Charming Deception, Page 10

“Sam, do you feel lost or alone or frightened?”

“No, Jaks, it was just an observation.” He accepts that and we clear up the plates and finish our wine on the sofa. He puts his head down in my lap.

“Love, since you’ve been ill, I’m the one who’s felt lost and alone. And, I’ll admit it, frightened. Having you with me has been the greatest joy of my life. You understand me, you think I’m funny, and handsome. And, um, very charming,” he smiled that faint, sweet smile shyly. “I’ve never felt so loved, so happy in all my life. And when you woke up and had no idea who I was, I was heartbroken and thought I would certainly go mad, I thought I lost my mind. You kept telling me to go away and leave you alone. And if I came anywhere near you,

you’d back away like you were afraid of me, and scream at me. The love of my life had been torn away from me. And this identical twin they left in her place? Well, she didn’t know me at all, and she certainly didn’t like me. Sam, my greatest fear is that you will never remember me again, or, worse yet, remember me, but… not love me anymore.”

“Jaks, I know we’re connected, I feel it.” I hug him and play with his cute ear. “I know that you love me. You show it. Just be patient a little longer, okay, honey? I remembered the lighthouses today. Maybe tomorrow, something else will ring a bell,” I say as I stroke his head, calming him down. “Dr. Reynolds said one hundred percent recovery.”

He nods.“We’re in this together, Sam. I’ll do whatever, baby, whatever it takes to help you remember, and to keep you safe. You can count on me. You’re not alone.”

“I know. I know you’re strong and brave. I feel safe when I’m with you.”

“Good. And I want you to know I won’t rush you into… anything. I’ll wait for you to, uh, come to me when you’re ready to, uh, be with me, I, uh…”

“I get it, Jaks,” I giggle. “Thank you, that’s very considerate of you.”

He smiles that wonderful smile of his and kisses my fingers, closing his eyes. He settles back and takes a little nap in my lap. I just stare at him. Something about him is so deeply familiar, the dimple, the splash of freckle across his nose and cheeks, those gorgeous quicksand brown eyes. That sweet, tiny grin, like he and I have a very private secret. And that heart-stopping smile. I know him. Know him well. Maybe this sweet, romantic, handsome hunk is my husband. Maybe I have been with him for a year and a half now. Maybe all this is true.

Part of me really wants it to be true. But part of me remembers smatterings of a completely different life. Working for a trucking company. Being alone. Living alone in a tiny, frugal second floor apartment near the center of a dusty, drab, little town. Within walking distance to work, the drugstore, the grocery store, and the coffee shop on the corner. The bar around the corner, noise and beer. A dull, lonely, isolated, meager existence.

The next few days are filled with relaxing on the beach together, cooking together, sleeping late, and strolls on the beach. And laughter, tons of laughter.

“Sam, do you want to look at this? It’s the photo album from our honeymoon in Bermuda. St. George’s Beach. I don’t want to push you, but I though it might help you to remember something.”

“Great idea.” I take the album from his hand and sit on the sofa. “Come sit beside me, so you can explain it to me. So you like the water in Bermuda?”

“Ah, yes, it’s pure and very clear.” I turn the pages slowly.

“This place is incredible. And this is such a beautiful photo album. So artistically done.”

“You made it.”

“Me? I made this? I don’t remember being artistic. I’m more… mathematical.”

“You… made it for us, so we wouldn’t forget one wonderful moment of our beautiful, romantic honeymoon. We used the delay button on the camera and took most of the photos of us ourselves, but there was a bartender there named Jamaica, who took quite a few of them. Here he is, the black guy with the big smile.” He doesn’t look familiar. We sit and look at the album together, laughing and joking. I nuzzle up next to Jaks as he narrates with sweet and funny stories of our two wonderful weeks in Bermuda.

10.