day would come. He had felt it. Besides, for the last few months, she hadn’t come around as much, so he knew something was happening—changes were being made. But he knew he wasn’t going to lose his best friend forever. He could never really lose her. They could only be separated for a little while. "You’re coming here aren’t you? You’re going to be born," he said with exciteme
nt. It’s what he’d been waiting for.

  She nodded.

  "Why do you look sad?" he asked as he moved next to her.

  "Because I don’t want to leave you."

  "You’re not really leaving because you’re coming here," he pointed out logically. "We’ll be together on this side—both of us, at the same time. It’ll be great."

  "It’s not that easy."

  "What do you mean?" he asked curiously.

  She shook her head as she pushed a long lock a hair from her eyes. "Logan you know that you’re special, right?"

  "I know that we’re special."

  "You’re special," she said. "You see me and remember me, but that’s not how it usually works."

  "What do you mean, that’s not how it usually works? I remember you every time—all the time. You are all I remember."

  "You see me right now because you’re special," she explained. "You remember me because you’re special. But we’re not supposed to remember each other, and we’re definitely not supposed to remember when we go back." She looked at him as her eyes filled with tears. "I won’t be special like you. I won’t remember any of this when I’m born." She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "I won’t remember you because no one remembers when they go back."

  Logan sat very quietly, waiting for her to continue.

  "We won’t be together because I won’t know who you are and you won’t know who I am."

  "I will find you," he said confidently.

  She shook her head.

  "Yes, I will."

  "How will you know it’s me?"

  "I’ll know." Even at his young age, he knew that souls never really changed, only the physical body did. "Trust me, I’ll know you the second I see you."

  His statement caused her to smile slightly. "And if I don’t remember it’s you?"

  "I’ll help you remember."

  "You promise?"

  "I promise." He was quiet for a moment, and then he said, "I’m going to miss you."

  "I’ll miss you too."

  "I’m going to spend every day of my life looking for you," he vowed.

  She smiled, and then looked over her shoulder, glancing about as if she didn’t want her next words to be overheard by some unseen entity. "I’m not supposed to tell you this, but I want you to know because I think it will bring you comfort."

  "What is it?"

  "You’ll dream of me. They keep talking about dreams. For some reason, they are going to help you."

  Confusion moved over Logan’s face. "You know it’s hard for me to sleep."

  She nodded. "I know."

  "And when I do, I never dream," He shook his head. "I can’t remember ever dreaming of you."

  "I don’t understand, either, but I’ve overheard people talking on this side and that’s what they’ve said. My time is coming soon, so I have to go," she said quickly. "Remember your promise."

  She was gone.

  Logan blinked twice and realized his gaze had moved from the dark ocean back to the beautiful waitress. To him, she looked younger than her twenty-seven years. Perhaps it was the sweet innocence radiating from her that produced her youthful look. Or maybe it was what he felt inside as he watched her that made her appear so full of life. She bewitched him, and yet they had never even exchanged a single word. As far as he knew, the young waitress didn’t have a clue he even existed. He found that very ironic, considering he’d always known she was somewhere out there.

  He smiled to himself as he watched her serve an order of food. She pointed several times at the menu, nodded at a question, and then gently laughed at the customers comment. In this lifetime, she was a blue-eyed, black-haired beauty. He’d always wondered what she would look like in this life. Now he knew.

  Logan sucked in a deep breath because soon she would be finished, and when she turned, she would be staring directly at him. The first look between them would tell him all he needed to know.

  To say that he’d looked forward to this moment was an understatement. He had anticipated it his entire life. He ran his hands across the tablecloth, the movement unsteady and very uncharacteristic. There wasn’t time to consider the sudden nervous tension because when she turned, everything stopped and became calm again. His eyes sought hers, and when they locked on the piercing blue, he immediately knew she felt what he felt—a connection so strong that it couldn’t be denied.

  There was no doubt in his mind that the impact of their connection affected her, because for a very brief moment she paused, and merely stared. It was a knowing stare, and during the short lull, her smile slowly faded and her expression turned acute. She became fixated on him in the mere seconds their eyes met.

  Logan watched his raven-haired waitress quickly excuse herself from the group of people—a lovely smile, a friendly bow. Her sway was swift, but casual, as she guided herself through the maze of tables and people. As she drew closer, he knew that she was the one. There could be no other. The energy building between them could not be wrong. When the time was right, he would be completely honest with her. And she would understand. He knew she would.

  En route to him, a gentleman put his hand out to stop her. Logan liked the fact that she held his stare for several seconds before she gave the patron her undivided attention. He smiled at her—the understanding smile of a man who didn’t mind the interruption—and then slowly nodded. He was in no hurry.

  Actually, he wouldn’t mind dragging this out. It was sweet torture. He’d watched her before, but at those times, she’d never seen him—he hadn’t wanted her to. But now that she was looking at him, intrigued by him, he felt in utter awe of her. Even more so than the first time he’d seen her. Logan had never been so taken by anyone, and prolonging it now would only add to it. Still gazing in her direction, a hidden smile moved his lips as she turned, established eye contact and then started toward him.

  "Welcome to The Pavilion. How are you this evening?" she asked, as she stopped near his table.

  Logan sucked on a piece of ice as he listened to her voice for the first time. It was as captivating as she was. That lovely voice had lulled him, seduced him, and given him hope. It was amazing to hear it for real, in person. He set his water down and smiled gently. "I’m well." He found her eyes. "And you?"

  "I’m well, as well." Her grin widened to a full smile. "Thank you for asking."

  He heard the tone in her voice change slightly. "You thank me like not many people ask you how you’re doing."

  "Not many do," she said seriously. "And those that ask are never sincere." She looked away shyly, and then said, "There was sincerity when you asked."

  He watched her as she regarded him, her eyes narrow, a serious expression etched into the delicate features of her face. This was the closest he’d ever been to her. He knew, of course, that close proximity to her would only magnify the pull he felt toward her, but he never imagined it would be this strong. The distance between them was nearly intolerable. He needed her close to him.

  What he needed was to touch her, but it was much too soon for that. He resisted leaning in closer.

  "Do I know you?" she asked curiously.

  Logan wanted to say of course you know me, but he knew that wasn’t what she meant. So he shook his head as he tried to censor all the emotions he was experiencing. "I don’t believe we’ve met."

  "I feel like we have." Her voice was a soft whisper as she stared intently at him.

  He enjoyed the way her eyes roamed over him as he spoke. Having her stare at him so keenly was nothing new, for she had looked at him that way many times before. First when he was a child, and then when he was older, in his dreams. But none of those times compared to now. He watched her closely as her gaze moved across his face, taking in each feature, as if it would tell her something about him. Her stare was astonishingly intense, and consequently, he felt like she was touching him, not just looking at him. The contact, even though it wasn’t physical, was glorious. It seemed almost impossible to imagine what it
would feel like to hold her.

  "You seem very familiar to me."

  "I understand the feeling."

  "Do you?"

  He nodded. His heart leapt at the way she was visually eating him up.

  "But you’re not a regular here," she added as she moved to other side of the table, stepping out of the path of a gentleman walking by. "I would have remembered you."

  "No. I don’t eat here often."

  She turned her head for a split second, and then looked over her shoulder and scanned the crowded patio. "I noticed you’ve been here for awhile. I apologize." She looked back at him. "It’s normally not this busy on a weeknight."

  It pleased him to know that she had noticed him, even in a crowd of people. "Yes, it does seem busy."

  "I think there was a charity golf tournament in town or something." She shook her head and looked embarrassed. "And I’m normally not this scattered brain. I apologize for that, too."

  "An apology isn’t necessary."

  She smiled at him and then eyed the three empty seats. "Will someone be joining you this evening?"

  "No, it’s just me tonight," he said.

  "Rachael is supposed to be your server, but it looks like she disappeared." Again, she looked around, leaning a little so she could into the main dining room through the large glass windows. Glancing back at him she said, "I’ll have to do for the time being."

  "I think you’ll do."

  She arched a brow. "Good. We hate to inconvenience our customers."

  "Rachael disappearing is hardly an inconvenience." He looked about the room with a slow, lingering gaze before his eyes settled back on her. "I like to think of it as a stroke of good fortune."

  "Fortune?" she repeated, with a smile and a soft laugh. "I don’t think I’ve ever heard that one before." She reached for the pen and pad that were tucked in the black apron that neatly hugged her hips. "Would you like to hear the specials?"

  Logan shook his head. "No, that’s fine."

  "A man that knows what he wants. I like that. What can I get you?"