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people live without coffeehouses or megamarts or late-night food delivery?
    “Not all that odd. This is Destiny, after all.” His steps matched hers, neither pushing her to go faster nor attempting to slow her down. “Thelonious purposefully built the town as a safe harbor for outcasts like you and me. It’s refreshing to know we have a haven.”
    “Why didn’t he allow me to stay in the Destiny of my time? Why send me into 1899?”
    “Perhaps you need to accomplish a task here or find something you were missing then.”
    “Like?” When he didn’t answer, she let loose a low growl. “Fine. This Thelonious person obviously enjoys playing games with people’s lives.”
    “Mr. Evermore has a vast understanding of many things. He is his own riddle and enjoys remaining such. Did you meet him in your time period?”
    “Briefly, right before I got caught up in a tornado and landed here. He said I was in the right place but not the right time. Is that some sort of joke?”
    “How would I know?” His deep laughter reverberated on the air and warmed her insides. The panic dissipated like mist before the sun. “Take comfort in this. Thelonious never does things without a purpose. There must be a key reason for your arrival in this time period.”
    Ava scowled. When his eyes twinkled with humor, low-grade need pulsed between her thighs, something Mike had never been able to accomplish. “I don’t think it’s funny.” I don’t find it amusing that his smile or laughter can make me go all girly inside either.
    Her wolf howled in glee. You want to jump his bones, human. He challenges you in every way like Mike never could.
    That’s concerning.
    No, that’s wonderful. Her wolf gave a toothy grin.
    They left the grassy area in order to stroll along the empty street. Up and down the main thoroughfare, shopkeepers locked their doors for the evening. Every now and again one of them would call out a greeting to Sam, which he returned with all the charm and aplomb he’d given her.
    “Why does everyone close so early? It’s not even seven o’clock. In my time period, stores are open well after ten; sometimes they’re available all day and night.” One lady turned from her doorway and smiled at Sam. A stab of something cut through her chest. Surely it couldn’t be jealousy? Of what? She had no claim to him. Hell, she barely even knew him. But she wanted to—badly.
    “The business owners wish to spend time with family and friends. Working long into the night is at cross-purposes with that intent.” He patted her hand, which lay so snugly on his arm. “In the future, do people not spend time together?”
    Ava thought about kids overscheduled with extracurricular activities, adults who worked ten- to twelve-hour days, and families who were so dependent on electronics that they rarely spoke to each other outside of texting. The loss of her own cell phone brought a cramp to her stomach. How many messages sat in her mailbox right now? She heaved a sigh. “Not really. Some do. I guess, looking at it from this perspective, society has decayed—a lot. In some ways, coming back in time might be a good experience for me.”
    It didn’t matter how many people called or texted her phone. She’d never be able to listen or read them. Then the battery would die, and it would be as if she’d never existed…
    Cold fear trickled down her spine. What if she couldn’t return to her own time? What if she had to remain in the past for the rest of her life? Her steps dragged before she finally came to a halt, tugging him with her. Ava glanced around the area, at the shaded windows of the darkened shops and the dried leaves swirling along the cobbled streets, the lack of neon signs or shiny stickers in windows depicting all the credit cards a merchant accepted.
    She wriggled out of his grasp and pressed her hands to her suddenly cold cheeks.
    “Oh my God. I’m really stuck here.” Knots tightened in her stomach. Trying to take