The Bride Price (23 page)

“Shh, baby, I’m right here.”

He registered her voice cutting through the
fog, and her fingers wiping wetness from his cheek. He pulled her
closer and wrapped a blanket over her shoulders. “Sophie.”

“What do you remember?”

“Flashes more than memories. You disappeared
from our bed. You had wires attached to your body, but they were
still there…everything, even what should have been inside of you.”
His voice shook as he relayed the night she disappeared. “I thought
someone took you and that you were without your LVAD—” He grabbed
his head, the pain sudden and excruciating.

Sophie laid a hand on top of his. “Don’t
force it, Jamie. It’ll all come back. Just give it time.”

“I don’t understand.” He flopped onto his
back, pulling her with him. “I don’t know what I’m missing.”

“Let me fill in some of the blanks.” She ran
a finger over his chest. “I was born in the year 1981, you were
born in the year 1979. We met in 2000 and were married in June of
2001. In 2006, I was diagnosed with a failing heart. The last thing
I remember was lying in our bed with you by my side. That was
January 31, 2007.”

“Over a hundred years in the future?”

Sophie sighed. “Yes.”

“How is that even possible?”

She shrugged. “No idea.”

Jamie nodded. “And Emma. My sister?”

“No.” Sophie gasped quietly. “
My
sister. You remember her?”

Jamie frowned. “Sort of.”

“Don’t try.” Sophie ran her palm across his
cheek. “I need something other than your memory right now.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The next morning began with a flurry of activity.
Sophie was so excited she hadn’t really been able to sleep. Jamie
had snuck her back to the house at close to three, and spent
another hour saying goodnight.

Up and dressed by eight o’clock, despite not having
gone to sleep until dawn, Sophie rushed downstairs, decided to wait
to eat breakfast, and made her way to the stables instead.

Samson was being used constantly for
training, and as girlish as it might seem, she missed what she had
become to think of as her horse. With great anticipation, she
rounded the corner into the barn but stopped short. Richard was
leaning against Samson’s stall, obviously waiting for her to
arrive.

“Richard.” She moved slowly towards him. He
said nothing, just stared straight through her. “Richard, are you
going to give me the silent treatment, or are we going to
talk?”

He looked terrible. He hadn’t shaved, his
eyes were bloodshot, and he looked two sheets to the wind. “I’m
guessin’ there’s not much to say,” he grumbled, his southern accent
heavier than she’d heard it before.

“Then why are you here? You know I come every
morning to see Samson, so it can’t be a coincidence that you are in
your neighbors’ barn, next to the horse that I visit every chance I
get,” Sophie said exasperated.

“Damn it, Sophie. You’re mine. He can’t have
you.”

Sophie stepped back, slightly nervous at his
anger. “Richard, I never said I was yours or made a commitment. You
know how I feel about Jamie. I have always been his and now that
he’s back, I plan to do whatever it takes to stay with him.”

Richard glared as he advanced on her. He
pushed her roughly up against one of the stall doors and leaned
down to kiss her. She fought him but he wouldn’t let her go.

“Stop, Richard. You’re drunk. Please don’t do
this,” she whimpered.

“You’re supposed to be mine. One way or
another, I am going to make you mine.”

“Get your hands off her,” Jamie ordered.

Richard turned, his forearm still firmly
across Sophie’s chest. “What the hell are you going to do about
it?”

“This.” Grabbing Richard firmly by the collar
of his shirt, Jamie pulled him off Sophie. Richard tried to fight,
but he was no match for Jamie, especially drunk. Every move he
made, Jamie countered with another that not only bested him but
humiliated him as well. In the end, Jamie gave one good punch to
the jaw and Richard was out cold.

Jamie turned to see Sophie slide down the
wall of the stall, her face in her hands. “Sophie, are you okay?
Did he hurt you?”

Sophie shook her head as Jamie hunkered down
next to her and touched her shoulder. He gathered her in his arms
and carried her to the bale of hay outside of Samson’s stall.
Settling her onto his lap as he sat down, he stroked her back.
Samson stuck his head out of his stall and shoved his nose in
between the couple.

Sophie reached up and stroked his nose. “I’m
okay, boy.”

Jamie took a ragged breath. “Did he hurt
you?”

She shook her head and wrapped her arms
around his neck. “No. He just scared me.”

Jamie kissed her cheek. “Déjà vu.”

Sophie looked at him. “What did you
remember?”

“Chad the ass.”

“Chad? My ex, Chad?”

Jamie nodded. “Remember the day I threw him
out?”

Sophie put her hand on his cheek. “He thought
he needed to save me from you. You thought otherwise and explained
that to him.” She smiled. “I fell in love with you that day.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Oh, really? I thought
it was when—”

Pain splintered as he tried to remember what
he was going to say. He drew air in through his teeth and felt
Sophie’s grip tighten. “Baby, don’t push it.”

He nodded and she laid her head on his
shoulder. “What’s on your agenda today?”

“It has changed slightly. We had a few new
horses arrive, so Richard is going to work with them and the men.”
He looked over at the passed-out form of Richard. “Well, he
was
going to work with them. Ash can probably take over for
him.” Jamie rubbed his temples, his headache subsiding almost as
quickly as it came. “Would you like to do something with me? A
picnic maybe?”

“I’d love that. Let me organize the food
though, okay?”

“Hardtack not appetizing enough?”

She laughed. “No, can’t say that it is. Meet
me at the house in a little while and I’ll have everything
ready.”

“I’ll take care of Richard and make sure he
gets home to sleep it off.” He gave her a little squeeze.

* * *

Jamie arrived an hour later and they took off
toward the lake, hand in hand, Jamie carrying the picnic basket.
When they arrived at the water, Jamie laid the blanket out, and
Sophie went to work pulling out the food.

“How are you feeling?” Jamie asked.

“I’m exhausted.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Well if you hadn’t
accosted me last night…”

Sophie grinned. “Yeah, I heard you
complaining all night long.”

“Why don’t you lie down and relax? Watch the
clouds with me.”

She lay down on her back, and Jamie settled
himself next to her. He took her hand in his and held it to his
chest. She pointed to one above them. “That one looks like an
elephant.”

“More like a monkey, I think.”

“What? You’re crazy. Look at the trunk.”

“No, that’s his tail.”

She laughed and he drew her hand to his lips.
She turned her head, and as he leaned over to kiss her, he noticed
the dark rings under her eyes. “Why don’t you sleep, Sophie?”

“Do I have time to sleep? Shouldn’t we be
getting back soon?”

“We have time. Go to sleep.”

She smiled. “I don’t know if that would be
entirely appropriate, sir.”

He kissed her cheek. “A nap in the afternoon
with my wife? What could possibly be more appropriate?” Sophie
nodded, tears slipping down her temples. Jamie kissed one, drawing
the tear into his mouth. “I love you.”

She rolled on her side with a sigh, and he
formed his body around hers, pulling her closer to him. “I love you
more,” she whispered.

Jamie spent several minutes watching her
sleep. He may not remember everything, but he remembered her as his
wife, and he wouldn’t let her go again. He closed his eyes and drew
her body closer to him. Awakened by Sophie shivering, Jamie pulled
her closer before leaning down, and kissing her cheek to wake
her.

“Hi.” She turned to face him. “How long was I
asleep?”

“At least two hours. How do you feel?”

“Cold but otherwise okay. Did you sleep?”

“I did.” He kissed her and then added, “but
only until you started snoring.”

She pushed him away with snort and sat up. “I
do
not
snore!”

Jamie chuckled as he pushed her back down.
“You do snore, and it’s adorable.”

He leaned down to kiss her but she turned her
head. “Take it back.”

“I’m only speaking the truth. Now kiss
me.”

“No.” She moved her head to deflect his every
attempt.

“Did you just deny me?”

Sophie giggled. “I did. What are you going to
do about it?”

“You don’t really want an answer to that, do
you?”

“Ooh, I’m scared.” He leaned down for one
more attempt at a kiss, and at her deflection, grabbed her sides
and began to tickle her. Sophie squealed. “Not fair!”

“Do you surrender?”

“Not on your life.” She tried to roll away
from him but he followed. Grabbing her around the waist again, he
increased the level of torture and it didn’t matter how much she
protested, he wouldn’t give up.

“Jamie! I’m going to pee.”

“Say ‘uncle,’” he ordered.

“UNCLE!” He tickled her one more time and
Sophie gasped. “Hey! I said ‘uncle.’”

“Sorry, love, I didn’t hear you.”

“You are such a sneak!” She laughed.

Jamie leaned down to kiss her and suddenly
dirt splattered over them.

“What was that?” Sophie sat up and wiped the
dirt from her skirts.

A whistle and then dirt kicked up again, and
Jamie shoved her down and covered her body. “Stay down!”

“What’s going on?”

“Those are bullets, Sophie, stay down!”

“What are you talking about?”

Jamie rolled, grasping her around the waist
and pulling her to relative cover. “Someone is shooting at us.”

“Why?”

Jamie groaned. “I don’t know,
why
,
baby. Just sit there and stay out of sight!”

Sophie flattened herself on the ground behind
a few large river rocks and watched as Jamie hunched down and began
to move toward the lake. “What are you doing?” she squealed.

Jamie waved his hand to stay back and
continued forward. Sophie couldn’t breathe as she watched him inch
further away from her and then, suddenly, a rider tore out from the
cover of trees and took off—away from them.

Sophie jumped up and rushed over to Jamie.
“Who was that?”

Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled
her close and kissed her temple. “I don’t know, but I think it was
the same man that shot Lund.”

“The soldier you brought into the
hospital?”

At his nod, Sophie squinted across the
man-made lake. “Is he shooting at us on purpose?”

Sophie’s skin crawled at the thought that the
man was hiding in plain sight—close enough to get at them.

“I don’t know but I mean to find out. Let’s
get you back to the house so I can find out what’s going on.”

Sophie’s head whipped up. “What? No!
Absolutely not! It’s too dangerous.”

Jamie chuckled as he cupped her face and
kissed her. “I’ll be fine.”

“Famous last words,” Sophie grumbled as they
gathered their things and started back toward home.

Jamie took her hand, and she found herself
distracted by the feel of his strong hand, now rougher than before,
covering hers. The calluses were a heady feeling against her small,
smooth palm and she smiled as she looked up at him. Without
warning, she stumbled and went down hard. Luckily, Jamie had a good
grip and was able to keep her from falling completely.

He dropped the basket and wrapped his free
hand around her waist to help guide her gently to the ground.
Grasping her ankle, the tears slid down her face as she tried to
catch her breath.

“What happened?”

“Gopher hole, I think,” she rasped.

Jamie knelt beside her. “Let’s have a look.”
Pulling her boot off gently, Jamie let out a quiet whistle. “This
just hasn’t been your day, has it?”

Sophie grimaced.

“Come here, love.” He picked her up and
started to move toward the Wades house.

“Jamie, if I get too heavy, you must tell
me.”

Jamie carried her back to the house and into
the parlor so that Michael could look at her ankle. While the
doctor examined her, Jamie gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “I’m
going to grab the basket. I’ll return soon.”

She glanced up at him and smiled. “Okay.
Thanks.”

Her focus was pulled back to Michael as he
squeezed her ankle. “Ouch.”

“Sorry, Sophie.” Michael rose to his feet.
“It’s swollen but nothing appears to be broken. Rest for a few days
and keep it elevated.”

Sophie pushed her frustration aside. “Thanks,
Michael.”

Sophie rested in the library, her foot
elevated on a stool and packed with ice, per doctor’s orders,
grimacing at the constant throb.

Jamie came into the room and sat in the chair
next to her. “How’s your ankle?”

“I think I might have brittle bone
disease.”

“Excuse me?”

Sophie sighed. “I’m fine as long as I don’t
walk on it.”

“So, don’t walk on it,” Jamie joked.

“Funny, ha, ha. Maybe I have cancer.”

“I am reminded of your hypochondriac
tendencies. You don’t have cancer.” Sophie opened her mouth to
respond but Jamie cut her off. “
Or
brittle bones.”

“What did you find out when you went to
“retrieve the basket?””

Jamie rolled his eyes. “I really did retrieve
the basket.”

“And it took you almost an hour, so what else
did you do?”

Jamie turned as he heard the library door
open and stood when Christine entered the room. “I heard Sophie had
an accident.”

Sophie wrinkled her nose and whispered, “You
are so not off the hook.”