Chapter 20
Tuesday
It’s a round table of Westcotts, and I’m happy to be a part of this dinner.
With Loch’s hand resting on my thigh, and the laughs we’ve shared, I don’t think I’ve stopped smiling once.
Their teasing is always underlined in respect, good humor, and love.
They seem to naturally know where to draw a line and not cross it. If only my family knew the same.
My heart clenches, and I suck in a harsh breath the moment the thought crosses my mind. My family didn’t understand boundaries, were hurtful, or worse, both?
I wrap my arm over my stomach and reach for my glass of water. I drink it down, hoping to swallow the ache that’s formed inside me.
“Are you all right, Tuesday?” Lark’s fingers just barely touch the table’s edge, hanging on after pushing her empty dessert plate away.
Setting my glass down, I look at her and nod.
“Amnesia is tricky. It’s a gatekeeper to all my memories that I can’t get past most days.
Then one just sneaks up on me out of nowhere.
Sometimes it’s clear, and sometimes I have to guess what it means.
Either way, it strikes, leaving me feeling vulnerable, like my happiness in the now is at risk. ”
Her hand returns to her lap, but her attention is fully on me. It would be easy to say it’s her polished bedside manner, but I really think she’s genuinely this caring all the time. “How are you feeling? Any dizziness or headaches?”
“Occasionally, I get a pain in my head, but it’s not so much a headache, more of a temporary reminder that I’m pushing myself too hard.”
“Port shared that you have a concussion. When is your follow-up appointment?”
It’s not something I’ve discussed with Loch because the last thing he needs is more reason to drop his life, or more money, to help me. But I can’t lie to her. “I don’t actually have one. I was told there are free clinics if I had concerns.”
“Why would you need a free clinic? Your doctor should have scheduled the follow-up before you checked out of the hospital.” I appreciate her keeping her voice low and our conversation private.
Leaning closer, I whisper, “I have no money. No insurance. No way to pay. So the follow-up was not approved by the hospital. The nurse told me to come by this week, and she’d be able to help me find a clinic that can fit me in, but that’s not necessary—”
“It is necessary, especially at this point in the healing process. Would you like me to do your checkup? I’m limited to the tools I have at my disposal, meaning no X-rays or CT scans, but I don’t think you need those. But if the need arises, we’ll figure out how to get those done.”
I don’t know what to say. Sure, she’s my . . . she’s Loch’s sister-in-law, but this is more than I could ask for. “Honestly, I’m sort of speechless. Thank you. I do have a few minor concerns I’d like to discuss. I promise I won’t take up too much of your time.”
“You’re welcome. The guys were discussing a potential basketball game tomorrow before Port leaves town, so I could come over then.” A thought has her bolting straight and grinning. “I can bring lunch, and we can go shopping after. Depending on how your appointment goes, of course.”
“There’s just a tiny issue. Money. I hate to even mention it because it’s a little embarrassing. But since I don’t know who I am, I can’t figure out if I even had a job or a savings—”
“I understand.” She laughs lightly. Her eyes are sincere, with her smile reaching the outer corners.
“Don’t worry about a thing. If the guys get to play, so do the girls.
” Her gaze fixes on Loch. When he turns from his conversation with his brother and father, she says, “Loch, we’re going to need your credit card to go shopping tomorrow. ”
A mischievous look raises his eyebrow and quirks the right side of his mouth. Glancing at me out of the corners of his eyes, he says, “Shopping, huh?” He reaches for his wallet, pulls a card from it, and then hands it to me.
I take the card and waggle my eyebrows. “What’s my spending limit, Daddy Loch?”
Ohhhh, damn.
Why.
Did.
I.
Say.
That?
The table is silent, but that’s better than the mortification I feel. Loch starts tugging at his collar, and I hear him gulp. “I, uh—”
“I was only joking.” Meeting his dad’s eyes across the table, I pray he doesn’t think less of me. “I don’t call him Daddy. Oh no. I’m making this worse.” I turn my gaze to Loch and plead, “Please save me.”
Taking hold of the arm of my chair, he scoots me closer, the legs grinding against the floor, causing others at tables around us to stare. Not helpful. Then he kisses my temple and says, “Spend as much as you want. You’ve been a very good girl.”
Oh.
My.
God.
The man could take me right here on this table, and I would let him.
“What?” Harbor asks, drawing our attention. He’s staring at Lark like she just did some damage to his ribs. “Hint taken, babe. If you want me to talk dirty, I’ll do it.”
“I’m not making the same promise to limit my spending like Tuesday did,” Lark adds.
“I only get to shop when Delta or Marina are in the city.” And being the thick as thieves friends we’ve become, she starts a story to get the heat off me.
She reaches over to touch my forearm. “So I’m happy to have a shopping friend. I’m sure Harbor is as well.”
“I like being your baggage handler. Instead of tips, Lark goes—”
“Okay,” she says, riddled with laughter.
“That’s enough.” We all join in, causing her to drop her head forward in embarrassment.
I can empathize. But also, I recognize how I put them on pedestals because of the shallow reason of their looks.
Each of them is so much more than their physical appearance.
They wear their hearts right in the open for everyone to see.
I thought Loch was the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but I don’t know how I got so lucky to be here with all of them. My memories may lack, but my heart is overflowing.
Harbor wraps his arm around her shoulders, and though he’s still laughing, he brings her head to the crook of his neck and kisses her.
My presence feels invasive to the intimacy. I look away, feeling overwhelmed and teary, though I’m not sure why. Loch’s head comes to mine, just barely touching, as he rubs my thigh under the table. “What’s wrong?”
I shake my head at first, unable to speak without my emotions overflowing. I swallow and then whisper, “I’m just so happy.”
With his finger curled under my chin, he lifts until our eyes meet, and whispers, “So am I.” He kisses my forehead, then sits up while taking my hand to hold and resting the bond on his leg. “Are we ready?” he asks, the bill already paid and the server clearing our plates.
After a round of hugs and goodbyes outside, we take a taxi home since Brady is off on the weekends. I lean my head against his shoulder, still smiling, as we travel through the city. “I love them.”
He chuckles. “You’re telling me you love my family before you say it to me?” The words cut through the air, causing me to sit up.
Nothing in his tone was heavy. It was the opposite, in fact.
Playful even. Reading between the lines has me wondering if he’s ready for such declarations, though.
“Loch . . .” I don’t even know what I’m saying or if I should bring this up, but I can’t stop myself from finally finding the opening I need.
“You don’t think it’s too soon to say that to each other? ”
His hand runs under the hem of my dress, stopping to hold me just above my knee. “Do you?”
I take a breath, letting the shock wear off. Angling toward him when I lean back, I giggle. “I asked you first.”
“Well . . .” He starts, his gaze dashing out the window briefly before returning to me. “Ask me that a week ago and I would have had a different answer.”
“I wish I’d known you then.”
“No, you don’t.” His response comes so fast that I do a double take.
“Why not?”
“Because I’m only who I am right now because of you.” He takes my hand, our fingers folding together, and kisses the top.
Bringing our hands to my mouth, I turn my wrist and kiss his hand the same way he kissed mine. “You’ve always been this person, Loch. You just needed a nudge in the right direction.”
His arm comes around me, and he places another kiss on the side of my head. “You were right before. You’ve reminded me who I used to be before I got caught up selling every minute of my life away.”
“What if you billed yourself for a few hours each day and bought your time back?”
A single laugh escapes, and he shifts, finding my eyes in the dark of the cab. “That’s actually quite brilliant.”
“Thank you.” I do a little faux curtsy that would get me kicked out of the palace. I poke him in the chest. “All you have to do is buy back your time.”
“And how do you suggest I spend it instead?”
“I have a few ideas.” I catch the cabbie watching us in the rearview mirror. “That I can’t wait to show you at home.”
The word slips out without permission. We both catch it. I can tell he does by the slow-spreading smile on his face. Kissing my hand once more, he whispers, “Home.”
He unlocks the door and then turns around. I’m not sure what lit the fire in his eyes, but he’s smoking hot. “Ack!” I scream in a fit of laughter as I’m scooped into his arms and then tossed over his shoulder as he pushes the door open and then kicks it closed behind us.
“Not very Prince Charming of you.” I smack his hard ass, but with his coat on, I don’t get in a good whack.
Cruising down the hall, he smacks my ass because my coat sucks and is currently riding up my back. “It’s not the title I’m going for.”
“What title are you after then?”
Slipping into the bedroom, he stands bedside, gets a good grab of my ass in, and then gently lays me down on the mattress. “Boyfriend.” My heart swoons, and I fall back. But when he sits next to me with his hand on my stomach, he replies, “What do you say? Do I fit the bill?”
I reach out to the side and take his hand, and he comes without me having to ask, hovering over me with our eyes staring into each other’s.
I love that we have a silent language the other knows how to read.
I take a breath, not because I need courage but because he always steals it, and say, “I love you.”