bright smile, bubbling laughter, and kind heart. He knew Ryan felt the same way. Neither of them had ever wanted a permanent fixture, a woman to come home to, but she had barreled her way into their lives and hearts without even trying.
What the hell am I going to do without her? She completed me. Completed us.
* * * *
Sweat cut a path from Ryan’s temples and down his neck and back in rivulets. Droplets glistened across the expanse of his chest while he pounded the heavy punching bag in his spare room. With each strike, the sound of leather hitting vinyl sounded loud in the room.
Brett had broken the news of Whitney’s departure not fifteen minutes ago, and now, Ryan felt like his heart lay shattered in his chest. Her name echoed in his brain every time his gloved fist hit the rock-solid weight of the bag. The chain holding it securely to the ceiling clanked with every punch.
Whitney. Whitney. Whitney.
She’s gone. Get over it. She doesn’t remember you, doesn’t recall the feelings that engulfed the three of us when we made love.
Ryan didn’t realize he had tears rolling down his cheeks, mixing with the sweat, until a sob escaped his lips and he hung onto the bag. After a moment, he stepped back, swiped his brow with his arm, and hit the bag again.
No one has ever meant this much to me. How did she invade my heart so easily? Not even Sara held me so tight, and I was engaged to her.
Sara Reynolds. Even the memories of her didn’t hurt nearly as much as Whitney having no recollection of him or Brett. Honestly, Sara had meant the world to him, but Whitney being part of his life made it brighter, made it shine like diamonds on Lake Mary. He’d thought his life was over when Sara died in that accident five years earlier in the canyon, but he knew she wasn’t coming back and he knew he had to move on without her. It was the reason he became a paramedic and rescue climber for the canyon rescue team.
This situation with Whitney had him wondering and wishing. Would she ever get her memory back? She was terrified, he knew that, but it didn’t change the fact he still wanted to take her shoulders in his hands and shake her. The emptiness, the complete lack of recognition in her eyes when she looked at him, hurt. God, did it ever hurt. When she’d looked at him before, he could see the wonder in her gaze, the excitement surrounding her as she contemplated making love with both him and Brett and thought about a life with the two of them. Sure, none of them had confessed feelings, but he knew she cared even if she hadn’t realized it yet. Now, she looked at him and Brett as if they were complete strangers to her. In a sense, he supposed they were. If her memory stopped prior to her accident, she wouldn’t know them from anyone else she might meet on the street.
I’m not giving up on her. She’ll get her memory back eventually, and when she does, she’ll be back. Brett and I just need to be patient.
* * * *
The car pulled into the circular driveway of her parents’ house. The heat of the August day beat down on her head when she stepped out and headed for the front door.
“Whitney, sweetheart,” her mother said when she moved inside. “My God! What happened up there? First, your father tells me you fell in the canyon and broke your leg, and then you were staying with that doctor at his house. The next thing I know, you are back in the hospital because Eric hit you.”
“Mom, I don’t remember.”
“What do you mean you don’t remember?”
“Alice,” her father said, stopping next to Whitney. “She doesn’t remember anything from the last couple of months. I think the last thing that comes to mind is before she left with Eric to go up there.”
“I don’t understand. Where’s Eric now?”
Her small suitcase was dropped near her feet. “In jail, Mom.”
“Jail?”
“Yes, Alice. Jail and he’ll stay there.”
“That’s ridiculous, Aaron. I’m sure this is all a big
What the hell am I going to do without her? She completed me. Completed us.
* * * *
Sweat cut a path from Ryan’s temples and down his neck and back in rivulets. Droplets glistened across the expanse of his chest while he pounded the heavy punching bag in his spare room. With each strike, the sound of leather hitting vinyl sounded loud in the room.
Brett had broken the news of Whitney’s departure not fifteen minutes ago, and now, Ryan felt like his heart lay shattered in his chest. Her name echoed in his brain every time his gloved fist hit the rock-solid weight of the bag. The chain holding it securely to the ceiling clanked with every punch.
Whitney. Whitney. Whitney.
She’s gone. Get over it. She doesn’t remember you, doesn’t recall the feelings that engulfed the three of us when we made love.
Ryan didn’t realize he had tears rolling down his cheeks, mixing with the sweat, until a sob escaped his lips and he hung onto the bag. After a moment, he stepped back, swiped his brow with his arm, and hit the bag again.
No one has ever meant this much to me. How did she invade my heart so easily? Not even Sara held me so tight, and I was engaged to her.
Sara Reynolds. Even the memories of her didn’t hurt nearly as much as Whitney having no recollection of him or Brett. Honestly, Sara had meant the world to him, but Whitney being part of his life made it brighter, made it shine like diamonds on Lake Mary. He’d thought his life was over when Sara died in that accident five years earlier in the canyon, but he knew she wasn’t coming back and he knew he had to move on without her. It was the reason he became a paramedic and rescue climber for the canyon rescue team.
This situation with Whitney had him wondering and wishing. Would she ever get her memory back? She was terrified, he knew that, but it didn’t change the fact he still wanted to take her shoulders in his hands and shake her. The emptiness, the complete lack of recognition in her eyes when she looked at him, hurt. God, did it ever hurt. When she’d looked at him before, he could see the wonder in her gaze, the excitement surrounding her as she contemplated making love with both him and Brett and thought about a life with the two of them. Sure, none of them had confessed feelings, but he knew she cared even if she hadn’t realized it yet. Now, she looked at him and Brett as if they were complete strangers to her. In a sense, he supposed they were. If her memory stopped prior to her accident, she wouldn’t know them from anyone else she might meet on the street.
I’m not giving up on her. She’ll get her memory back eventually, and when she does, she’ll be back. Brett and I just need to be patient.
* * * *
The car pulled into the circular driveway of her parents’ house. The heat of the August day beat down on her head when she stepped out and headed for the front door.
“Whitney, sweetheart,” her mother said when she moved inside. “My God! What happened up there? First, your father tells me you fell in the canyon and broke your leg, and then you were staying with that doctor at his house. The next thing I know, you are back in the hospital because Eric hit you.”
“Mom, I don’t remember.”
“What do you mean you don’t remember?”
“Alice,” her father said, stopping next to Whitney. “She doesn’t remember anything from the last couple of months. I think the last thing that comes to mind is before she left with Eric to go up there.”
“I don’t understand. Where’s Eric now?”
Her small suitcase was dropped near her feet. “In jail, Mom.”
“Jail?”
“Yes, Alice. Jail and he’ll stay there.”
“That’s ridiculous, Aaron. I’m sure this is all a big
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