Remember Me (Men of Honor Series Book 1) (3 page)

Instinct told her to turn and run. Instead she moved toward him and said, “I have one option for you.”

He lifted an eyebrow, grinning in a way that made her heart pound and her palms sweat.

“My friend and neighbor, Mike, said he’s willing to give you a place to stay until you figure things out.”

“Well, that’s awful nice of him, not knowing me from Adam.” His brow furrowed.

She fidgeted with the bottom of her scrub top. “The police officer said you were on your own. I just told a friend your story and he offered to help, that’s all.” She shrugged, attempting to make it sound more casual than it was.

He took her hand. An electric current shot through her. Her entire body flushed red. Curse her Norwegian skin. It was a tell all.

“Thank you. I appreciate your friend’s generosity and you looking out for me. At the moment, you’re the only friend I have in the world.”

She pulled her hand away. Him touching her and being nice wasn’t helping her decide if she hated him or wanted to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him senseless.

“I’m sorry, but do we know each other from somewhere? I keep getting this crazy feeling we’ve met before.”

Tucking her hair behind her ear, she looked at the floor and then out the window – anywhere but in his eyes. She didn’t answer.

“I’ll go see about getting your release papers. A social worker is coming by as well. She should be here soon.”

She shot through the door and toward the nurses’ station, begging God to help her through this. What was she thinking? How could this possibly be a good idea? She couldn’t be in a room alone with him for five minutes, and now he was going to be living next door. Her mind spun like a Tilt-A-Whirl.

“He’ll be with Mike more than me. I’ll hardly even see him,” she said to herself.

“Who are you talking to?” Gwen asked as she came around the corner.

“Ugh. Just myself. Sorry. Ignore me. I wish
I
could.” Tess rolled her eyes as her boss laughed.

“That man sure has you flustered. I’ve never seen you like this.”

“You have no idea.”

***

Ben sat and thought about his conversation with Tess. She’d taken her hair down, a cascade of golden silk down her back. Her eyes had gone straight to his chest and then her cheeks turned red. Ben had sensed her discomfort, so he’d put his shirt on. Although a part of him had to admit it was nice to get that kind of reaction out of her. When he’d told her he was leaving and she’d crossed her arms and stood in front of the door, it took everything in him not to laugh. He could have easily thrown her over his shoulder and taken her right out the door with him. An enticing idea, for sure.

He didn’t know what it was about Tess, but he couldn’t shake the idea he’d seen her somewhere before. When she said her friend was willing to give him a place to stay, his heart almost jumped out of his chest. He had grabbed her hand hoping to steady his own, only to feel a sense of coming home when his large hand engulfed hers. The instinct to never be away from her was at that moment so strong it had almost knocked him off the bed.

The door to his room opened again and Tess came in carrying a file folder and a pen. She set the folder on the tray and opened it, shuffling through papers. Her eyes looked red from crying. Her hair was back up in a clip again.

“You look tired.”

She looked at him and forced a smile. “Yeah. I’m fine. I worked all night and was supposed to be off a few hours ago.”

“You stayed because of me.”

She looked down at the papers. A knock at the door kept her from answering.

A woman in her fifties with a pleasant smile and calm demeanor entered the room. “Hi. I’m Janet.” She shook hands with Ben and Tess. “I’m the social worker assigned to your case. But it looks like you have a guardian angel looking out for you, since Dr. Mike here says he’ll claim responsibility.”

She gestured to the man who’d come in the room right behind her, although he looked more like a surfer straight off the sand than a doctor.

“Hey, T.” Mike nodded to Tess then shook hands with Ben. “Hi. I’m Mike, Tess’s friend. I spoke to Janet in the hallway, explained to her that I’m good with you crashing with me for a bit while we figure things out.” He winked at Tess.

“About that,” Ben cut in. “Not that I’m not grateful or anything, but you’re really okay with this? I’m a perfect stranger.”

Mike looked at Tess and back at Ben before answering. “Well, I’m a doctor, so helping people is kind of my thing. And I’m an optimist. I have a feeling you’ll remember things in no time.”

Tess rolled her eyes.

Janet chimed in. “Okay, then. Let’s get the paperwork done and we’ll leave you in Dr. Mike’s capable hands.”

Ben took a deep breath. “Okay. But there’s just one problem. I don’t know my name. And I’m not too keen on going by John Doe.”

He looked at Tess. “Why don’t you give me one?”

She looked horrified at the idea, but he continued. “Something strong and brave, regal even.” He sat up straight and puffed out his chest as he winked at her.

She laughed, and for a brief moment her eyes twinkled. His stomach did a weird flip, and he decided right then he would do anything it took to make her smile.

She ran her thumb over her bottom lip and considered his offer. Her face softened and she said, “How about Ben?”

“Hmmm. Ben. I like it.” He liked the way she said it too.

“Ben it is.”

Okay, then.” Tess looked at Mike then Ben. “Let’s get you home.”

Tess mentally berated herself as she drove. “
Let’s get you home
.” What in the world made
that
come out of her mouth? When he’d told her to choose a name for him, she’d almost fallen over. She didn’t feel right giving him some made-up name, but she wasn’t sure if telling him his name was Ben would spark memories or not. Was keeping the truth from him deceitful? Was Mike right that he needed to discover it on his own? That’s what she kept telling herself to feel better. Terrified of what might happen once he remembered, she suppressed her thoughts and tried to focus on the road.

She had been able to talk to Mike in the parking lot briefly without Ben hearing. Mike had filled Janet in on the situation, made her aware that he knew Ben’s identity but wanted to wait and try and help him recover his memory on his own. Tess was grateful Janet was willing to keep things quiet and let Ben go in Mike’s care.

“This is a really nice car.” Ben turned the seat heater on then off again and pushed the button for the reading light, obsessed with gadgets like a little kid. “I love the color.” He turned the light back off and looked at her.

It had taken restraint not to laugh when he had to fold himself up to fit into the sports car when they’d left the hospital. She’d put the top down so his head at least had some room. Mike had driven Emma’s two-seater and it was jammed with wedding stuff so Ben had to ride with Tess.

“Thanks. It was a wed… I mean… a gift from my parents.”

To be honest, Tess’s heart had almost stopped when her dad pulled up in the Audi TTS Roadster intended as a wedding present. Ocean blue, her favorite color. After Ben left, her dad said he would return it if it was too painful a reminder. But it became a symbol for her of a new life and a new start. She’d taken off in it and never looked back. Well, she’d tried anyway. Her memories, and now Ben himself, seemed to find her.

“That’s nice of them.”

She caught a note of sarcasm in his voice.

“Hey, just because my parents have money doesn’t mean I’m a spoiled rich kid. I’ll have you know I worked my butt off in school, had full ride
academic
scholarships, and was taught a strong work ethic. My father didn’t get where he is today by sitting on his hands.”

He held up both hands in defense, laughing. “Okay, okay. I didn’t say anything. So your family has money. Who cares?”

She relaxed her grip on the wheel and took a deep breath. The tension from the previous few hours was wearing on her. Ben had never cared her family was wealthy. His parents weren’t rich, but they weren’t poor either. As an only child, he was loved and doted on, but also taught to work hard and be independent.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you.” Keeping her right hand on the wheel, she ran her left over her forehead and rested her elbow on the car door. “It’s been a long day.”

“I understand.” He shrugged and looked back out the window, a relaxed look on his face. “I like this music. Mind if I turn it up?”

“Not at all. Go ahead.”

She smiled. “My dad loves ‘70s music. We’d always dance to it after dinner when I was growing up.”

“Sounds like you have a nice family.”

She nodded. Her family had loved Ben. Thought he was perfect for her. What would her overprotective parents and sisters think now? Telling them Ben was back probably wasn’t a good idea. She didn’t understand herself what was happening. How could she explain it to them?

Ben tapped his leg to the beat as music filled the air. Tess wiggled her left hand, still not used to an empty ring finger. Her mind wandered. Two and a half years ago, she’d worked with Habitat for Humanity helping build houses for people in need. Ben had worked on one of the job sites with her. His infectious smile and charm made the job fun and exciting, and she fell for him. Hard. Seeing him walk around in jeans and work boots all day didn’t hurt either. Like Gwen said, her “lumberjack” type. She wasn’t so sure about his feelings for her right away, but he’d always told her it was love at first sight. She’d teased him that that was impossible, since every girl working on the project vied for his attention, but she never doubted his love for her.

As a cop, he worked crazy hours, and so did she as a nurse, but they’d understood each other’s dreams and worked toward them together. When Ben’s parents were killed six months before the wedding, he changed. She understood that he was heartbroken and upset, but something bigger was going on, something deeper. Instead of dealing with the pain, he’d thrown himself into his work. Tess had believed he still loved her; when she found the note on her bed a week before their wedding, her heart broke in two. Apparently, even she couldn’t tear down the walls of his pain and bring him back.

The road they drove sat right up against the coastline. She glanced over at Ben, his face peaceful as he watched the beach and ocean float by. He looked like he always had before. No worries, no fears. How could he be someone she knew as well as she knew herself, and yet a stranger just the same?

Could she ever trust him again? Her head said no. But as battered and bruised as her heart was, it still longed to have him in her life.

Pulling into her driveway, she put up the garage door but stayed outside, parking next to Mike’s late-model pickup truck. Mike’s garage shared a wall with hers. A meticulously waxed surfboard lay flat across his worktable.

Mike pulled in behind them and they all got out.

“Why don’t you come on in, Ben, and meet my fiancé, Emma, and we can get you settled.” Mike clapped Ben on the shoulder, guiding him toward the house.

“I really appreciate you doing this. It’s kind of you to take in a stranger like this.”

“Well, Tess said you seem to be a decent guy.” Mike looked back over his shoulder at Tess, who shot him a dirty look. He chuckled.

“Did she now?” Ben raised an eyebrow in her direction.

Mike led them through the front door and into the kitchen. Emma sat at the high counter with bridal magazines all around, her wedding organizer opened in front of her. Her sand-blonde hair was pulled into a messy ponytail. One of her flip- flops tapped against the footrest of the barstool.

“Hey, babe. We’re back. And
Ben
is here.” He moved around the counter to the refrigerator and grabbed two sodas. He held one up to Ben, who nodded, took it, and clicked it open. Mike did the same.

“Oh!
Ben
. It’s so nice to meet you,” Emma said, shaking his hand and then looking to Tess with wide eyes.

“
Ben
is the name Tess gave him at the hospital,” Mike offered.

Tess made a mental note to talk to them in private. If they kept stretching Ben’s name out like that she would have to resort to smacking them both.

“I like it.” Ben smiled at her.

Curse the man!

“Wow. You have quite a view.” Ben stood at the sliding glass doors that extended the length of the house. Mike had the doors open so the ocean breeze and sound of the waves spread through the room. The living room and kitchen were one big area, giving the place an open, spacious feeling.

“Does your place look like this?” Ben asked Tess.

“Yes. Our back deck connects. My house mirrors Mike’s. It’s the same layout, just flip-flopped.”

“Come on. I’ll show you around,” Mike said to Ben, waving his can of soda toward the back doors.

Tess watched as the two guys stepped out onto the deck with stairs that led to the sand. Ben’s face reflected the awe everyone seemed to have when they saw the view. It was stunning. To her, it was home.

Out of the corner of her eye she caught Emma staring.

“What?”

“What do you mean,
what
?” Emma hissed. “Did he remember his name is Ben?”

Tess sat down on a barstool next to her friend, who was now ignoring her bridal books and leaning into Tess like a middle-school girl wanting all the good secrets from her best friend at lunchtime.

“No, he didn’t. He asked me to give him a name and I thought it best to just give him his real name.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes, I’m serious. I didn’t want to go around calling him something else or keep slipping up and calling him Ben.”

Emma sat back in her chair. “Hmm, I never thought of that.” Sitting forward again she said, “But what if you saying his real name had caused him to remember?”

Tess sighed and rested her chin in her hand. “I thought of that, but it was a risk I was willing to take. I mean, say he
had
remembered right then and there. Then maybe I would have gotten some answers out of him and he would have just moved on.”