Don't Ever Tell (22 page)
Two years later
They strolled barefoot along a curve of pristine white sand, hand-in-hand. A summer sun smiled down on them, and a cool, salty breeze ruffled the comfortable white shirts and shorts that both of them wore. They were alone on the shore, the ocean on his right stretching to a hazy horizon.
“Dad-dee.”
He looked into the eyes of their son, Justin. He was a beautiful, healthy boy with soft skin the color of nutmeg, Rachel’s eyes and nose, Joshua’s lips and cheekbones, and a full head of dark, curly hair.
“Hey, little man.” Joshua bounced him on his hip.
Walking beside them, Rachel looked at their child, then at him. She smiled—an expression of pure joy, utterly free of worry and fear. Sunlight filigreed her long, curly, auburn hair, giving it the appearance of spun gold.
He brought Rachel’s hand to his lips and kissed her fingers.
“Let’s go to the house.” She winked. “Justin looks like he needs a nap.”
The house was a short distance ahead, on the left. Justin tugged at his ear, drawing his attention. His son pointed excitedly at something in the distance: a ferry that bobbed on the waves like a child’s bath toy.
A powerful sense of déjà vu gripped him. Had this happened before? Or had he dreamed of it?
He couldn’t remember, and soon, the odd feeling passed.
His son was gesturing at the ferry, babbling.
“That’s the ferry, little man,” Joshua said. “You’ve been on the ferry before, remember?”
Justin only giggled, and tugged his ear again.
Rachel had walked ahead and waited at the open patio door. Coco sat beside her, tail wagging.
“Come on in here, baby,” she said. “We’ve got some grown folks’ business to take care of.”
“Is that so? You must want another one of these.” Joshua kissed Justin’s forehead.
“Hmmm, how about a girl? We can name her Jasmine . . . Jasmine Elizabeth Moore.”
He kissed her, and she took his hand.
“I’m all for it,” he said. “Lead the way.”
The family went inside the house together.
Subscribe to Brandon Massey’s
Talespinner
Readers of Brandon Massey now can subscribe to Brandon Massey’s free
Talespinner
e-newsletter by visiting his Web site at www.brandonmassey.com.
Talespinner
subscribers get a quarterly e-mail newsletter, opportunities to win prizes in exclusive contests, and advance information about forthcoming publications. Go online today to www.brandonmassey. com and sign up. Membership is free!
PINNACLE BOOKS are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp. 850 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10022
Copyright © 2008 Brandon Massey
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the pub- lisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, or - ganizations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coin- cidental.
PINNACLE BOOKS and the Pinnacle logo are Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.
ISBN: 0-7860-2059-8
Table of Contents
