скачать книгу бесплатно
“I’m sorry, Burt. My mind is somewhere else today, I’m afraid.” She lifted the glass cover off the stand and slipped a wedge of the juicy bumbleberry pie onto a plate, then grabbed a clean fork and set it down, too.
The door chimed and she snatched a quick look.
A couple of young mothers with strollers headed for the corner booth. Laurel smiled at them, then turned to the cash register so she could get the bill for the elderly couple who’d been waiting to pay for five minutes now.
Corb wasn’t due for another four hours. She had to relax and focus on the present instead of fretting about what she was going to tell him. So what if she didn’t have a plan? She’d just have to trust that she’d know the right words to say when the time came.
* * *
BY FIVE MINUTES to five Laurel was rethinking the wisdom of meeting Corb right after work. She should have given herself an hour to rest and get cleaned up. Every time she caught a glance of her reflection in the mirror by the sink, she thought she looked drawn and pale. Her feet and lower back ached. And she was tired. You’d think her body would have adjusted to being on her feet all day by now, but the job seemed to wear her out more and more each day.
If this was pregnancy, then it sucked.
And she still had seven more months to go....
And then she’d have a baby.
It was too much to think about. Better to focus on one day at a time.
The door opened, setting off a cheerful tinkle from the bells.
Expecting Corb, she was surprised to see a balding, middle-aged man looking hungry and cranky.
Right behind him was Corb.
Yesterday the cowboy had been wearing work clothes. Faded jeans and a shirt that had seen so many washes that the fabric was threadbare at the cuffs and collar.
Not today.
Today he was in dark, pressed jeans and the shirt he’d worn at the rehearsal party the night before the wedding day.
He came up to the counter, right next to the balding, cranky man and she waited to see what he would say. If it was anything about the town getting sweeter, she would know that she was stuck in an endless loop of Groundhog Day.
“Hey, Laurel. How’s it going?”
“You remembered my name this time.”
“No bumps to the head in the past twenty-four hours. Generally—and you’ll have to take my word on this—I’m pretty good with names.” He gave her a warm, approving look. “And faces.”
Not five minutes had passed since he’d walked in the door and already she was feeling it. Sizzle. For whatever reason this cowboy totally did it for her.
God help her.
“Excuse me,” said the balding cranky man. “I don’t remember your name, little lady, but I’m pretty sure I was here first. Doesn’t that entitle me to some service?”
“Of course, sir. What would you like?”
“Two coffees and a half dozen of those sticky buns to go.”
“Cream or sugar?” she asked, all too aware of Corb watching her.
“Nope. Black like the creek.”
This seemed to be a standing joke in the town, since it had been named for the creek that ran through the town with water the same color as a weakly brewed pot of joe.
As she boxed up six of the cinnamon buns, Corb settled himself on a bar stool.
Laurel willed her hands to be steady as she poured the coffee. A few minutes later, she sent balding cranky man on his way, locking the door behind him and putting the Closed sign in the window.
Turning, she removed her apron and gave Corb a nervous smile. “I’ll just clear off the dishes from the back booth, then we can sit down and talk.”
Corb was off his seat in a flash. “Let me help.”
They each carried some of the mugs, plates and cutlery to the dishwasher. When it was loaded, Laurel started a wash cycle, then stood awkwardly.
The kitchen seemed a lot smaller when Corb was sharing it with her. They stood so close that she could smell the scent of his soap.
“You must think it’s pretty strange that I asked you to come here.”
“Not strange,” he insisted. “I was glad.” He looked at her intently. “Since we met yesterday, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.”
His words gave her a warm, sweet thrill, and she was reminded of why she had fallen so hard for this cowboy, so fast. He was totally sexy and a terrible flirt. But he had a soft side, too. And could be disarmingly honest.
She poured them each a glass of water, then led the way to the back booth. She slid onto one bench and he settled in on the opposite side.
He looked at her expectantly.
Nervously, she sipped the water. “I see you’re wearing your lucky shirt.”
“I am.” His eyes widened. “But how do you know that?”
Their eyes met and held. His, dark green and fringed with thick short lashes, were oh so familiar to her. But what did he see when he looked into her eyes? Did any of the memories of their time together come back to him?
Like their first dance, when he’d held her in his arms and told her he was glad he’d worn his lucky shirt because that night was turning out to be one of the best of his life?
“Laurel, ah, just how well did we get to know each other in that week before the wedding?”
Chapter Three
Despite the water, Laurel’s mouth was suddenly too dry to form words. Here was her opening. But she still had no idea what to say.
Suddenly she wondered if it was even safe to tell him the truth. Weren’t you supposed to be careful when dealing with people who’d suffered traumatic memory loss?
But the trauma was the accident—not their affair. No, she had to tell him the truth.
Absentmindedly Corb put a hand to his scar, then quickly withdrew it when he noticed Laurel watching.
“Is your head hurting?”
He nodded.
“Can I get you anything? I have over-the-counter painkillers.”
“Took a couple of those before I came here. I’ll be all right. The headaches aren’t as bad as they used to be. I’m fine.”
But he wasn’t. Laurel could tell by the forced quality of his smile. It was just so weird to be talking to him like this—as if they’d truly just met. Could he really not remember kissing her? Looking into her eyes as they made love?
He shifted uncomfortably, and she realized she’d been staring at him. She turned away, pretending to check the view out the window. Anything to keep from staring at him.
Finally Corb asked, “Are there things about you and me that I ought to know?”
“Yes.”
“Then fill me in, please. You can’t know how strange it feels to have a whole chunk of your life gone totally missing.”
“I hardly know where to start.”
“How about when we met?”
“Okay. That’s easy enough. It was at the airport. Winnie had an appointment so she sent you to pick me up.”
“Really? Seems like I ought to remember that.”
She smiled. “When you saw me you said it looked like Coffee Creek was about to get a whole lot sweeter.”
He groaned. “Sorry. Usually I try to use that line only once per woman.”
“We talked nonstop during the drive home from the airport. You took me straight to your ranch for a family dinner.”
He shook his head, his eyes reflecting his inner torment at his inability to recall any of this. “Was I wearing this shirt that night? Is that why you knew about it?”
Laurel traced a pattern on the table with her fingernail. “Not that night, no. You wore it at the rehearsal party the night before the wedding.” She raised her eyes to his, briefly. “When the music started, you asked me to dance. And when I said yes, you replied that it was a good thing that you’d worn your lucky shirt.”
“So. We danced together?”
“Yes.” And a whole lot more. But how on earth was she going to tell him? She could see that he was already blown away by just the few things she’d already shared.
“Wow. This is so freaky. It feels so unreal.”
Yeah. Tell me about it. “Maybe one day you will remember. When the headaches stop, perhaps your memory will come back.”
He gave her his charming smile. “I’d love to recall the feeling of you being in my arms. But I’m not so sure I want to remember the accident.”
Pain resurfaced on his face, and Laurel could tell this wasn’t the physical kind. Suddenly she went from feeling nervous to nauseous.
She put a hand on her stomach and took a deep breath. As much as she wished Corb remembered everything about their affair, she, too, was glad he had no recall of the accident. “The doctor told Winnie that Brock didn’t suffer. That he probably didn’t even register what was happening.”
“Yeah. That is some comfort.”
He didn’t look comforted, though, and she realized that she wasn’t going to tell him the rest today. He’d been through enough. Let him absorb the fact that they’d spent quite a lot of time together, first.
To be hit with the fact of her pregnancy right now just wouldn’t be fair. Besides, maybe he’d remember their affair on his own if she gave him a chance.
“Thanks for filling in those blanks for me, Laurel.”
“No problem. I thought you should know. But I should probably finish closing up here and getting the place ready to open in the morning.”
He took the hint with grace, getting up from the booth and heading for the door. She followed him outside, where the day was still warm and sunny. Once he was gone, she’d take a walk along the creek, see if fresh air would help her feel better.
“It was good to see you again, Laurel.” Corb had been carrying his hat. Now he settled it on his head, preparing to leave, but for some reason, not heading for his Jeep.
Laurel couldn’t answer. Since she’d stood up, her stomach had not been happy. Now it was threatening to heave the contents of her water glass all over the front sidewalk.
The feeling would pass. It always did. She put a hand on her stomach. Closed her eyes. Please...
But the feeling didn’t go away. In fact, it grew worse.
She needed a restroom. Now.
Cupping a hand over her mouth, she raced back inside, desperate to make it in time. Behind her, Corb called, “Are you okay?”
No. She sure wasn’t.
* * *
CORB DIDN’T KNOW what to do. He couldn’t just drive away without making sure Laurel was all right. Tentatively, he headed back inside the café and stuck his head down the short hallway that led to the restroom. He could hear retching on the other side of the closed door.
Jeez. That didn’t sound good.
He waited for the noise to subside, then called out, “Can I get you anything?”
“I have everything I need here. Fresh water. Towels. A solid door between us so you can’t see how embarrassed I am.”
He grinned, glad that she wasn’t so ill she had lost her sense of humor. There was the sound of flushing. Then her voice again, from behind the closed door. “You can go now. I’m fine.”
“Hey now. No need to be embarrassed. If I worked in this place, I’d overdose on cinnamon buns, too.”
“Ugh.” Water splashed from the sink, a few seconds passed, then the door opened and a pale-faced Laurel stepped out. “Sorry about that.”
His smile vanished as soon as he saw her. Despite her flippant commentary, she was obviously ill. “You look like hell. You’d better lie down.”
“I will.” She glanced pointedly at the door. “After I lock up behind you.”
“I’m not sure you should be left alone.”
“Believe me, I’m fine. I’ve had this bug for a few weeks now.”
“That’s a long time to have the flu. Have you seen a doctor?”
