Chapter 80

I miss coffee. The smell of it is still comforting. I wish I could taste it.
He'd gotten so used to her speaking into his mind already that he didn't even jump. "Would you like me to make some tonight? Can you eat and drink when you manifest?"
I can - but with only twenty minutes tonight, I don't want to waste any on food. Tomorrow maybe?
"Whatever you'd like. What are some of your favorite foods?"
Strawberries, but they're out of season now.
"I can get them at the grocery store. They're not as good as the ones grown locally, but they might be better than nothing. Anything else?"
Perhaps...a sip or two of champagne?
"No problem, sugar. Groceries are easy to get. If you think of anything else you want for later in the week, just let me know." Another thought occurred to him. "Can you leave the house? Would you like to go out for a little while on Halloween?"
Really? There was a pause, and he swore he heard a sniffle. Oh goodness, I didn't know I could cry when I was immaterial. That's the sweetest thing - you'd really like to take me somewhere?
Crap, his heart was breaking in two. They had roughly fifty hours total, and he'd planned to spend most of those in bed, but she'd been stuck in this house for ninety-five years. "Whatever you want, Evie. If it's within my power, I'll give it to you."
I'd love a walk in the sunshine. My clothes might be a problem though.
"Not on Halloween, sugar. And besides, I can run out and get you a pair of jeans if you'd like. I'm not hurting for money, Evie. I can afford to indulge you a little. If this is your last week on this plane of existence, let's do everything we can to make it a good one."
You are the most generous man I've ever met, Sam Holiday.
"Yeah, speaking of me being a sucker, there's one more thing I should probably ask before I go run my errands for the day." He couldn't believe he'd almost forgotten his promise to Theo.
What?
He chuckled. "How do you feel about dogs?"
Having a six-month-old puppy in the house significantly reduced Sam's remodeling time, but he had to admit, he was having fun with the mutt. The half-grown dog was friendly and eager to please. His previous owners really had named him Ghengis. While Sam thought that was pretty silly for such an affectionate pup, he could live with it and didn't see any need to confuse the poor dog further by renaming him. So Ghengis' wire crate now occupied a corner of Sam's living room, and dog toys already littered the floor.
It was worth tripping over toys, just to hear Evie's laughter at the pup's antics. Even if it meant he had to share his time with her so she could pet the silly mutt, Sam was glad he could add something else to make her happy. The idea that in just a week or so she'd be gone forever was already breaking his heart.
"He gets you for five minutes tonight," Sam warned Evie as he cleaned up after his dinner. "Then you're all mine for the other seventeen and a half." He had plans, damn it. He rinsed the strawberries he'd picked up at the supermarket.
Mmm, I look forward to it. Are those really strawberries? They're enormous.
"Modern selective breeding." There was so much about the modern world she didn't know, and he had so little time to share it with her. "More fruit, less flavor, unfortunately. Now I'm going to take the dog for a walk, if that's okay. Wish you could come with us."
Me too.
Shortly before midnight, dressed in nothing but his baggy lounge pants, he carried a tray with the strawberries, two flutes of champagne and a few squares of good quality chocolate up to his bedroom. That done, he returned to the hallway to wait for her, Ghengis panting happily at his feet. As soon as she materialized, Ghengis bounded over and wagged his tail happily, and Evie bent to scratch his black floppy ears.
"What a good boy," she crooned, dropping to her knees to scoop the wriggling mass into her arms. "Oh, he's so soft."
Sam was jealous of the way she nuzzled into the pup's fur, but he couldn't help enjoying her happiness. After a minute or two, she sat back and grinned up at Sam. "Thank you."
"You're welcome. Now why don't you duck into the bedroom and get out of some of those clothes while I put this guy to bed? Help yourself to the snacks."
Her skin flushed a rosy pink, but she nodded. "Hurry back."
Sam ran down the stairs two at a time then bounded back up after settling Ghengis in his crate with a chew toy.
Evie waited in his bedroom, her dress tossed carelessly over a chair, her shoes kicked into a corner. She still wore her undergarment - some sort of corset, but softer-looking and longer than the Victorian style one Star had worn for a high school play. It seemed to have a built-in bra, minus the elastic and stretchy fabric that he assumed made the modern version a lot more comfortable. Garter straps dangled from the hip-length hem as she bent to roll down her stockings. Bloomer-style underwear peeked out an inch or two below the corset, if that was even the right word.
Sam stood in the doorway, stunned at the creamy beauty being revealed with each additional inch of heavy silk she rolled down her calf.
She straightened, smiled shyly and reached for the front hooks on her corset.
"No." Sam stepped into the room. "We don't have time tonight. Let's just have some champagne and maybe a few kisses. All right?"
"That sounds wonderful." She bit her lower lip as if trying to repress a small sigh of relief and took a seat on the padded bench at the foot of the bed.
"Here." He brought the tray over and set it on the bed behind them then handed her a flute of champagne and lifted his own. "To a week of possibilities."
"To possibilities," she agreed. A grin flitted over her lips. "And to pleasure."
"Hell yes." He touched the rim of his glass to hers and they both sipped.