“I’m exhausted, but I think that’s because sleeping in a hospital bed is impossible. I had to stay on my back the entire time, and I get the impression I’m a stomach sleeper. My back’s pretty sore and my arm hurts on and off, but I think the drugs will help that.”
“Well, we have no shortage of painkillers.” He chuckled. “How about you take a nap, and we’ll go whenever you get up?”
“That sounds perfect. Jake, I don’t know how to thank you for everything. I get that we’re supposedly friends, but you still feel like a stranger to me, and it’s amazing you would go so far out of your way for me.”
“No worries. Honestly, my life’s pretty boring. I don’t have much going on other than work, so it’s not a huge inconvenience or anything. Plus, that’s what friends are for. My room’s back there if you need me and can’t find me.” He pointed to the end of the hall. He led her back to her room and told her to come find him once she woke up.
She fell asleep lamenting the fact that he was gay. It would take some of the pressure off while she stayed here, but he seemed like the kind of guy she would really like. Kind and generous and damn fine. Yes, just her type.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
While Hannah slept, Jake worked out using the weight set he kept in the barn and then showered. Afraid to go too far, in case she woke up and was disoriented or needed something, he sat on the couch and picked up one of the magazines he’d purchased for her. Halfway through a story on his brother’s recent engagement, in which roughly half the details were wrong, he heard a noise in the hallway and turned to find her staring at him. He jumped up and dropped the magazine as if it had bitten him. Was it weird she’d caught him reading a women’s magazine?
“Hey, you’re up,” he said. “Feel better?”
“Much, thanks.”
“You still wanna get your hair washed?”
“Oh, yes. That will feel so nice. I’m going to take a couple of Tylenol, and then I’m ready whenever you are.”
They didn’t take long at the hair salon. He got a haircut while she had hers washed and blow-dried. The stylist commented on how stunning the color was and asked where Hannah had gotten it done. Of course, Hannah had no idea and had to explain that she’d been in an accident and didn’t remember certain things.
“Oh. Is that how you got the black eye?” the woman asked. She’d been shooting Jake the evil eye, clearly assuming he was responsible for it. When Hannah said yes, the sour looks stopped.
“Oh my gosh, Jake. I’m a new woman.” Hannah’s smile was genuine, and the first he’d seen in a few days.
“Well, you look amazing. Your hair is so pretty.” And soft. And sexy. And so damn inviting. He fought the urge to run his hands through it. Or better yet, wad it up in his hands behind her head while kissing her breathless. Instead of voicing any of that, though, he just returned her smile.
Before leaving the salon’s parking lot, he called the super at her apartment complex to make sure he’d be available to let them in. He watched Hannah closely as they pulled up to her building. She glanced around dully as if he’d pulled into any old parking lot. Even as they approached the doors, there was no spark.
“Not jogging your memory?”
“None of this seems familiar, Jake. Are you sure I live here?”
“Hi, Hannah,” greeted the super, holding the door open for them. “I hope you’re feeling better. I’ve been keeping a close eye on your apartment. Shall we go up now?”
“Yep. Pretty sure,” mumbled Jake as they followed the super to the elevator.
Once inside the apartment, she walked around like a stranger would, touching things, picking them up, and putting them back. Nothing seemed to hold any meaning. Jake stood by the kitchen table where her schoolbooks were sitting.
“I was thinking we should find out who your teachers are and contact them to let them know what’s happened. I don’t know if you’ll be able to finish the quarter or not, but hopefully they’ll work with you on it.”
“Oh, yeah, I’m still in school. What am I studying again?”
“Business.”
“What am I going to do with that?” she asked.
“You just told me a few days ago that you’ve finally saved enough money for a down payment to buy Grinder’s, the café where you work. You swore me to secrecy and said no one knows but you and the owner. That’s why you’ve been a barista all this time.”
“That’s good I have a goal, I guess.” She walked over to the books, picked up one, and began thumbing through it. “Maybe I can catch up for the last few days and then move forward from there. I’ll probably have to relearn some stuff for a final, but I could do that.” She perked up at having the fledglings of a plan.
“Well, let’s pack up all your school stuff, and we can look into it back at my place. What about clothes? And toiletries? I grabbed a few things, but probably not everything you need.”
***
Hannah surveyed her apartment. It was tiny—minuscule, really. The entire apartment would probably fit in Jake’s living room. A small galley kitchen was to her left, and she could see two other doors down a short hallway, presumably the bedroom and a bathroom. It was weird to think she’d spent hours and hours here. Hours and hours she couldn’t remember. If she was being honest, it felt drab and lonely. Perhaps the forgotten hours were better left unremembered, and the concussion was doing her a favor.
