And as Timothy went on from there, he wasn’t sure how much he was reading Emily’s story and how much he was recounting his own.

++++

We ordered our meals—Christie went with the pan-fried caramelized Chilean sea bass and I chose a medium-rare T-bone steak, a safe choice from a menu filled with dishes I couldn’t pronounce and had no idea what they actually contained.

As we talked, time faded away into nothingness. Love is not just a gift of the heart; it also has a way of harnessing moments and allowing time to become subject to your lover’s smile.

It made me feel like nothing could go wrong tonight and that nothing could ever sever the strong cord of love that held us together.

++++

As whatever drug Blake had given her kicked in, Sasha felt more and more bleary, as if the air around her were liquid and everything was beginning to move in slow motion.

Blake strode toward her and welcomed her with a kiss. “Hello, my dear.”

The man in the car had taken her phone from her, but she knew Greer had been tracking her. He should be here any minute.

He should be here already.

“Listen, babe,” she said to Blake. “I need to use the washroom.”

“Of course. It’s this way.”

53

To Christie, the night was all she had hoped it would be. Now she watched as their server returned, carrying a single rose along with their entrées.

“This is from your thoughtful date,” he told her, then asked if they needed anything else.

When she told him that she was good and Pat echoed the sentiment, Benjamin bowed slightly before stepping away.

She smelled the aromatic rose and then laid it softly on the table beside her plate. “That is so sweet of you, Pat.”

“You mean the world to me. I don’t slow down often enough to let you know that.”

Tell him now. This is the perfect moment.

No! Don’t ruin this. Let this night be something special. He told you it’s one of his favorite memories. Don’t turn it into one of his worst.

“What is it?” Pat gave her a concerned look. “Are you okay?”

Don’t say it.

“Yes. I’m just a little overwhelmed. Tessa mentioned that you took her to church yesterday.”

He tilted his head with curiosity as if to say, “That’s quite a transition.”

“Tell me about it,” Christie said, then took a bite of her sea bass. “About church.”

“Um. Well, the sermon was about casting our burdens onto Jesus.”

“I understand it was Dr. Williams.”

“Tessa again?”

“Yes.”

“What’s it like, though?” Pat asked. “Dr. Williams had a lot to say about the benefits, but I didn’t really catch hold of how it’s done.”

“How?”