Read Online Eternity by Heather Terrell - Free Book Online Page A

details horrific and compelling all at once. Even Smitty perked up and seemed mesmerized by Rafe’s earnest account.
    After getting a commitment for several cases of soda and two cases of chips from Smitty, we went door-to-door through Tillinghast’s little downtown, trying to woo restaurants and other grocery stores for donations. Rafe was incredibly persuasive. The moment we opened the front door of whatever place was next on our list, he’d mutter something scathing to me about the party or Amanda, and then he’d flash a disarming smile to the manager we’d asked to see.
    By the time we hit the last market on our list, we’d scored more food and drink donations than we could possibly use, even if everyone on our dream guest list showed up. And I’d had more fun than I’d had in a long time.
    “Should we even bother?” I laughed, as we walked toward our next destination. “I’m pretty sure that we’ve got enough Diet Coke for every high school kid in the county. And chips too.”
    Rafe smiled and elbowed me in jest. “I guess we shouldn’t get greedy, huh?”
    “You’re the one who keeps saying that a celebration isn’t fitting.” I elbowed him back.
    “You’re right.” He stopped and looked at me. “We should be helping out the earthquake victims in another way.”
    I asked the question that had been on my mind for the past three days. “Then why did you volunteer for the party-planning subcommittee? I’ve spent hours listening to you and Amanda fight over the propriety of spending so much time on party decorations and music instead of a campaign to educate the partygoers. There were loads of other subcommittees to raise money without parties. Like Amanda said.”
    He smiled. “Why do you think I raised my hand? Why do you think I stayed on this subcommittee when Amanda gave me a personal invitation to leave?”
    Did he mean his comment the way it sounded? My pale cheeks turned red, and I prayed that the darkness masked it. I hated to blush, especially in front of a guy. I didn’t know what to say, so I kept quiet. I kept walking.
    Rafe spoke instead. “Should we get a coffee instead of begging for more chips and sodas?”
    I wanted to go with him. I truly did. Rafe had taken the edge off my waiting these past few days and appeased the demons of insecurity that tormented me when I was alone. I knew I shouldn’t let him fill the void created by Michael’s and Ruth’s absences. I knew that I should sit out my solitude and anticipation until Ruth had some answers and Michael returned from the land of football. I’d had plenty of practice at being alone before I met Michael, after all.
    I reminded myself of Michael, my boyfriend, my soul mate. I recounted to myself all that Michael and I were, and all that we were meant to do. I couldn’t do anything to betray him, even if we weren’t all that connected these days. Coffee with Rafe didn’t seem right, even though it would be totally platonic. It seemed . . . deceitful.
    “I’m sorry, Rafe. I—I need to get home.”
    His expression shifted slightly, almost indescribably. “You’re right, Ellie. You have a lot on your plate. Let me walk you to your car.”
    Before I could answer, or ask what he meant by “a lot on my plate,” he took me by the arm and walked in the exact direction of my car. How did Rafe know precisely where to go? He hadn’t seen me park; we’d met at the first market on our list.
    Even though part of me liked the feel of Rafe’s hand on my arm, I started to get uneasy. Was he truly a regular guy? He seemed pretty normal from that flash, and I’d met a few kids from his high school on the subcommittee who knew him and appeared to like him, Amanda notwithstanding. Still, something about him unsettled me.
    Even though I knew I shouldn’t permit myself a flash, I wrapped my fingers around his hand, as if I’d stumbled a bit on the sidewalk. I was searching for anything out of the ordinary, any little image that