Desperate Strangers. Carla Cassidy

to be comforted at this moment. As the officer asked her questions about the accident, she tried as hard as she could to remember even the smallest detail about what had happened. But there was nothing.

      “The last thing I remember is going to the Italian Gardens for my birthday. My parents were there, along with my brothers and my sister. But since my birthday is in two months from now, I’m missing almost a full year of memories.”

      A hollow wind blew through her as she shifted her gaze from the police officer to the doctor. “Is this kind of thing normal?” she asked, although she knew it wasn’t.

      “Sometimes it occurs that after a traumatic event like a car accident, the patient has no memories of that particular event,” Dr. Carlson replied. “It’s the way the brain protects you from emotional pain and trauma. I haven’t dealt with a patient who has the kind of amnesia we’re talking about here. My advice would be to go home and surround yourself with familiar things and people. Don’t stress yourself and hopefully those memories will return quickly.”

      Hopefully? The pounding in her head intensified. She glanced back at Nick. How could she have no memories of dating, of falling in love with him? What else had happened in the ten months she’d forgotten?

      “I hope your recovery happens quickly,” Officer Brown said. “And now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to work.”

      “If your memories don’t come back on their own within the next six to eight weeks or so, then I’ll refer you to a neurologist who might be able to help,” Dr. Carlson said when Officer Brown had left the room. “I recommend no driving for the next week to ten days, and you take it easy. In the meantime, you’re our guest for the rest of the night.”

      Once again she looked at Nick. “Will you stay here with me?”

      “We can get you a pillow and a blanket,” Dr. Carlson said to Nick.

      “Of course I’ll stay,” Nick replied after a moment of hesitation.

      “I’ll send in a nurse,” Dr. Carlson replied, and then he was gone, leaving her alone with a man, a virtual stranger, who she apparently loved but didn’t remember.

      “I hope you don’t mind staying. I feel so alone right now,” she said. It was such an inadequate statement. She was overwhelmed and terrified by her brain’s malfunction. How had this happened? Why had it happened? She hadn’t sustained any serious injuries that might explain it.

      He sat on the beige recliner next to her bed. “You aren’t alone.”

      “Aren’t you warm in that sweatshirt?” It seemed an odd choice of clothing for a July night. She only knew it was July because the doctor had told her.

      “Yes, I am.” He got up from the chair. “I’ll be right back.” He disappeared into the adjoining bathroom.

      This was so awkward. He knew everything about her...about them, and she knew nothing. Her fiancé. Had a wedding date already been chosen? What did he do for a living? Did they live together? Just thinking about what she didn’t know hurt her head.

      Nick stepped out of the bathroom, his sweatshirt a wad in his hands. The man had been a hunk in the hoodie. He was even more so in a white T-shirt stretched tight across his shoulders and chest.

      He placed the black sweatshirt on another chair and then once again sat in the recliner. “Are you sure you can’t remember anything about me?”

      “Nothing. I’m so sorry, Nick. If we’re engaged, then I’m sure I love you madly, but you’re going to have to fill in a lot of blanks for me.”

      “I’ll do the best I can.”

      “Thank God, you weren’t hurt in the accident. My car...?”

      “It was towed to Jerry’s Ford. Tomorrow you’ll need to call your insurance company to get things squared away.”

      “Was I still driving a blue Ford Focus?” What might have changed in the past year? Did she still live in the same house? Oh, God, had anyone she loved died?

      He nodded. “That’s right.”

      “I’m assuming I still work for my family’s pawn shop, but what do you do?” It was far easier to focus on him than anything else at the moment. She couldn’t think about anything else in her life right now. It was all so overwhelming.

      “I’m a physical education teacher and football coach at JL Cook High School.”

      “That explains it,” she murmured more to herself than to him. Broad shoulders, lean hips and a stomach that didn’t appear to have an ounce of fat...the man appeared to have a great physique.

      “Explains what?”

      Heat warmed her cheeks. “Uh... You seem to be in good health.” Good grief, he was probably wondering now if she not only suffered from amnesia, but also if the accident had really addled her brain.

      A nurse came into the room. “Here we are,” she said with a bright smile. “One pillow and a blanket.” She handed the items to Nick and then turned toward Julie. “Is there anything I can get for you?”

      “My memories,” Julie replied with a rueful smile. “Actually, I’m fine.”

      “You just ring your bell if you need anything at all.”

      “Thank you,” Julie replied. “Tell me how we met,” she asked Nick when the nurse had left the room. “Was it love at first sight?”

      He changed position in the chair. “We met at the little coffee shop up the street from the pawn shop.” His gaze didn’t quite meet hers.

      “The Coffee Bean,” she said.

      “That’s right. I saw you and asked for your number and I was shocked and happy when you gave it to me. And that was the beginning.”

      “Does my family like you? I mean... I know how my dad and my brothers can be.” Her older brothers had never liked anyone she’d dated. Why could she remember that and yet have no memories of her fiancé?

      “I haven’t met any of your family and we haven’t told them about us. Uh... You wanted to keep it a secret until I put a ring on your finger.”

      “You haven’t done that?” She looked down at her hand to confirm there was no engagement ring.

      “Not yet.” His gaze finally met hers. “We were shopping for a ring.”

      “Do we live together?”

      “No. You didn’t want to live together before the wedding. You know, you should probably try to get some rest. It’s late and, needless to say, you’ve been through quite a trauma.” He smiled for the first time and a wave of heat swept through her. He had a gorgeous smile.

      “Yes, of course.” She closed her eyes but sleep was the furthest thing from her mind. She still had so many questions.

      The sound of the recliner chair going to a prone position let her know he was prepared to sleep. He’d probably been terrified when she’d been unconscious in the car.

      She opened her eyes and gazed over to him. He’d unfolded the blanket and put the pillow behind his head. His eyes were closed but she knew he wasn’t asleep.

      “Nick?”

      His eyes opened and he gazed at her. Oh, she could fall into those inviting green depths.

      “Yeah?”

      “Tell me about the accident. What exactly happened?” She needed to know at least this much before she could fall asleep.

      He released a deep sigh. “We were at your place and we had a fight.”

      She raised the head of her bed. “A fight about what?”

      “Something stupid. Something not worth fighting about,” he replied. “You like your house