Chapter 23
Present day
Her time with Jonah at the trapper’s cabin earlier had left Lauren shaken. She was beginning to understand how she’d become
so sidetracked this summer. He was charming and appealing in all the ways that mattered. She’d taken a misguided step, and
before she knew it she was sliding down a slippery slope.
Upon her return to the resort, she poured herself into work. The guests had checked out, leaving the cabins vacant until the
weekend guests arrived later today. She double-checked the cabins after the cleaners left and found that firewood needed restocking
as well as other odds and ends that kept her on the move. Also, the same storm that had stranded Jonah and her at the shack
had strewn debris all over the grounds. She gathered branches and twigs and hauled them to the burn pile. Then she swept the
decks of the vacant cabins.
It was late afternoon by the time she finished. She’d missed lunch, so she returned to her cabin with Graham. After filling
his dish with fresh water, she fixed herself a sandwich, her future job with Glitter heavy on her mind.
She hadn’t checked in with Olivia since her accident. And who knew when she’d last called the CEO prior to her concussion?
She checked her watch. Friday afternoon wasn’t the ideal time to call a woman in charge of an event-planning organization.
But Lauren needed this. She needed a reminder of her dream. Needed to stay focused on her goals—and not on her all-too-appealing boss. She’d already been close to giving up everything for him once. She wouldn’t be so foolish this time around.
She wolfed down her sandwich, eager to speak with Olivia again, then tapped on the woman’s name in her Contacts. Her personal
assistant, Shayla, answered the phone and notified Lauren that Olivia was in a meeting but that she’d have Olivia return her
call.
“Tell her there’s no hurry,” Lauren said. “I’m just checking in.”
“Will do.”
Lauren ended the call and gave Graham some affection. She probably wouldn’t hear from the woman until next week. “Well, that’s
a start, I guess. Let’s go clean off the deck, huh, boy?”
She grabbed the broom and headed outside with Graham. The mums in her window boxes were bright and happy from the rainfall.
She swept the debris from her deck and furniture and decided the chairs needed a good cleaning too. She was almost done with
the task when her phone vibrated in her pocket.
It was Olivia. That the CEO was returning her call so quickly made Lauren a little heady. Like maybe she was anticipating
Lauren’s upcoming employment as much as Lauren was.
She answered the call. “Olivia, hello. How are you?”
“I’m fine, thank you. How are you?”
“Doing well.” She wouldn’t go into her accident/concussion. The whole traumatic-brain-injury thing was not a good look for
a future employee. “The weeks are passing quickly. The job here at the resort is going very well—I think the Landrys are pleased—and
I’m certainly learning a lot.”
“Well... I’m glad to hear it.” There was almost a question in her reply, as if she was uncertain why Lauren might be calling.
Maybe Lauren had reached out to Olivia shortly before her accident and it was too soon to call again. “Well, I don’t want to keep you. I know you’re busy. I just wanted to check in. January will be here before we know it.”
A long pause followed. So long, Lauren feared she’d lost connection. “Olivia? Are you still there?”
“Um... yes, I’m here.”
“As you can imagine, the signal out here isn’t the best. You can drop a call right in the middle of town even.”
“I’m afraid I’m a little confused, Lauren. When we spoke last...”
Trepidation niggled at the back of her neck. She wished she could remember that conversation. “Yes?”
“Lauren... I’m not sure why you’re checking in with me at all since you passed on the job.”
Passed on the job? Lauren’s breath tumbled from her lungs. Her grip tightened on the phone. “What?”
“Your call back in August... You were very clear about staying in Pinehaven.”
“I was...?” No. She had not given up that job. It wasn’t possible. She had to take it all back! If only her lungs were functioning properly.
“Listen, Olivia, I should explain. I don’t even remember making that call. I had an accident in September that resulted in
a concussion. My entire summer is gone. There’s a four-month memory gap.”
Another long pause followed. “You don’t remember calling me?”
“I don’t remember anything that happened from May to September seventh when the accident occurred.”
“My goodness. I’m so sorry that happened to you. Are you all right?”
“I’m fine now—except for those lost memories. But the important thing is that I still want that job very much. I can’t imagine
what I must’ve been thinking to give it up. Have you already found a replacement?”
“Oh dear. What a mess. I’ve been interviewing for the position, and yes, I’ve found a capable candidate. I’ve all but promised
her the job.”
Lauren grimaced. No, she couldn’t lose her dream job this way. “I’m so sorry for the confusion. I have to ask—is there any chance you’d still consider me for the position?” She pressed her palm against her chest and waited, each second drawing out like a terrible nightmare.
“This is very unexpected, Lauren. To be honest I’m a little caught off guard. And I have a meeting in just a few minutes.”
“I understand. Would you at least think it over? I have every intention of returning to Boston as soon as I’ve filled my commitment
here. The position at Glitter would still be the ideal situation for me.”
A sigh sounded through the phone. “All right, I’ll think about it over the weekend and call you back early next week. I can’t
make any promises.”
“I understand. Thank you so much.”
Lauren disconnected the call, her thoughts whirling. She’d given up her dream job—and she might not get it back! Sydney had
told her she’d been considering it, but Lauren never dreamed she’d actually turned down the job! Positions rarely became available
at Glitter, and for good reason. And now she might have burnt her bridge with the CEO of the company.
She sucked in a deep breath, but her lungs wouldn’t seem to fill all the way. Her pulse raced. Heart thumped. Panic swept
over her, enshrouding her with a sense of impending doom.
She was dying—or something even worse. She paced the length of the deck, trying to distract herself from the awful sensations
lighting up every nerve cell in her body. Graham whined, but she couldn’t think of anything but the horrible anxiety strangling
her like a malignant weed.
Breathe. Just breathe. It’ll pass.
This had happened at the hospital. Carson had helped her. She struggled to remember. Slow breaths. Counting.
She slowed her breaths and counted backward from one hundred. Ninety-nine. Ninety-eight. Ninety-seven. Ninety-six.
But still, thoughts crashed in. She was counting on that job. It was the only reason she was here. And she’d already signed a lease for an expensive studio apartment near Glitter’s headquarters. Would she be able to get out of it? She wouldn’t be able to afford it without that big salary.
“Lauren?” Meg approached from the direction of the lodge. “You okay?”
Lauren nodded but continued pacing and counting. Please, God. Please, God.
“What’s wrong?”
She finished the inhale. “Pa—panic attack.”
“Oh, honey. What can I do?”
Lauren shook her head. The shroud of panic was slowly receding. She continued counting, blocking out Meg and Graham. In two...
three... four, hold two... three... four... out two... three... four.
It’s okay. It’s passing. You’re gonna be fine.
A few minutes drew out, slow and agonizing. Then finally the anxiety was gone, leaving her feeling like a fruit loop under
Meg’s concerned gaze. Her face heated. “I’m fine now. It’s over.”
“Are you sure? Sit down. Let me get you something to drink.” Meg passed her and headed into the cabin.
Lauren was grateful for a minute alone. She had to shake that panic attack. While she liked Meg a lot, they hadn’t yet returned
to the intimate friendship they’d apparently shared over the summer.
Something popped into her mind. August , Olivia had said. Lauren had given up the position in August. That meant at least a week—and possibly a whole month—had passed
from the time she’d called Olivia until her accident had happened. Surely, if she and Jonah were as serious as she’d been
told, she would’ve informed him. He had to know she’d given up that job.
And he hadn’t said a word.
She gritted her teeth. All this time, all these weeks, and he hadn’t told her that everything she’d been working toward was gone. Heat flushed through her body until her muscles quivered. She had a few things to say to Jonah Landry. Her boss. Her supposed friend and ex-whatever!
By the time Meg returned with a drink, Lauren was already halfway to her car.
***
Jonah’s big Friday night plans amounted to a supreme Paddy’s Pizza and reading two chapters from his business ethics textbook.
Since it was raining again he called in his order. It was a supremely lazy thing to do as the restaurant was right downstairs,
accounting for the pervasive aroma of baked yeast bread that filled his apartment. Was it any wonder he subsisted mostly on
pizza and subs these days?
While waiting for the delivery he sat at the granite island in his kitchen and read the chapters. Then he signed on to his
account on the college website to review the worksheet assignment. He’d planned to finish this earlier today and maybe do
something wild and crazy tonight like go out with friends, but there’d been that storm.
His lips curved of their own volition. He didn’t regret the storm. He would read a bazillion pages of this deadly dull textbook
before he wished away that time with Lauren at the trapper’s cabin.
He pictured her drenched and gorgeous in the firelight and wasn’t sure he’d ever seen such a beautiful sight. He’d missed
the unguarded Lauren. Missed the melodious sound of her laughter, the way her eyes turned to crescents, the way her smile
bloomed across her face. Today had been like having her back for just a little while. It made him long for that deeper relationship
they’d had. Made him ache for want of it.
God, I miss her so much. Please bring her back to me.
The knock on the door startled him. He glanced heavenward. “That was fast even for You.”
When he opened the door his smile broadened at the sight of her, dripping wet on his uncovered stoop. He was about to make
a joke about her luck with rain today. Then he noticed the spark of anger in her eyes. The flare of her nose. Her tight jaw
and rigid shoulders.
“How could you?” The words were fiery darts, aimed directly at him.
They might have contained poison because a slow, noxious dread trickled through his veins. She knows about the job.
Nothing else could make her this furious. A sinking sensation filled him. If he hadn’t lost her before, he’d definitely lost
her now. Because judging by the fury on her face, there would be no coming back from this.
“I was gonna tell you.”
“Sure you were.”
Water trickled down her face. Or was it tears?
He opened the door wider and stepped aside. “Come in. Let’s talk.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, her feet rooted to the landing.
“Come on, Lauren. You’re getting soaked. Come inside. Let’s talk about this.”
She stood immobile for several long seconds. Then finally she stepped into his foyer but not one inch farther.
He shut the door behind her. “Will you have a seat? Can I get you something to drink?”
“This isn’t a social call, Jonah. Why didn’t you tell me?”
Now that she was under the light, he could see her features more clearly. Her eyes were bloodshot. Those were tears. She cried when she was angry, and boy was she angry. Steam practically rolled off her body.
He’d had six weeks to tell her. She deserved an explanation. “I’m sorry. Maybe I should’ve told you sooner, but I knew it
would be upsetting and—”
“Upsetting?”
“Try and see it from my perspective, Lauren. You’d just had a traumatic brain injury. You had a panic attack in the hospital.”
“And I just had another when I called Olivia and found out I turned down the job of my dreams in favor of living in Podunk
Pinehaven for the rest of my life!”
He winced. “I was genuinely concerned about you. And I thought you’d get your memory back. I kept thinking any day now it’ll come back, and then... ”
“And then what? We’d pick up right where we left off? That the job—the one I came here for, the one I would’ve done anything
for—would just be a moot point?”
Well, it would’ve. But he wasn’t stupid enough to vocalize the thought. “I know that position meant a lot to you and—”
“ Means , Jonah. It means a lot to me.”
“Right. I just meant—”
“That before I lost my memory I was ready and willing to give up everything I’d worked so hard for? But guess what? I’m not.
And if I’m lucky enough to salvage this situation, I’m taking that position.”
Relief and dread jostled for first position. Time enough later to unsnarl those feelings. “The job’s still available then?”
“She’s considering it. But I’ve probably alienated her, and she’s just waiting till next week to turn me down.” Her shoulders
heaved. Her eyes flashed. A tear trickled down her cheek.
His chest tightened painfully. When she hurt, he hurt.
Her chin notched up. “Even if I get my memory back, I’m taking that job, Jonah.”
“Of course. I would never stand in your way, Lauren. That’s never been my goal.”
Her nostrils flared. “You’ve had six weeks to tell me about this.”
Hadn’t he already explained?
“You didn’t tell me because you knew I would’ve left, and you couldn’t risk that.”
“I was worried about you!”
“Maybe that was true at first. But six weeks, Jonah... You were being selfish.”
He opened his mouth to refute the idea. Then his conscience kicked in. He’d thought about telling her that day he had lunch
with Javier. But then she’d texted him, and he was so filled with hope he decided to wait. He was afraid she’d leave and he’d lose her for good. He’d admitted as much to Meg this afternoon. So at least part of his reasoning
had been selfish. The realization weighed on him like a steel anchor.
He blew out a long, slow breath. “Okay. You’re right. I should’ve told you sooner. I’m truly sorry. I’ve never wanted you
to sacrifice your career. But you got so excited about running the barn venue. If you could remember, you’d know what I’m
saying is true.”
She dashed away a tear. “Well, I can’t remember. And at this point I’m not even sure I can take your word for it.”
Ouch.
“Or your family’s—they must’ve known too.”
He winced. “This is my fault, Lauren. I asked them not to say anything. They were worried about you too.”
A knock sounded on the door.
He sighed at the bad timing. “I ordered pizza. Stay and have dinner with me. Please. We’ll talk this out.”
Her shoulders went even more rigid. “I think I’ve heard enough.” She opened the door and stepped around the startled delivery
boy.
Jonah watched her practically sprint down the steps as he reached for his wallet. After he paid for the steaming box of pizza,
he closed the door and set it on the island.
His appetite was gone.