Read Online The Ghost of Christmas Present by Jenny Lykins - Free Book Online Page B

mourn the future," he
repeated. "We'll live a lifetime in these next five days, and when
they're over, we'll worry about the future then."
    She stared up at him with shimmery
beads of tears hovering on her lower lashes. He wanted to rail
against the fates for giving him what he could never have, like a
man dying of thirst with a lake of cool, fresh water just beyond
his reach. Instead he forced his best boyish grin and tried to make
his voice sound light.
    "Starting now. Let's see. What shall we
do?" He paced the floor, then spun back around to point at her. "I
know! I want to see you paint. That's what you came here for, isn't
it? Yes. That's it. Can I watch you paint?"
    She sniffed and rubbed the tip of her
nose with the back of her hand.
    "That should be about as interesting as
watching someone fish."
    He forced another grin and ushered her
toward her paints and the canvas by the window.
    "Let me be the judge of that. Now, what
have you been working on?"
    Alane picked up a tube of paint and
fumbled with the palette.
    "Nothing, really. I...I can't seem to
find the passion. I just feel stale."
    He draped himself across the leather
recliner.
    "Then paint me."
    Alane blinked and cocked an ear toward
him.
    "Do what?"
    "Why not? I'm better than a bowl of
fruit."
    She studied him for a minute, then
shrugged with a smile.
    "All right. Get comfortable. This could
take a while."
    Jared shifted to a slightly more
dignified position and watched quietly as she prepared her
paints.
    "Do you talk while you work, or do I
have to keep my mouth shut?"
    She didn't even look up from her
preparations.
    "Absolute silence. I don't even play
music."
    "Okay. I can deal with that. I mean,
I've gone years at a time without talking, so a few hours here and
there will seem like nothing. Unless, of course, you want to try
something different, which, in that case - "
    "Ahem!"
    He snapped his mouth shut and grinned
as her brow furrowed in concentration.
    She worked quietly for hours while
Jared tried to behave himself. It was harder than he'd imagined,
keeping his mouth shut and sitting still.
    He watched her face change from
concentration to frustration. She chewed on her lower lip, squinted
first at him, then the canvas, frowned, sighed. When she pinched
the bridge of her nose and shook her head, he decided to break his
silence.
    "You want to know what I
think?"
    She raised her head and looked around
as though she'd forgotten she wasn't alone. "I think you're trying
too hard."
    "How can someone try too hard at
something?" She frowned and dabbed the brush against the
canvas.
    "When you suck all the enjoyment and
spontaneity out of something, you're trying too hard." He got up
and circled around behind her as she continued to make improvements
on her work.
    What she'd done was good. Very good.
But Xavier Travis's daughter could do better. She'd painted a very
good, two dimensional portrait, but Jared knew she had the talent
to make him come to life on the canvas.
    "If you'll lift your ban on my roaming
around in your head, maybe I can help."
    She turned and gave him a suspicious
look.
    "Oh, come on. What do you have to
lose?"
    She chewed on the end of her brush for
a minute, crinkled up her nose and sighed.
    "Why not? At this point I'm ready to
try anything." She sat back on her stool and looked up at him.
"What do I have to do?"
    "Nothing," he said as he melted into
her. He heard her gasp, then felt her tense up.
    Relax , he told her silently. Relax and
trust me.
    She loosened up a little. "This is so
weird. I heard you and you didn't even speak."
    I can hear you, too. Now
open your mind.
    He felt her open to him, and he nudged
his thoughts into her consciousness. He fed her some of his
memories. Happy, carefree, funny memories. He sent them swirling
through her like an ever-changing kaleidoscope. She giggled at some
of the bits and pieces. He felt her heart tug when he remembered
seeing her father's work.
    All right. You've relaxed a
little. Now pick up