“What is today?” he asked the redhead.
The beauty rattled off a date that for him was over a month in the future, based on his memories. What?! He’d lost a month somewhere? How could that be?
Another knock came at the door. This time, Frederick Khang stepped inside his room. Excellent. Someone he actually knew.
“Frederick,” Luca said, supreme relief in his tone. “It’s so good to see you.”
His store manager smiled, then nodded at the redhead warmly. “How is the patient, Beryl?”
She teared up. “He doesn’t remember me.”
Frederick looked stricken. “But this is your girlfriend, Jake. You’ve dated for a few weeks now.”
“I don’t think so,” Luca said. Given the looks on both of their faces, that was not a popular sentiment in the room. But it was the only one he had. He would never start a relationship while on a mission. Never.
Luca glanced in the direction of the bathroom, where Ian hid, knowing his time was running short. Abruptly, he said, “Listen, I’ve got to get going. Frederick, I’ll see you at the shop later on. Thank you for stopping by to check up on me.” He didn’t know what to say to the redhead.
She put a hand on Frederick’s shoulder before exiting quietly, silent tears slipping down her cheeks.
“Jake!” Frederick said, rather urgently. “Youmustremember, Beryl.”
Luca was confused, way out of his element, his mind jumbled with the memories of six months on Earth that did not include a lovely, sad woman who his store manager insisted he should know as his girlfriend.
No. It wasn’t right. Clearly, he did not have all the information he needed to make sound judgments.
He resigned himself to not being a total dirtbag and said, “Wait up—Beryl, is it?”
She turned in the doorway, tears glistening on her long eyelashes, as her hopeful gaze swept his face.
Luca smiled and opened his arms in a gesture of peace. She crossed the distance separating them and flew into him, arms wrapping around his neck. Her soft lips on his neck, his face, his mouth. All of a sudden, they were kissing, and it was not in the least unpleasant. In fact, it was amazing. But it was not right to lead her on. He lifted his head, breaking their kiss.
“Please remember me. Please, Jake.” She kissed him again. He tasted her desperation and, truthfully, hewantedto know her. But he didn’t. And when she pulled away and gazed into his eyes, he saw her bitter understanding that he didnotremember her or her amazing kisses. Not even a little bit.
She released him and left the hospital room without a word.
Frederick looked almost as sad as the redhead. “I’m sorry you don’t remember her, Jake. I think you two were falling for each other. In fact, I think you loved her.”
Luca closed his eyes, savoring the subtle taste of her on his lips. “I’m also sorry I don’t remember her. Seems I’ve lost thelast month of time, according to my phone here.” He pointed at the screen and the unexpected date.
Frederick briefly filled him in on the weeks he didn’t remember. “Of course, I don’t know about your time together alone. All I can say is the way you looked at her even when she wasn’t watching told me exactly how you felt about her.”
Luca nodded but he didn’t know what to say. When Frederick left, Ian came out of the bathroom. “I guess you heard all of that,” Luca said, feeling morose.
“Yep.”
“Why would I have gotten involved with anyone? What was I thinking?”
“My understanding is you lost all of your memories well over a month ago, but we believe you had help.”
Luca’s eyes narrowed. “What does that mean? Help? Who took my memories?”
Ian smiled. “A previously unknown species of invisible predator alien from a planet we thought was dark, residing in our own solar system.”
Luca shook his head. This was just really all too much. “Explain.”
Ian told him a concise version of what he knew and how the redhead—no, Beryl— had helped save him on more than one occasion. Ian said she was also instrumental in the capture of the wily predator alien that messed with all his memories.
“So I owe her my life, is what you’re saying.”
