Read Online Shadow of Time - Book 1: (Paranormal Romance) by Jen Minkman - Free Book Online Page A

the backs of her knees, so by the time she got up from her towel to go home, she couldn’t even stand up straight because her skin stretched too much, causing a stinging pain. Just her luck.
    When Hannah finally arrived at the cabin and limped up the porch steps in agony, Ben raised his eyebrows. “What the heck happened to you? Someone stole your wheelchair on the beach?”
    Hannah glowered at him. “ Not funny. My knee-pits are sunburned. I can barely walk.” She smiled at the two neighbor girls sitting next to Ben on the bench. “Hi there.”
    “You should put some herbs on them ,” Amber suggested. “Mixed with yogurt.”
    Ivy laughed. “Listen to the witch. A potion for every ailment.”
    Amber poked her. “Keep mocking me and I’ll turn you into a toad.”
    Ben got up. “Okay girls, let’s go down to the lake and catch some fish.”
    “Not me,” Hannah protested. “I’m a cripple, and by the way, Nick will be here at five. I’ll stay here and be the welcome committee.”
    “Sure. Go pamper yourself. There’s some after-sun lotion in the bathroom.”
    After Ben’s car had driven off the sandy track toward Lake Powell, Hannah got up, took a shower and applied some lotion on her burning legs. Just as she stumbled into the kitchen, she heard a car engine outside. Sounded like Nick was already here. Hannah got her guitar from the living room and went outside to greet her new friend.
    Instead, she found herself face to face with Josh, who just stepped out of his car parked next to the log cabin.
    “Oh. Hi.” She swallowed, watching him lift two heavy bags from the back seat. “You’re – early.”
    “ Hey, don’t sound so surprised.” Josh walked up the steps. “I know punctuality is not my strong suit, being Indian and all, but really. There’s no need to rub it in.” He grinned at her, disappearing into the kitchen to put the hamburgers in the fridge.
    Hannah let out the breath she’d been holding. This was awkward with a capital A. It hadn’t occurred to her that Josh could get here first. Now she’d be alone with him until Nick and Emily got here, and she felt nervous at the prospect. Which was stupid. This was the perfect opportunity to discuss that almost-kiss where she’d accidentally, well, rejected him.
    Or m aybe she should just shut up about it. Josh was just a regular, seventeen-year-old guy learning the ropes and flirting with her before moving on to an actual potential girlfriend his own age.
    “So, how are you feeling?” he asked.
    She turned around and unwitti ngly smiled when he gently put his hand on her shoulder. “Better. Ben made me go to the police and file a report, by the way.”
    “I can imagine.”
    “ Oh, I mentioned your name in the report. You’re the only one who heard those guys talk.”
    “Sure. If I can help or testify against them, let me kn ow. I hope they’ll get arrested.”
    “ Me too. They only took off because I held them at gunpoint.”
    Josh frowned. “You have a weapon?”
    Hannah nodded gingerly. “Unloaded, though.”
    “So that’s why they sudde nly decided to leave you alone,” he said grimly.
    “I really don’t like guns.” Hannah stared at her hands, somehow feeling like Josh was judging her.
    “Hey. I know. It wasn’t your fault.”
    She looked up, and for a split second she saw his face as it had been in her dream last night – older, wiser, and completely focused on her. She stared into his dark eyes and heard people shouting in Spanish, smelling the burning fire of her nightmare.
    “Would you like something to drink?” she broke the silence.
    Josh blinked, shaking his head as if he’d been lost in thought as well. “Yeah, sure. I’ll just have a Coke.” He smiled at her and grabbed a can from the table.
    Hannah plopped down on the porch cross-legged and watched Josh taking a long drink, sitting down on the steps, his back against the railing. She absent-mindedly plucked the top string of the guitar she’d put in