over. She closed her eyes tightly as fresh air and cold rain assailed her. “No…”
Matthew stopped and put up the umbrella. “I suggest you hold it, or you’ll get wet.” He closed her hand around the handle.
“I don’t want to do this… I can’t do this.”
“No such word as can’t. It’s an excuse not to try.”
She closed her eyes tightly as the chair began moving again. Breathing got increasingly difficult and for a moment she thought she was going to faint. Then she slowly became aware of a paper bag over her mouth and a hand lightly resting on her back.
“Breathe into the bag, Eva.”
Slowly the panic subsided and breathing became easier. She opened her eyes to find Matthew on a bench in front of her.
“Better?”
She nodded slowly.
“Good. Now we’re going to carry on, only you’re keeping your eyes open.”
“I can’t—”
“Yes, you can.” He grabbed both her hands and closed his eyes. “ Lord, Eva is really scared right now. She’d rather be anywhere than outside, in the rain, which reminds her so much of what happened the night of the accident. Give her the strength she needs right now to do this, and assure her that she isn’t alone.”
Eva bit her lip as he smiled at her. “I can’t do this…I’m terrified of the rain and outside and…”
“I know how scared you are, because you’re freaking out, and yes, facing your fear like this is scary, but it isn’t going to kill you,” he said gently, squeezing her hands. “Even if it feels like it, it won’t. Because I’m right here, and I’m not going to leave your side.”
“’K,” she whispered.
“So, how about we just give this a try? If it’s too much, we can turn around and go home, I promise. I need that coffee. I don’t know about you, though. Caffeine might just aggravate the panic.”
“S—sounds good.”
He leaned back on the bench, not letting go of her. “Hey, look at that. Very seasonal.”
She followed his other hand and looked at the robin sitting in the holly bush. “Shame it isn’t snowing. That would look even prettier.”
“Not as pretty as you.”
“What are you doing?” she asked. He’d changed the subject so fast she was having trouble keeping up.
“Going for coffee, you know that. With the prettiest girl in town. Who so far has done nothing but complain since I went to get her coat. Not to mention have a panic attack.”
“That’s because I don’t do outside, and I don’t do rain. You know that.”
He smiled, his fingers caressing the back of her hand. “Well, I could be wrong, but right now, it looks like you’re doing both. You have sat calmly and chatted for a good ten minutes now. I’m changing the subject to keep you distracted and it seems to be working.”
“Matthew…”
“It’s Harry,” he said, holding her gaze.
“I thought your name was Matthew.”
He winked. “Actually it’s Harold Matthew Lyell. Matthew is my stage name. My friends call me Harry. And I hope you’re a friend. One that I would like to spend a lot more time with over the coming weeks.”
Eva looked at him, acutely aware of the honor he’d just given her. And for some reason, whether it was his prayer, or just his physical presence and touch, she wasn’t quite so scared anymore. “Harry,” she said. “And I’d like to spend time with you, as well.”
He smiled, and raised her hand to his lips, his light touch soft against her cold skin. Ripples ran down her fingers, up her arm and filled her with warmth. “So, are we going for coffee or just going to sit here and get wet?”
“I have an umbrella,” she said. “But I’d like coffee.”
He kissed her fingers, sending her stomach somersaulting with emotions she really didn’t understand. “Then let’s go. I fancy one of those Christmas coffees I’ve heard about on the radio.”
“The gingerbread latte is good. As is the black forest hot chocolate.”
Harry stood. “Then I’ll have one of each. You get
Matthew stopped and put up the umbrella. “I suggest you hold it, or you’ll get wet.” He closed her hand around the handle.
“I don’t want to do this… I can’t do this.”
“No such word as can’t. It’s an excuse not to try.”
She closed her eyes tightly as the chair began moving again. Breathing got increasingly difficult and for a moment she thought she was going to faint. Then she slowly became aware of a paper bag over her mouth and a hand lightly resting on her back.
“Breathe into the bag, Eva.”
Slowly the panic subsided and breathing became easier. She opened her eyes to find Matthew on a bench in front of her.
“Better?”
She nodded slowly.
“Good. Now we’re going to carry on, only you’re keeping your eyes open.”
“I can’t—”
“Yes, you can.” He grabbed both her hands and closed his eyes. “ Lord, Eva is really scared right now. She’d rather be anywhere than outside, in the rain, which reminds her so much of what happened the night of the accident. Give her the strength she needs right now to do this, and assure her that she isn’t alone.”
Eva bit her lip as he smiled at her. “I can’t do this…I’m terrified of the rain and outside and…”
“I know how scared you are, because you’re freaking out, and yes, facing your fear like this is scary, but it isn’t going to kill you,” he said gently, squeezing her hands. “Even if it feels like it, it won’t. Because I’m right here, and I’m not going to leave your side.”
“’K,” she whispered.
“So, how about we just give this a try? If it’s too much, we can turn around and go home, I promise. I need that coffee. I don’t know about you, though. Caffeine might just aggravate the panic.”
“S—sounds good.”
He leaned back on the bench, not letting go of her. “Hey, look at that. Very seasonal.”
She followed his other hand and looked at the robin sitting in the holly bush. “Shame it isn’t snowing. That would look even prettier.”
“Not as pretty as you.”
“What are you doing?” she asked. He’d changed the subject so fast she was having trouble keeping up.
“Going for coffee, you know that. With the prettiest girl in town. Who so far has done nothing but complain since I went to get her coat. Not to mention have a panic attack.”
“That’s because I don’t do outside, and I don’t do rain. You know that.”
He smiled, his fingers caressing the back of her hand. “Well, I could be wrong, but right now, it looks like you’re doing both. You have sat calmly and chatted for a good ten minutes now. I’m changing the subject to keep you distracted and it seems to be working.”
“Matthew…”
“It’s Harry,” he said, holding her gaze.
“I thought your name was Matthew.”
He winked. “Actually it’s Harold Matthew Lyell. Matthew is my stage name. My friends call me Harry. And I hope you’re a friend. One that I would like to spend a lot more time with over the coming weeks.”
Eva looked at him, acutely aware of the honor he’d just given her. And for some reason, whether it was his prayer, or just his physical presence and touch, she wasn’t quite so scared anymore. “Harry,” she said. “And I’d like to spend time with you, as well.”
He smiled, and raised her hand to his lips, his light touch soft against her cold skin. Ripples ran down her fingers, up her arm and filled her with warmth. “So, are we going for coffee or just going to sit here and get wet?”
“I have an umbrella,” she said. “But I’d like coffee.”
He kissed her fingers, sending her stomach somersaulting with emotions she really didn’t understand. “Then let’s go. I fancy one of those Christmas coffees I’ve heard about on the radio.”
“The gingerbread latte is good. As is the black forest hot chocolate.”
Harry stood. “Then I’ll have one of each. You get
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