Paradigm (Travelers Series Book 3) (2 page)

“You don’t remember me, do you?” I asked after he gave his spiel on wanting to work at the firm over the summer. And why would he? He hardly gave me a second glance in high school.

A blank expression formed on his face. I could tell he was trying his best to place me, without offending me. “I’m sorry,” he finally said, offering me an apologetic smile. “You might have to refresh my memory.”

“Alexandria High, Class of 201l,” I offered. I could tell he was still having trouble remembering me. Which wasn’t surprising, given that he’d spent the entire time sucking-up and sucking-face with Jenny Prado. “Etta Fleming. I was the orphan girl.”

A flash of recognition finally registered. He did a double take. “Etta. I remember now. Boy, you look different.”

“If you say so.” I didn’t, actually. He was only looking at me through a fresh pair of eyes. I was still the same old Etta I was in high school, with the exception of a better wardrobe. Audrey often took pity on me and considered me a fashion casualty and took it upon herself to offer me her gently worn designer cast-offs. My hair was still mousy brown, I hadn’t gained nor lost weight, and still had no wrinkles or gray at the age of twenty-one.

“So you work here?” He asked as he glanced around the small office. “Are you guys looking to take on a summer intern?”

“Yeah, I’m Audrey’s paralegal,” I said. “And as for working here as an intern, I’m sure she’d love to have you, but I don’t think she’d pay much.” Audrey wasn’t cheap by any means, but she was frugal. She loved having extra help, but she’d be damned if she paid for it.

“Oh, well, money’s not a problem. In fact, I really wasn’t expecting to get paid. I could really use the experience, you know, to try to get ahead of the game. I’m starting law school this fall and thought maybe I’d get a leg up on all the other first years.”

I found it a little impressive that he was going to law school. Just because I didn’t want to follow the rules of convention by going to college, it didn’t mean that I couldn’t be awed by someone else’s success. It’s not that I wasn’t smart enough to go, but there was always something holding me back, like I was destined for other things that didn’t involve textbooks or lecture halls.

“Well, she isn’t here right now to talk to you, she’s in court, but if you have a resume or something, I’ll make sure she gets it,” I offered. Secretly, I hoped that Audrey would hire him for the summer.

“How about you, do you have time to chat?” He glances over at his watch. “It’s almost lunch time. Unless you have other plans that is.”

Lunch with Alex Stewart? The former captain of the football team, asking me out to lunch? Maybe I didn’t need Audrey to hire him in order to get to know him. “Uh, yeah, I guess that would be all right.”

And the rest, as they say, is history. After his short internship stint at the law office, we’ve been together ever since. It’s not a story book romance by any stretch of the imagination, but I enjoy being with him. We have our ups and downs, mostly due to me and my commitment hang-ups, but what can I say? He’s smart, great looking, and he really seems to love me. Something that always amazes me.

I return Alex’s gentle squeeze and look back at all my friends. Okay, it’s not a large group of friends, but a small intimate circle gathered at Battle Grounds, my favorite coffee shop, with the people I trust the most. Jaime and Alex planned this little party for weeks without me knowing, and it was a pleasant surprise.

Jaime, not wanting the attention to shift entirely away from her, exclaims, “So, who’s up for Cashen’s after this little birthday fiesta?”

Cashen’s is our favorite watering hole in Old Town, and we frequent it so often the owner reserves our usual spot. It’s like that show
Cheers
, where everybody knows your name, only in Alexandria this isn’t so unusual, as it’s a local hangout—everybody knows everybody’s name.

“Sure, I’m game,” I start saying, “But not too late though. I have work in the morning.” It’s actually the night before my birthday, but the gang all decided to celebrate a day early after Alex announced he had a special surprise in store for me on my actual birthday.

Alex squeezed me a little tighter before answering. “I’m in, too. Whatta you say we make our way over now before it gets crowded?”

“What about my cake?” I ask, pointing to the white icing monstrosity, just begging to be eaten. I’m sure they went through a lot of trouble to order it, the least we could do is eat it. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of cake—I prefer pies—with the exception of carrot cake. Even though I’m a little too old for birthday cake, I love that my friends care about making my day special and remembered my favorite.

“We’ll take it with us. I’m sure Cashen won’t mind,” Jaime says, starting to take the candles off the cake, licking the icing off as she goes, preparing to box it back up to take with us.

A short walk and a few minutes later, the four of us are seated at our favorite booth. I’m not much of a drinker, but I just love the old building and the ambiance the bar has to offer. Plus, it’s a great place to people watch—one of my favorite activities.

“Are you having a great birthday so far?” Jaime asks.

“So far so good,” I say, snuggling up to Alex in the booth. “The only thing that could make this night perfect is a round of tequila shots.” And while I’m not prone to drink much, I can always be enticed by tequila. I never have more than one, but for some reason I love the flavor and warm fuzzies I get from one shot. It is my birthday after all—well, in a few hours, anyway.

Alex grimaces. “Ugh, no way, hon. You know I can’t do those since that time I went to Mexico for spring break. Speaking of, I don’t know how
you
can drink the stuff,” he says.

“Ditto that,” Brett, Jaime’s boyfriend, concurs. “I’ll take a Maker’s.”

“Make that a Pinot Noir for me, thanks,” Jaime chimes in. “Looks like you’re on your own on the te-kill-ya front.”

“Suit yourselves,” I say, motioning for the waiter to come take our drink orders.

We’re having a great time now that I am able to relax and enjoy the company of my bestest friends. I don’t even allow myself the simple pleasure of watching the crowds, like I normally do. That is until tall, dark, and handsome catches my eye. There’s something familiar about the guy, but I just can’t seem to place him. Focusing my attention on him, I tune out everyone in the booth and watch the figure move aimlessly across the room. Maybe it’s the tequila talking, but I’m positive I know this guy from somewhere.

“Hey, whatcha looking at?” Jaime inquires. She takes a look around the crowded bar, trying to find the object of my undivided attention.

“Oh, nothing. Just thought I recognized someone I know.”

“Anyone I know?” Alex asks, taking a look himself across the booth.

“Yeah, Etta. Someone we know?” Jaime asks.

Jaime knows pretty much everyone I know, as we’ve been best friends since forever, so there’s no way I’m saying. If I even hint at who I think I saw, I’m sure she’ll have plenty to say on the subject.

“No, I think I’m just seeing things,” I say. Secretly, I keep an eye on the mystery man as I focus my attention back to my friends.

“Anyone hungry? We could order some appetizers or something,” Brett offered.

Jaime looks over to her boyfriend. “How can you be thinking about food again? We just had a big dinner like two hours ago. Besides, I’ve already wasted enough calories on Etta’s cake. I’ll pass.”

Watching the two of them always amuses me. They recently started dating, and poor Brett doesn’t seem to mind that Jaime is the one to call the shots in their relationship. No doubt he’s awed by her natural model good looks and platinum blonde hair. It’d stop any guys in their tracks.

“None for me, thanks,” I say, keeping one ear on the conversation at the table and one eye on Mr. Mysterioso.

“Anything wrong, Etta?”

“Huh? What?” I stammer, looking into Alex’s clear blue eyes. I feel bad for ignoring him, but there’s something about the stranger that has me fixated. “Everything is fine. I think it’s just the tequila and cake. Sugar and alcohol does not an alert person make,” I jest.

Alex gives me a knowing smile. “How about we call it a night and let me take you home,” he offers.

On one hand, I don’t want to leave, still trying to figure out the mystery behind the guy, but at the same time, I really am tired. Eating two slices of carrot cake and a shot of Mexican gold really isn’t much of a joke after all; it can make a girl drowsy.

In the end, I take Alex’s advice and allow him to take me home. I’m starting to see things, and perhaps I went over my limit tonight. I bid my goodnight to Jaime and Brett, who opt to stay at the bar scene.

“I’ll give you a call tomorrow,” Jaime shouts to be heard above the crowd as Alex and I slide out from the booth.

As we make our way to the double doors, I take one last glance over my shoulder. The guy I’d been eyeing all night is looking directly at me. Our eyes lock for this briefest of moments, and my knees buckle. Alex holds on to my waist to steady me. I’m sure he’s thinking it’s the tequila shot.

Never before have I ever experienced the chill that’s enveloped itself around my body. Staring right into his eyes has brought all those memories back. It really was Cooper. The man who approached me all those years ago in high school and the man whose offer I turned down.

If I were alone, I’d have no problem walking right up to him to demand he tell me why he’s back. But I’m not alone. Jaime would no doubt start in on how creepy it is for him to be back after all these years, and Alex would want to know who he is. So it’s probably best I leave it well enough alone for now.

Alex, not noticing my preoccupation over the crowd, tugs on my elbow. “Come on, hon, let’s go. Jaime and Brett will be fine without us. Don’t forget, I have an extra birthday surprise for you tomorrow afternoon. I want you to be clearheaded before I pick you up. ”

“Okay,” I say, almost at a whisper. The thought of celebrating my actual birthday with Alex does have its appeal, but I’m still reluctant to leave now that I’d made contact with the mysterious Cooper. Knowing this isn’t the right time revisit old ghosts, I allow Alex to guide me out the door, although I have no doubt in my mind Cooper will reappear. It took four years for me to get over the fact that he would never come back.

But now he has.

Thornberry Reality 2017

“T
o us freaks!” The group chortled after Etta.

For the first time in a long time, the group forgot about what was going on in the world outside and enjoyed the camaraderie and laughter going within the confines of Etta and Cooper’s little house. It wasn’t often they came together for such a social occasion, but it was a much-needed distraction for what faced them outside those walls.

Mission accomplished, Etta thought, as far as her birthday dinner was concerned. It allowed them to enjoy themselves as friends, versus remembering why they were brought together as a group in the first place. Their ragtag team that would have never become friends had destiny not brought them together.

The group gathered around the Everett living room after enjoying the lovely chicken Cooper and Moose had received from one of the local farmers. It wasn’t an occasion they shared often, so they made sure to make the best of it. After a few jokes and laughter was had all around, they retired to the living room to figure out their game plan.

“So, how do you suppose we go about approaching Etta this time?” Jenny asked. “I mean, obviously it all works out ‘cuz she’s still here and all… ” She stops to look at Etta. “But we all know the timeline can split again at anytime and poof!” She snaps her fingers. “She’s gone.” She looks over at Etta. “No offense.”

They’d attempted to bring the past Etta back to her true reality. And while their mission had been successful, something or someone had interfered with the course of events and changed the path Etta was supposed to take. The Council immediately went to work on a way to get her back, and while they succeed in bringing her back a second time, several years off-schedule, they knew it was only a matter of time before she could disappear on them again.

Etta shrugged off her friend’s comment. “None taken, besides, it’s a good question. I’m not exactly known for being a pushover, so what do you guys think? Any ideas?”

After the split in the timeline, the task of rounding up their team fell on Cooper. He could have waited until he jumped back to retrieve Etta again, but the task of recruiting their team needed these last couple of years to hone in on their powers in order to take down Thornberry. Time was of the essence, and he couldn’t afford to wait for Etta in the event he failed in his mission to get her back. So he gathered the friends that now sat before them without her and waited for another opportunity to get Etta back.

The efforts to get Etta back to this future reality wasn’t without its leaps and loops. Literally. Cooper had attempted to bring her back several times throughout various phases of her life. The first successful attempt had been when she was a teenager. However, the course of events changed and she never traveled to her destined reality in 2011. Since going back to that point in time could strain the paradigm of time, they had to come up with a different plan. One that has already proved successful, but because they were in the future, the efforts must be replicated.

“I’m scheduled to go back two years in the past. That would put you at twenty-two. Is there anything about that time you’d relate to the most, darlin’?” Cooper asked.

They key to bringing Etta back to the right reality was approaching her when she’d be the most receptive to the news that she was from another reality. The fact that she was here with them now in the future world was not lost on them. The shifts in the timeline altered various realities, and while she was here, they still needed to ensure she remained in this reality.

Moose chimed in next.“You know yourself best, Etta girl. What approach do you think will convince you that your life was basically a lie and that you’re needed here in this reality to help us stop Thornberry?” Moose, ever so blunt, had a point.