Halfway to forever by Karen Kingsbury

find my interview notes, case precedent research, and copies of
218
e lease contract that started the whole thing."
Matt thumbed through the file and then looked at Tanner
gain. "This case meant a lot to you."
A lump formed in Tanner's throat as he leveled his gaze at
'Matt. "Jade means a whole lot more."
Matt held the file up. "I'll give it my best." As he left Tanner's office, Matt pointed heavenward. "I won't
be working alone."
" Tanner grinned. "I have no doubts.
The memory faded again and ESPN went to a commercial. "Time for my movie." She batted her eyes, and
for a moment
as lost in them. Whether she was sick or not, jade's eyes Tanner V~
Tan were a gorgeous green, green as the water in Chesapeake Bay.
He sighed in mock frustration. "You sure you don't want another half hour of SportsCenter?"
"Positive."
This time he sighed long and hard. "Okay...what's the
movie."
She grinned, and for an instant looked like the little girl he'd befriended back in Virginia. "The aY WChi
kcflicWere-Channel k, right? Tearjegker?"
He silently mouthed the title.
Jade nestled in closer to his side. "Yes, but you'll like it. I promise." ~~~ He kissed the top of
Tanner groaned. "And it you re wrong her head.
"We can watch war movies for a week." She giggled hard at the thought, and the sound was like
nourishment for his soul. How would he survive without the melody of her laugh, the
feel of her body against his? He forced the question from his mind.
"Okay. Channel Eight it is."
For the next two hours, they watched Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford fall in and out of love until
finally, at the end, they went their separate ways. Through the last fifteen minutes, jade
221 dabbed at an occasional tear and sniffled without being loud. When it was over, Tanner flicked off
the television and turned down the light.
"See?" He twirled a lock of her hair between his fingers. "I told
you it was sad."
"It reminds me of us. Before we found each other again."
Tanner thought about that, how empty life had been when
they'd been tricked into going their separate ways. "Yeah." He
danced his fingers down the length of her ann. "But our story..."
He stopped himself.
"Our story what?"
He wanted to say their story would have a happy ending, that
there would be no final parting for the two of them. . .but there
was no way he could finish that sentence. Not yet, anyway. Not
while jade was fighting for her life. "Nothing. Hey, what should
we do tomorrow?"
Jade let the issue pass. Instead, she gazed up at him and traced
his lips with a trembling finger. "Have I told you how much I love
you, Tanner Eastman?"