Her emotions wailed even as her reason asked,And why not?
Alexis had been gone more than a year and Jeremiah’s relationship with Alexis had been rocky long before that. So it wasn’t beyond the bounds of possibility to think that, yes, he’d have moved on romantically, seeing as how he must be a target for thousands of women.
Gigi was an ideal representation of his type. She knew her way around a cosmetics counter and probably readVogue.
Why hadn’t Remy anticipated this? Why had it never once crossed her mind, after learning that he was a widower, that he might have been dating someone when he’d left on his boat trip?
Her stomach felt as if it was trying to digest sticker burs.
Jeremiah gave no outward sign of surprise, stress, or dismay.
“Are you going to pretend that you don’t know me?” Gigi asked Jeremiah in a disbelieving tone.
“I don’t have to pretend,” he answered. “I have amnesia and so I literally don’t know you.”
Her face blanked. “You have amnesia?”
“I do.”
“What . . . ?” She stammered. “How?”
“I’m not sure how, but it occurred the first day of my boat trip.”
“I’ve been trying to contact you. When I couldn’t get through on your cell, I finally decided to drive over.”
Jeremiah gave a short sound of acknowledgment but no explanation as to why he hadn’t responded to her attempts at contacting him.
“Are you . . . okay?” Gigi asked. “Other than the amnesia, I mean?”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry.” Her tone was quickly turning sympathetic. “Amnesia. That’s awful.” She moved toward Jeremiah with her arms outstretched as if to hug him.
Jeremiah stiffened and Gigi must’ve seen it too because midstride she changed course and opted to squeeze his shoulder with a manicured hand. She stepped back. “I'm Gigi Kaminski,” she said to Remy.
“I’m Remy Reed, Jeremiah’s friend.” She’d added the title offriendfor Gigi’s benefit. There was no reason to torture the woman into thinking she was Jeremiah’s girlfriend when she wasn’t. But she’d also said it for her own benefit. Best to continue to keep things clear—most especially in her own head.
Jeremiah scowled at her. Clearly, he didn’t like that she’d demoted him to the status of mere friend.
Whatever. It was for his own good and hers.
“If it’s all right with you,” Remy said to him in the most level voice she could manage, “I’ll borrow your car and drive myself back to town.”
“You don’t need to leave.”
“I don’t need to, but I do want to.” Stubbornly, she extended her palm for his key.
“Remy. Please stay—”
“I’m going to give you two a chance to catch up privately,” Remy said. “And I’m going to give myself permission to take it easy. I’m hungry and tired and I’d like some downtime.”
His beautiful mouth set.
She kept her hand outstretched. Why did he have such terrifying power over her? He was looking at her with sadness and her knee-jerk reaction was to move heaven and earth to erase that sadness.
He had a girlfriend! A quaking was beginning deep within her.
He had a girlfriend and there was no telling how serious these two were about each other. Gigi looked like the type of person who could fit into his life seamlessly. Gigi was probably a huge fan of fame and material possessions and Formula One.
