Only in Time: Touched by Magic, #0

By Kelli McCracken

Secrets and lies kept Ally and Jonah apart. Now he's back with a confession that could change the way she feels—or cost him everything.

 

Jonah McCabe has no time for love. As one of L.A.'s hottest record producers, his long days and short nights keep his schedule full and his bed empty. When his current project leads him home to Savannah, a last-minute favor forces him to face his past. He never expected to run into Ally. He sure as hell didn't plan to win her back.

 

Ally Jacobs worked her ass off to get her new promotion. She had no clue it would require her to return to Savannah, the place she was desperate to leave six years ago. Time away hasn't helped her forget Jonah. Though she claims she's over him, a girls' night out brings them face to face. Ally vows to keep Jonah at a safe distance, but his southern charm draws her back into his world.

 

When Ally feels her resistance faltering, she must decide if Jonah is worth getting her heart broken again. He isn't making it easy. Jonah refuses to back down until Ally knows the truth, but it could be the one thing that breaks her.

 

Can the past change the future? Find out in Only in Time, the Prequel to the Touched by Magic Series, a steamy, second-chance, rock star romance.

 

Suggested Reading Order

Only in Time (Prequel - Ally & Jonah)

Longing for You (Book 1 - Cassie & Theo)

Colliding with You (Book 2 - Cori & Jesse)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kelli McCracken
• Release date: Feb 13, 2013
• ISBN: 9798201334895

Kelli McCracken

Kelli McCracken is a USA Today Bestselling Author of paranormal romance and rock star theme contemporary romance. She loves penning sexy stories that stir emotions and tantalize the senses. Most days you'll find Kelli knee-deep in chocolate bars, coffee, and kooky characters. She's a connoisseur of chocolate, a professional percolator, and a master in the art of procrastination. When she's not writing, chatting with readers, or plotting her next story, Kelli loves to read, listen to music, and most of all, spend time with her family. She lives in Northeast Kentucky, is the mother of four, and is happily married to her husband, James.

Book preview

Prologue

The tires on the old Chevy pickup squealed in protest as Jonah McCabe slid into a parking space. He ripped the seat belt from its lock, grabbed a slip of paper off the dash, and read over the words until he found what he wanted.

7:50 PM

Gripping the door handle, he swallowed against the lump in his throat. Each rapid beat of his heart sent twinges through his body as if he were getting shocked. This was his last chance. He could not screw up this time.

As he glanced toward the clock on the dashboard, he groaned.

7:46 PM.

Damn. It was time. 

The hinges whined and creaked as he opened the door. He ignored the sound and slammed it shut before taking off in a sprint. The seconds ticked by, dwindling away his chance of making this right. His muscles burned and stretched as he raced toward the main doors of the train station.

As soon as Jonah entered the building, the scent of stale Old Spice lingered in the air. He scanned the lobby for a familiar face, one that made his heart catch when he looked at it. A feminine voice echoed off the walls from the public announcement system. Her cheery tone knotted his gut, but not as much as when she announced the last boarding call for New York.

Jonah ignored the tightness in his chest and pushed his legs to move faster. Time wasn't a luxury. Never had been. Maybe one day, he would get his shit together and take life more seriously.

He'd have no other choice if he didn't stop the train.

As he wove through the wooden benches, he searched for the boarding entrance. Recent passengers crowded the lobby, huddling with family and friends they'd hadn't seen for only God knows how long. Other people assembled at the ticket box, making purchases and checking schedules. Just ahead, another crowd pushed into the building. Bold letters hung above the door with words Jonah was eager to see.

DEPARTURES.

This wasn't about boarding the train. It was about stopping Ally.

As the seconds ticked away in Jonah's head, he raced past the ticket counter, ready to curse anyone who tried to stop him. Yet, no one did. He said a silent prayer as the cool metal handle greeted his hands. A hard push opened the door.

The scent of diesel assaulted his nose as he stepped onto the cement pad. When he reached the edge of the platform, he stared at the empty tracks below, trying to tune out the squeaking in the distance.

Oh, no

The shrill whistle startled him as he turned to see a train pulling away.

Stop! Jonah shouted the word. He zipped past a crowd of onlookers and made it to the end of the pad. I need to get on that train! Please! I…

His pleas fell on deaf ears. The only patrons remaining were those who’d stayed to see their family or friends depart. While a few shot him glares adorned with folded brows, most just ignored him.

He'd do the same if the roles were reversed.

The one thing he couldn't ignore was the ache in his chest. It formed near his heart, spreading like a deadly virus through his arms, legs, even his head. Every part of him ached. His lungs burned when he tried to take a breath.

As his hands fell to his sides, the slip of paper he'd been holding floated to the ground. He didn't bother catching it. There was no need for it anymore. Everything he ever wanted just disappeared, along with the taillights of the train.

Reality weighed on him, crushing his chest. It hurt to breathe, to think, to stand and watch his life go down the drain. 

God help him. 

He refused to repeat this mistake—giving his heart away to a woman who didn't know how much he loved her. She would never know he came to stop her or give her the reason she needed to stay. Time wasn’t on his side. Perhaps it would have been if he hadn't…

Damn her mother.

Chapter 1

Six years later…

---

The crumpled newspaper crackled in Ally Jacobs's hand as she removed the last picture from the box on the floor. Her eyes trailed over the other dozen boxes spread across her new living room. Each held items from her apartment in New York, items that needed a new wall, or shelf, or drawer. She'd be here a week or more if she tried finding the perfect spot for everything. Not that she would. The picture in her hand held more significance than anything else she owned.

Letting the paper fall to the floor, she swiped her palm against the glass, eyeing the handsome man in the photo. Dressed in his BDUs, insignias donned his collar—a diamond nestled between three arcs and three chevrons. Her father looked every bit the army first-sergeant he was, even while hugging her.

As she placed the photo on the table near the window, a tinge of sadness pinched her heart. She adjusted the frame before draping dog tags over it. Her finger slid across the engraved words Jacobs, Robert.

Hard to believe it had been fourteen years since her mother received that dreaded visit by the military base chaplain. It was the visit that rocked Ally's world, even at ten. If only she had gone to her room and shut the door like her mother had asked instead of peeking around the hallway corner. Maybe then she wouldn't have heard every painful word that slipped past the chaplain's lips. She had stood in the hallway, covering her trembling lips, when she heard how her father had died in the line of duty. It wasn't a bullet that ended his life. It was an explosion.

The words coming from the chaplain's mouth weren't as soul shaking as the question her mother asked—if she would have anything to bury? Ally inhaled a shaky breath, remembering how the chaplain shook his head just before his eyes found hers. Seeing her standing in the hallway, tears streaming down her face, had caused his mouth to gape.

Blinking back tears, she eyed the dog tags once more, grateful her father had misplaced the set right after they moved to Savannah. Out of everything he left her in his will, she treasured the tags the most. Perhaps it was because he allowed her to wear them whenever she asked. Or maybe she thought they contained super powers because her dad had been her hero.

When the painful memories became too much, she shifted her gaze out the window and observed the neighboring houses. How many people still lived in the old neighborhood? While the street she'd grown up on was a few blocks away, she'd hung out on this street plenty. Cassie Clarke used to live at the end of the road. Luckily, her best friend's parents still did. She may have never found this house had they moved elsewhere.

Revisiting the past was tempting but also dangerous. It brought back memories of other things and other people Ally had lost. Still, she couldn't stop herself from wondering if someone else's parents still lived across from Cassie's old house. That certain someone had made life in Savannah bearable after her father's death.

Had he moved away or was it possible he still lived in—

The doorbell chime echoed through the house, causing Ally's heart to pound. Each thump resonated in her ears as she walked toward the door. Few people knew she'd returned, short of her mother and Cassie. Her dinner date with her mom wouldn't be for a couple more hours, which meant the unexpected visitor could only be one person.

As the door swung inward, Ally expected a set of brown eyes to be staring back at her. Instead, gray ones did. They were a striking contrast to the brown uniform he wore.

Afternoon, ma'am. I have a package for Ally Jacobs. He raised his hands in front of him, holding a small rectangular box.

That would be me. She grabbed the electronic device he handed her. With her quickest, sloppiest signature recorded, she returned the device, exchanging it for her package.

She barely heard him say goodbye as she stared at the box. Neat handwriting revealed a return address she recognized. What had she forgotten in New York? It had to be valuable or her old roommate wouldn't have sent it.

Curious about the contents, she tore at the cardboard until a letter slipped out. Perfectly constructed letters stretched across the paper, and each word they formed made Ally smile.

I knew you would end up forgetting something. Hope you're enjoying Savannah. I miss going out for coffee in the mornings. Don't forget about me. ~Darcy

Once she returned to the living room, she placed the letter on the coffee table, then sat on the couch. Curiosity got the best of her. She couldn't believe she forgot something after searching the apartment the day before she left. The box didn't weigh much, so it couldn't have been anything big. 

Gazing toward her lap, she unfolded the flaps until the item came into view. Seeing the old, blue T-shirt stole the air from her lungs. Darcy was wrong. Ally hadn't forgotten to pack it. She didn't realize she still had it.

The soft cotton teased her fingers as she pulled the shirt from the box. A wave of pine and juniper swirled inside her nose. God, she loved the smell of Polo cologne. It's why she had bought him a bottle for Christmas during their senior year of high school. Had she known it would be their last Christmas together…

Her chest tightened as she stuffed the shirt inside the box. She couldn't afford this brief trip down memory lane. And he sure as hell didn’t deserve her tears. She had given him plenty. He made the choice to pursue his dreams years ago, just like she had. There was no sense in revisiting a place that closed its doors to her before she ever stepped onto the train.

She couldn't go back, and even if she could, she would never ask for the key to unlock Jonah McCabe's heart.

Ally left the box on the couch cushion and made her way to the front door. She glanced out the