“Yes. She wanted to come, but she’s flying to Tampa today for her brother’s wedding.”
“I wondered about that. If you want, I’ll ask Meg to stay with you the next day or so.”
At least he hadn’t expected to take the job himself. “Thanks.” She wasn’t sure what to say to Jonah. Didn’t know how to behave around him. There was plenty of ground between bitter rival and doting girlfriend, but all of it seemed as mushy and treacherous as quicksand. But she was pretty sure the guy she’d known in April wouldn’t have spent all night slumped in a hospital chair for her sake.
She had another wispy thought, but it fluttered away. That was happening a lot.
“Listen, Lauren. I realize this must be confusing and awkward for you. You must be wondering about... things. Maybe you have questions. There were quite a few changes over the summer.”
He was still direct. That much hadn’t changed. But her head throbbed and was still filled with fog. “Sydney explained how things were. But I really don’t feel like thinking about that right now.”
A long beat of silence passed. “All right. Fair enough. I don’t want to stress you out. And it may end up being a moot point anyway.”
She strained to connect the dots. “Because I might get my memory back?”
“Right. But as you said, you don’t need to worry about that today. For now let’s just focus on getting you better.”
She could get on board with that idea. Because if getting her memory back meant she and Jonah were a couple, she wasn’t certain she wanted it back at all.
Chapter 8
Lauren would’ve hidden in her cabin all day, but she was bored out of her mind. Meg had stayed with her through the night and left after making her scrambled eggs. She’d been so attentive and affectionate. Clearly their relationship had progressed over the summer. Too bad Lauren couldn’t remember it. Thankfully Meg had tiptoed around Lauren’s memory issue. She just wanted to pretend it was still April and nothing had changed.
Her gaze fell on a framed photo sitting on her nightstand. A close-up of Jonah and her. Without peering too closely she grabbed the picture, laid it face down inside the drawer, and closed it.
When she stood her dog scrambled to his feet, tail wagging. Meg had brought him over yesterday when Lauren had come from the hospital. Apparently Graham had been upset by her fall and subsequent absence. It had been kind of Meg to take care of him.
Lauren ruffled the mutt’s fur. He was a medium-sized dog with a terrier look to his friendly face. “You’re a cute little thing, I’ll give you that. Sure wish I could remember you.” But he remembered her, that much was obvious. He hadn’t left her side since she’d returned except when Meg took him out to do his business. “Are you feeling as cooped up as I am, buddy? Let’s get out of here.”
Her heart thudded as she left the comfort of her cabin, which was at the far end of the property. She could walk a ways and still stay out of sight of the lodge. Tom and Tammy had been by yesterday, bearing food and insisting she take all the time she needed to recover.
And Jonah came by this morning, shifting awkwardly on her doorstep, asking how she was feeling. After a couple minutes of stilted conversation, she used her headache to escape. He had an apartment just outside of town and was taking classes at the local college. At least he had been in April. He’d been planning to take classes throughout the summer to expedite his business degree.
Two days out from her concussion, it still seemed surreal that summer was already gone. But the leaves fluttering overhead and the slight nip in the air told her it was true. Someone—her?—had already decorated the property for autumn: bales of hay adorned with pumpkins and squash; potted mums in shades of maroon, yellow, and orange; and autumn wreaths hung on the cabin doors.
She followed the pine needle path toward the water, Graham trotting beside her. As much as she missed the city, she also liked being lakeside. And now, with the sun shining off its glossy surface, it looked much different than she remembered it. It seemed like only a few days ago that ice-out had occurred.
Tammy had told her about the significance of the day. Ice-out was declared each spring when the lake thawed enough for the shuttle boat to run from Pinehaven to the port in Bailey Harbor. A small plane from Air Tours flew over several times a day until the pilot declared the ice-out official. This year it had been April twenty-first.
Now it seemed as if the ice had never been there at all. The pier shimmied beneath her feet as she walked to the end and sat, letting her feet dangle over the water. Graham sat beside her, tongue lolling from his mouth. Her head throbbed from the walk and she couldn’t remember what she’d been thinking about ten seconds ago.
It doesn’t matter. Just relax. Rest your mind.
But resting wasn’t really her forte. She still had a job to do. On a positive note, she now had less than four months before her job at Glitter began. The thought buoyed her spirits.
She let her gaze drift over the cove at the end of the property. She followed the shoreline to the private homes on the other side of the cove, then to the distant shores toward town and the marina and back around to where the lodge sat. She squinted at the resort’s community pier where the boats were moored and beyond it to the shoreline.
Her breath caught at the sight of the pavilion. She’d presented the idea to Tom and Tammy only a week ago—or so it seemed. Now the gathering spot sat proudly at the water’s edge as if it had appeared by magic. A large stone fireplace dominated the space, which was filled with picnic tables. It was just as she’d envisioned it.
Her eyes stung with tears. And she couldn’t even make out the reason for them.
***
Jonah hunched over his economics textbook. He’d been home to sleep and shower, but he needed to study for tomorrow’s exam.
The office was just off the big lobby, which boasted a fireplace and was a popular gathering spot for their guests. Before Lauren it had just been a lobby. Now it featured cozy furniture, a large-screen TV, board games, two vending machines, and a Keurig. Each morning they offered complimentary donuts and pastries. During rainy days guests gathered in front of the fireplace or at the game tables, chatting and laughing. Over the past few months they’d hosted watch parties for baseball—and now football—games.
The lodge closed at ten most evenings since his parents’ living space—his childhood home—took up the entire second floor.
