as a victim’s advocate for the P.I. firm that employed her sister-in-law had seemed like a perfect opportunity to put her mistakes behind her.
That she remembered.
She also remembered her mistakes.
Mistake.
One mistake.
But a big one. Thankfully, she’d called her engagement off before it could turn in to a catastrophe.
Something buzzed, the sound jerking her out of the half sleep she’d fallen into. She sat up straight, her heart pounding. Dizzy, disoriented.
“It’s just my phone,” Chance said quietly.
Still there.
Still handsome.
Still a stranger.
She watched as he answered his phone, studying his face, trying to remember the day they’d met, the place.
“Yes. She’s awake. Seems fairly lucid, but she has partial amnesia.” His words penetrated the thick fog in her brain, and she frowned.
“I’m completely lucid.”
“Did you hear that?” he asked, then nodded. “I think so. Let me check. Are you up to talking to your brother?”
“Jonas?”
Of course Jonas.
She only had one brother.
Maybe she wasn’t as lucid as she’d thought.
“Yes.”
“Sure.” She took the phone, pressed it to her ear, her hand shaking. “Jonas?”
“Hey, sis. Rough night, huh?” His familiar voice brought unwanted tears to her eyes, and she sniffed them away.
“I’ve had better.”
“You okay?”
“Aside from a headache, I’m fine.”
“Glad to hear it. We’ve been worried, but there aren’t any flights leaving until tomorrow afternoon. We should be there sometime tomorrow night.”
“We?”
“Skylar and me. Mom and Dad.”
“You can’t drop everything you’re doing to fly out here.”
“Sure we can.”
“Maybe I should rephrase that. I’m doing great. By tomorrow, I’ll be home and back to my routine. I’d rather you all come up for Emma’s first birthday. Just as we planned.”
“There’s no reason why we can’t come now and in April.”
“It’s too expensive, and I’ll spend the whole time you’re here feeling guilty.”
“Rayne—”
“I promise—if I need you guys here, I’ll let you know. But for right now, I’m fine.”
“Chance said you have partial amnesia. I don’t consider that fine.”
“There are just a few holes in my memory. The nurse said that’s common with head injuries. I’ll probably remember everything before I leave the hospital.”
Chance snorted at her optimism, but Rayne ignored him.
She loved her family, but they worried too much, jumped in to rescue her before she ever had an opportunity to rescue herself. When she’d taken custody of Emma, Rayne’s mother had offered free babysitting and had insisted on cooking meals, doing the laundry and cleaning. After Rayne broke up with Michael, Jonas and Skylar had traveled from New Mexico to Arizona and stayed with her for a week. The day she’d been held at gunpoint …
She frowned.
No need to go back there.
She’d made her decision before that, knew that she had to break away, prove herself as a mother on her own. No parents and siblings stepping in to rescue her, no fiancé telling her she wasn’t capable. Just Rayne and Emma making a wonderful life in a beautiful new town.
Anything else would mean weakness, anything else could lead to heartache.
And she didn’t want either of those things in her life.
“All right. It’s your choice, but I’m not going to say I’m happy about it. You’ll call if you need anything, right?” Jonas asked, and she forced herself to focus on the question, on the conversation.
“You know I will.”
“I’ll call Mom and Dad and let them know you’re okay, but as soon as you get a chance, give them a ring. Mom has been beside herself since she got the call saying you were in the hospital.”
“I’m really sorry I worried all of you.”
“That’s what families are for.”
“Worry?”
“Something like that. Keep safe, sis. Love you.” Jonas disconnected and Rayne handed the phone back to Chance.
“So you really think you’re going back to your normal routine tomorrow?” he asked as he shoved the phone in his pocket.
“I don’t see why not.”
“Let’s start with the fact that you’re lying in a hospital, hooked up to an IV, with a lump the size of a grapefruit on the side of your forehead.”
“Is it really that big?” She fingered the bump on her forehead, wincing as she probed the tender flesh.
“I might be exaggerating, but my point is the same. You’re not going to be doing anything but resting tomorrow.”
“Hopefully, with my memories intact.” Her words were slurred, her mind fuzzy and, for a moment, she wasn’t sure what they were talking about. Why they were discussing it.
Didn’t even know if she cared.
“You’re drifting off again, Goldilocks.”
“Just resting my eyes,” she mumbled.
“Good. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” Fabric rustled, and she knew he was going to leave. Felt sure that if he did, something bad would happen. Nothing about this place was familiar, except for him. His eyes. The warmth of his hand. And she didn’t want to be left alone in the dark again without either one.
“Don’t go.” She grabbed his hand, looked into his face. Familiar and strange all at the same time.
“Okay.” He settled back into the chair. No question about why she wanted him there. No hesitation. No list of things he needed to do.
Just his presence, given without reservation.
Not something she was used to.
Not something Michael would have done.
Michael.
Funny that a stranger was willing to give more of himself than her fiancé ever had.
Or maybe not so funny.
Michael had promised her everything, but he’d given her nothing of consequence. Dinner dates were nice, phone calls on Tuesday afternoons were fine, but when push came to shove, he’d proven he couldn’t be counted on.
If you insist on playing mother to a drug addict’s baby, then we’re through. Are you willing to let that happen, Rayne? Willing to give up what we’ve spent almost three years building?
She’d been willing.
She wasn’t sure she’d been ready to be a mother, though.
Still, she didn’t regret the promise she’d made the day Chandra had given birth to the red-faced, red-haired infant.
Even