Protecting Rose (8 page)
“How about we start on Michigan Avenue? There’s a popular shopping area called The Magnificent Mile.”
“Okay. That sounds good.”
“Later, we’ll find a nice restaurant for lunch.”
“All right. It’s such a beautiful day, maybe we could go someplace with an outdoor patio?”
Nate pondered her request. He would have preferred a nice secluded spot inside a restaurant where he could watch the door. But he didn’t feel they’d been followed. Besides, given the way she was smiling at him, he would have agreed to just about anything she’d asked.
He nodded. “Sounds like a plan. After lunch, we’ll head over to the Navy Pier. You’ll like it. It’s a shopping area near Lake Michigan.”
Rose glanced back at the brochure and flipped through the pages. Finding it, she smiled. “That does sound like fun.”
The traffic came to a slow crawl as they entered the Chicago Loop. There was a comfortable silence in the car as it crept through the city. Nate mulled over the information they had gathered so far and tried to get a clearer understanding of the situation.
He glanced at her thoughtfully.
What do we know, besides the fact that she had amnesia?
She appeared to be somewhere in her early to mid-twenties. And was running from something...or someone.
The doctor had determined the rope burns and at least some of the bruises were a few days old before her accident. So, the question was whether she’d been held for days before she’d escaped or whether she had escaped days before? He scowled darkly. He sure as hell hoped she hadn’t been held captive for days.
The guy had assaulted her. Anger rolled over him and his gut twisted, as it did every time he thought about that. Was he a stalker, angry that she got away from him and now just wanted her dead? Or was it something more than that? A stalker would be more likely to try to kill her up close and personal. A sniper usually indicated a professional hit. There
had
been the attempt against her in the hospital? But, would a stalker have been able to take out a cop?
His grip tightened on the steering wheel as he drummed it with his thumbs and continued the slow crawl through the Loop traffic.
Nate’s contemplations were cut short when Rose gave a started gasp and he glanced her way. She sat rigid, her hands fisted in her lap, all color drained from her face.
“Rose?” Alarmed, he touched her arm. When she didn’t respond, he raised his voice and shook her gently. “Rose.”
Trembling, she turned toward him with wide eyes. “I’ve been here before. The Chicago Orchestra Hall.” She pointed to the building. “I’ve been there. I had a vision, or flashback...whatever. I was younger, maybe sixteen or seventeen, and I was with a man and a woman, who I think were my parents.”
“That’s great. Try to relax and see if you can remember anything else.” Nate’s heart pounded. This could be the lead they needed. She leaned against the leather seat and closed her eyes. But she still vibrated with tension.
“Just relax. Take a couple deep breaths and relax.” He mimicked breathing with her. “Breathe in. Breathe out.” Strain showed on her face as she struggled to conquer her emotions. She finally relaxed and her breathing returned to normal.
“That’s my girl.” He released her hand and shut off the radio. The Chicago Orchestra Hall. That couldn’t just be a coincidence, recalling how expertly she played the piano. They had a world-renowned youth orchestra there. Maybe Rose had been a member.
They were now in the middle of the shopping district. Nate drove into the parking structure of the John Hancock Center and up to the 11th floor before he found a spot to park. When he turned to Rose, she had a look of frustration on her face. “Nothing else?”
“No.” She shook her head with obvious disappointment.
“What exactly did you remember?”
She sighed and rubbed her forehead. “Not a lot. I was running up the steps laughing and looked behind me at my parents. I’m sure that’s who they were...I can feel it. They were standing on the sidewalk watching me with smiles on their faces. We seemed...happy.”
“That’s good. Does anything else stand out in the memory?”
“No. I’m sorry, that’s it. That is all I can remember.”
“Hey, it’s a start. Don’t worry. It seems your memory is beginning to return. That’s a good thing.”
He hit the button to unlock the doors and flashed her a smile. “Now, let’s go shopping and have some fun.”
Rose lifted the price tag and gasped. They’d shopped all morning along Michigan Avenue, where she’d enjoyed browsing the high-end stores.
“Did you see the price on this blouse?” Rose sputtered and turned to Nate with a raised brow.
Nate peeked over her shoulder and chuckled. “That’s more than my car payment.”
She snorted, grabbed his hand, and pulled him from the shop to continue the search.
Rose chose much more moderately priced establishments to make her purchases. She had protested when Nate bought her a beautiful rose patterned silk scarf from Nordstrom’s that he’d caught her admiring. But he’d insisted. He was both sweet and sexy. Definitely a lethal combination.
“I’ll pay you back, as soon as I get my memory back.”
Nate shook his head. “The department picked up most of the tab. These are all things you needed.”
Rose bit her bottom lip. “What about the scarf?” She was certain the cost of the scarf went beyond what they’d approved.
“That’s my gift to you, sweetheart. Don’t even think about paying me for it.” His tone of voice dissuaded any argument.
She lowered her eyes as her butterflies stirred. It was getting harder and harder to ignore her growing attraction to him. Caught up in the excitement of Chicago and Nate’s company, she’d nearly forgotten about the mess called her life.
Her happiness dimmed at the recollection. A reminder that she couldn’t have feelings for him. Not until she figured out who she was, and what happened to her. Was there someone searching for her, someone that she was important to?
They dropped off the packages from their shopping spree at the car and headed for a late lunch. Nate had chosen a little Italian restaurant in the heart of downtown Chicago that offered a quaint outdoor dining area.
“Here we are.” Nate held the door for her to enter.
A waiter showed them to a round table in the outside patio. Rose was able to get a nice clear view of the busy downtown bustle. Nate adjusted the umbrella to shield her eyes from the direct glare of the mid-morning sun. The sidewalks were a flurry of activity with busy professionals and eager shoppers enjoying the far too short Midwest summer.
Rose leaned back in her seat with a satisfied sigh and lifted her face into the cool breeze that flowed over their table, before studying the menu.
What to order? Everything was so new to her. It was scary and frustrating, and yet at the same time exciting. It was like experiencing everything for the first time. She learned she liked clothes with bright bold colors and patterns, sensible shoes, and sexy underwear. At least she thought she liked sexy underwear. She smiled when she remembered how Nate had waited uncomfortably just inside the lingerie section while she made her purchases.
Rose still wasn’t sure if it was her tastes, or the thought of Nate, that inspired her to make such bold choices. A particularly skimpy black lace bra and matching thong popped in her mind. She groaned aloud and felt the now familiar heat of a blush work its way up her neck and to her face. She lowered her lashes and hoped Nate wouldn’t notice.
Yeah, right. Fat chance of that.
“Rose, are you all right?” he asked predictably.
With a sigh, she met his gaze. “Yes, of course. I’m fine. I’m just not sure what to order.” She had no intention of telling him the real reason she was blushing.
Nate watched her intently, as if he wasn’t quite buying it. “You be sure and let me know if something bothers you, or if you remember anything else.”
“I will,” she promised.
She pretended to study the menu as though it was the most important document she’d ever seen. Her mind finally focused enough for her to comprehend the words. Nothing sounded familiar so she just chose the sautéed chicken breast sandwich and an ice water. Couldn’t go wrong with that.
Nate ordered the house-made meatballs with melted mozzarella and marinara sauce with a Coke. His eyes gleamed with laughter and he patted his stomach. “I need the sustenance to get me through all this shopping,” he teased.
“Would you like to place your dessert order as well, sir,” the waiter asked.
“We’ll both have the Tiramisu for dessert,” he told the waiter.
Tiramisu? The name sounded exotic, but unfamiliar to her. “What’s Tiramisu?” Rose wasn’t sure if she was insulted or not that Nate ordered for her.
Nate winked at her. “It’s a little piece of heaven, Rose, just a little piece of heaven.”
She smiled. All right, so she would let him get away with it this
one
time.
They relaxed and enjoyed the music of the street performer set up just outside the patio's dining area. A haunting melody floated over the air from the ornate flute she played.
“So, tell me something about yourself, Nate.”
“What do you want to know?”
She pondered the question. Because she knew so little about herself, she had a desire to know something about him. She smiled. Besides the fact that he made a mean omelet and had gorgeous blue eyes. The memories she was building of the day were important to her, and he was a large part of those memories.
“I don’t know...anything. Where do you live? Your family, if you have one. Any brothers...sisters...”
Her heart dropped as a possibility entered her mind...wife. She peeked at his hand. No ring. But that might not mean anything?
Stupid...stupid,
she admonished herself. Why had the thought never crossed her mind that Nate might be married? Heat once again flooded her face.
“Rose?” Nate watched her with furrowed brows.
The thought that he might be married caused her heart to race and her stomach to churn painfully. Ugg! She really was a mess. Here she was having a total meltdown in public over a man she had no business thinking about in that way.
She groaned and lifted her hands to cover her face.
“Hey there.” Nate grasped her hands and pulled them gently away. “What’s up, sweetheart? Why are you upset?”
Her heart raced. She couldn’t tell him the real reason she was freaking out now, could she. “I’m fine. Just thinking about family,” she lied. “I wondered if mine was even searching for me.” Which wasn’t
exactly
a lie.
Nate leaned forward and touched her cheek lightly with the back of his hand.
“We’ll figure this out.”
“Thank you.” Her tension receded. “Thank you for saving me, and thank you for protecting me now.”
“It’s my job.” He grinned and lightly chucked her under the chin. “Saving damsels in distress is my specialty.”
Rose laughed. “I just bet it is, Detective Stone.”
The waiter stopped at their table with their order. She stared at the quantity of food, not sure if she’d be able to eat it all.
“I have four brothers and a little sister.” He paused. “Well, not so little now, she’s twenty-six.”
Rose glanced up. “Wow. That’s a big family. What about a wife...or kids?” She fidgeted with her water glass as she asked the question, avoiding his eyes. Her heart raced wildly waiting for his answer.
He chuckled. “No, no wife. No kids.”
“Oh.” She picked up her glass and took a sip. Her rapid heartbeat returned to normal. “Does your family live around here?”
“Yeah. They all live within a couple hours of Milwaukee. As a matter of fact my brother, Dylan, lives in Chicago.”
