Chapter Eleven – Mallory
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Mallory
“Okay, now don’t be nervous. Put your foot on the brake and put it in Drive.”
Doing as Liam said, I held my breath and pulled the gear shift down to Drive.
“Next, slowly ease off the brake and just steer down the driveway. You’ll come to a T. Turn to the left.”
“Are you sure about this? We don’t know if I even know how to drive.”
Liam placed his hand over mine, which was still on the gear shift. “You’ll be fine. Besides, there’s nothing out here that you can hit. Except a cow or a horse.”
My head shot to the right to look at him. “Liam!”
He laughed, and I couldn’t help but giggle. This was only my second day of being with Liam, besides the two I’d slept through, and it felt like I’d known him forever.
I slowly let off the brake and gently pushed on the gas. The Subaru started down the drive and, after the turn, I managed to keep it on the gravel country road.
“Looks like we can safely say you know how to drive.”
Smiling, I felt a small sense of accomplishment. No other memories had come back to me, but being able to do something as simple as driving made me feel like I knew a little something about myself.
“I wish we could go into town and buy some clothes.”
Liam sighed. “I plan on going in to get you some stuff. Believe me, I wish you could go with me.”
I slowed and put the car in Park. “Could I go in a disguise, like we talked about?”
He shrugged. “Do you feel comfortable doing that?”
Chewing on my lower lip, I shook my head and sighed. “Not really. I think I would be a nervous wreck the entire time.”
Giving me a soft smile, he said, “Let’s turn around up there and head back. I’ve got to get some work done before Billy hunts me down.”
After I executed a perfect three-point turn, we headed back toward Liam’s home. It was a gorgeous log and rock home, and I couldn’t help but smile when I saw it come into view.
“Your home is so beautiful.”
“Thank you,” he replied.
I pushed the button to open the garage door and pulled in and parked like a pro. When I turned the car off, I felt the sting of tears at the back of my eyes. I had a life before all of this. I knew how to drive, I worked somewhere, I had to have had a family and I couldn’t remember any of it.
Liam had already gotten out of the car and was letting Piper out. When he saw I was still in the car, he walked over and opened the driver’s-side door. He leaned in and asked, “Hey, what’s wrong?”
Trying hard not to cry, I turned and looked at him. What would he think if I were to ask him to hold me. Would he think I was weak? Or that I was coming on to him?
Before any other thoughts could pop into my mind, he took my hand and guided me out of the car. He shut the door, cupped my face in his warm hands, and said, “It’s going to be alright. You’ll get your memory back and we’ll figure out who kidnapped you. I promise, Mallory.”
They were promises we both knew he shouldn’t make. But I smiled anyway, nodded my head, and turned to walk into the house. Liam stopped me, pulled me to his body and wrapped his arms around me. I buried my face into his chest and let my tears spill free.
##
The sound of Liam’s truck pulling up made my stomach flip with anticipation.
I wasn’t sure why, since I’d seen him earlier this morning.
I had occupied the time since he’d been gone with baking.
I’d found a website I could add ingredients to, and it spits out recipes you could make with what you had on hand.
I’d been mentally exhausted after Randy left yesterday and had asked Liam if we could skip movie night, and he was so understanding.
Even though I’d been tired, I’d still laid in bed for hours, replaying in my mind Liam telling me I was beautiful.
The driving this morning had been another happy moment that allowed me to forget being in the basement.
Piper ran from wherever she’d been upstairs and barked at the front door, patiently waiting for Liam to walk in.
When he entered, he was carrying so many bags, I thought for sure he was going to tip over.
“Oh my gosh, what did you buy?” I asked as he walked into the living room and dropped them all on the sofa. After working on the ranch this morning, he’d swung by briefly to tell me he was going into Lewistown to get me some clothes and a phone.
“I paid Mrs. Grace to shop for me. I told her a friend from college was here visiting and had lost her luggage. I don’t think she believed me for one second. And I hope your sizes are all right.”
Taking in all the bags, I frowned. “I guessed on my sizes, but I’m sure we’ll be okay. How did she pay for it all?”
“I gave her cash.”
My mouth fell open. “You gave her cash to go shopping for you and trusted that she wouldn’t just take off with the money?”
He laughed. “Small towns, Mallory. I’m beginning to think you’re not from one. Besides, Mrs. Grace was my high school English teacher.”
It was my turn to laugh. “No, I don’t think I’m from a small town. I would never do that.”
“You only put down sports bras, by the way. She asked me what your bra size was.”
I felt my cheeks heat. “What did you tell her?”
“Told her I had no clue. Then she asked me what fruit they reminded me of.”
Now my entire body heated with embarrassment. “What did you say?”
It was his turn to blush. “I’d rather not say.” He quickly walked to the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and took out a beer.
“Liam—tell me.”
His gaze went to my chest before he jerked it away.
Glancing down, I said, “If I had to pick a fruit for my breasts, I would say…” When he groaned slightly, I giggled. “Maybe…a big apple? Or a smaller coconut.”
Liam exhaled harshly before he took another drink. “To be fair, it was dark when I undressed you.”
“Of course,” I said, trying not to laugh again.
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I said grapefruit.”
My brows rose, and I walked over to the fridge and opened it. He just happened to have a grapefruit. I took it out and held it up next to me, causing him to let out another tortured-sounding groan.
“Spot on, Mr. Sanders. You know your breasts.”
“Good Lord,” he mumbled and walked down the hall to his bedroom.
“Where are you going?” I called out.
“To take a cold shower! All this talk of breasts.”
I laughed and headed back into the living room. I’d found a website that walked me through gauging my sizes with a tape measure. I was hoping the clothes would fit. It would be glorious to wear something other than Liam’s clothes.
A lot of the bags said Connection, which appeared to be a women’s boutique. Three other bags said Crazy and Beautiful Boutique. I opened one of those—and gasped before closing the bag again.
“Panties,” I whispered. I couldn’t help but wonder if Liam had looked through any of the bags.
Giggling, I gathered them all up and headed up to my room, where I laid everything out on the bed.
He must have paid that woman a small fortune.
There were also beauty products, including moisturizer, face soap, body soap, and some makeup. Not much, but a few essentials.
After laying it all out, I hopped around like a little girl.
Everything was so lovely. There were shorts, T-shirts, a couple pairs of jeans, dress pants, the cutest dresses I’d ever seen…
or at least since I’d lost my memory. A couple of sweaters, a hoodie, a light rain jacket with the most adorable matching hat.
Flannel pajamas, as well as a very sexy nightgown.
Sexy panties, comfortable panties, and a few that looked like granny panties.
“Period panties,” I said with a giggle. Who was this Mrs. Grace? I was going to have to personally thank her when this was all over and done.
There were plenty of hangers for me to hang things up, and a dresser for other items. I searched my new stash of clothes and tried to decide what I should wear first. I was tired of swimming in Liam’s sweats.
In the end, I picked out a light beige sweater, since it was only in the mid- to upper-sixties today, and a pair of jeans that had a few strategically placed holes. I slipped on new socks that fit me perfectly, wincing because my feet were still so tender.
Mrs. Grace had also bought me a pair of sneakers, flats to wear if I wanted to dress things up, and a pair of super-cute hiking boots. I went with the boots. They fit like a glove, but my feet were still healing, so I hoped they stretched just a bit.
I ended up putting on Liam’s slippers, instead. I looked in the mirror and decided to do a little primping.
“I’m heading out to do some work on the ranch, Mallory,” Liam called up the steps.
“Okay! Be careful.”
He replied, back, “Always. Don’t answer the door, but I highly doubt anyone will be stopping by.”
“Got it!” I called back, putting mascara on before I stared at my reflection in the mirror. “You can remember how to apply makeup, but you don’t know your own age.”
A dash of blush and light pink lipstick rounded out the simple makeup routine.
I brushed out my hair with the soft brush that was also among all the goodies, then pulled it back into a pony.
I stared at myself for a moment. My hair was brown, but the sun revealed gold highlights.
I decided I liked my hair, and wondered if I had paid for those highlights or if they were natural.
After putting away the makeup and shower items in the guest bathroom, I smiled, wondering what Mrs. Grace might’ve thought when Liam gave her my list. I’d asked for nearly everything I thought I’d need, but not nearly as much as she’d actually bought.
The one thing I forgot was razors, I realized belatedly. But I supposed I could use Liam’s.
There’d been one other small bag in the mix. There was a note on it from Liam that simply said, “For when you’re bored.” Inside, there were a few fiction books, some crossword magazines, and a journal.