Underestimated (47 page)

them out of his hand.

“Not with clothes,” I warned with a smile. I

opened the door and walked out, down the long hall

toward the pool.

“Morgan!” he called after my naked behind in a

loud whisper. “Marta is here.”

I didn’t answer and only gave him a sexy smile as I

flipped my hair.

I walked down the pool steps and had to laugh at

Drew covering himself and speedily walking after me.

As soon as he was in the water, I had my arms and

legs wrapped around him. He held me tight to him and

walked us out to about four feet. I let go of my hold around

his neck and laid back, dipping my hair in the water. He

ran the palm of his hand down my chest and brushed my

nipple with his thumb.

I pulled myself back up to him, and we kissed.

“I love you, Morgan,” Drew whispered to my lips.

“I hope so, we’ve been married for eight years,” I

teased. He wasn’t laughing.

“I mean it, Morgan. I love you more than I ever

thought possible, and no matter what happens, I am telling

you now, how sorry I am while you love me too.”

“Don’t, Drew.” I begged. I wanted him to stop. I

didn’t want to know anymore. I didn’t care about what I

didn’t remember. I hoped that I never remembered.

Drew had to go out of town the next morning, but

surprised me Friday afternoon by showing up at the

Scorpions baseball game with me. I loved watching him

walk toward me knowing that he was mine. Our eyes

locked with the same smile. He missed me when he was

gone. I could tell.

We ate ribs again at the little sports bar because he

said that he was in love with them. We only drank one

beer because we had no Marta at the house to drive one of

the cars home.

He flew me to Ubud, Indonesia for our eighth

honeymoon and my birthday. It was already passed both,

but he decided that we needed to celebrate. I was game. I

had to make an appointment with Dr. Tharp before he

would tell me anything. I would have never thought

Indonesia could have been so exotic. It was, and we had a

blast. The food too was exotic, and I loved trying all of the

different cuisines. I had things that Drew had to pronounce

and order for me. He loved it and laughed when I would

try to say the names as well.

He gave me a beautiful necklace for my birthday

and a brand new wedding set that I was sure cost more

than I cared to know. He took the set back that I had been

wearing. I almost ruined his moment when I stared blankly

at him sliding the rings off of my finger. It was déjà vu.

This happened before. Drew sensed it too.

“Morgan,” he softly spoke, pulling my eyes from

my fingers to his eyes.

“What’s wrong with the rings that I have been

wearing?” I asked, trying to recover.

“They were put there for the wrong reason. I think

you know that. This set is truly from my heart, and I hope

you will always wear them.”

I smiled as he slipped them on my wedding finger.

“I will try my best,” I said, and he knew what I meant by

that. “I love you,” I said kissing him.

“Read the back of the necklace,” Drew said.

“Please give me twenty more,” I read, and I hoped

that I could.

We spent seven days in Ubud. We had amazing

food, watched some shows, joined in a street dance, and

made love several times a day, including the plane ride

home. It’s a good thing we had a private jet, I was sure we

would have been thrown to our deaths.

Other than hating Derik, my life was perfect, and I

was working on that. I had finally gotten the number for

Mr. Callaway one afternoon when Drew left me in his

office while he got us something to drink. I had the yellow

post-it in my pocket, and when Drew left the next day I

went to town with Marta. We walked around a pawn store

for a little bit and then had lunch at my favorite café. That

was where I was going to make the call to Mr. Callaway

so that I didn’t have to use my cellphone.

Marta and I were standing at the counter laughing

with Timmy and Jewels when I heard my name.

“Riley?” I heard, and instantly turned my head.

Everything came crashing back to me like a

tsunami. I stood frozen while my whole life flooded my

brain, my home in West Virginia, my parents, my little lost

brother, Drew…Oh God Drew. I thought I was going to

throw up right there. My entire retched life was being

played out right before my eyes. My head hurt. It hurt

horrible. Was it the flood of memories? Why did I have

such an excruciating headache all of a sudden?

“Dawson,” I managed to say.

“Morgan, I think you need to sit down,” Marta

said, concerned with my ghostly white complexion.

“Riley, please talk to me,” Dawson begged.

Marta was right. I needed to sit down. My head

felt like it was going to explode and the sick feeling I had

in the pit of my stomach was unbearable. Dawson, it was

Dawson, my sheriff. I couldn’t breathe. What was

happening?

“I’m sorry, but you evidently have the wrong

person,” Marta told Dawson, but she knew something was

up too, she had to. I didn’t just have this reaction for no

reason. She helped me slide into a booth while Timmy

brought me water.

“Marta, could you leave us alone for a second

please?” I asked.

“I don’t think that’s a good Idea, Morgan. You look

like you’re ready to pass out.”

That’s because I am…

“I’m okay. I’ll just be a minute.”

Marta walked back to the counter, and I knew all

eyes were on Dawson and me.

He sat across from me and looked like he didn’t

understand. I didn’t understand. What the hell just

happened? What a sick fucking joke. Was life really this

cruel?

“There’s a high school two blocks north of here.

I’ll be there at six tonight. I can’t talk to you here. Meet me

there,” I explained.

“Riley, I’m not sure what’s going on here,” he

stated. He too looked white as a ghost.

“I can’t talk to you here. Please just meet me over

there,” I got up and Marta followed me out. I needed air,

not that the Nevada heat had much to offer, but I had to try.

I didn’t know if Dawson would show up or not. Hell, I

didn’t know if I would show up.

“What the hell, Morgan?” Marta asked as we

walked to my car.

“You drive, Marta,” I said, ignoring her and

getting into the passenger side.

“Will you tell me what the hell that was all

about?” she asked again as she pulled on her seatbelt. I

didn’t put mine on. I wanted to crash and burn.

“That was someone from my past, Marta. I

remember him.”

“You do! That’s great. We should call Dr. Tharp.”

“It’s not great. He is someone Drew wouldn’t

understand,” I snapped at her. I didn’t mean to snap. I just

didn’t know what to think myself, and I wasn’t about to

explain it to her.

“Oh,” Marta said. I could tell she thought that he

was someone that I was cheating on Drew with. I didn’t

care. I wasn’t even going to try. I knew her enough to

know that she would mind her own business.

I went right to mine and Drew’s bed and lay down.

I couldn’t take the pain in my head. I couldn’t think about

anything until it stopped. Marta brought me the water and

pain pills that I asked her to bring to me.

My cellphone rang. I didn’t want to answer it. I

knew that he could tell something was wrong from where

ever the hell he was. I didn’t care. I didn’t want his pity

party at the moment.

“Hello,” I almost yelled. Even my own voice

echoed through my head.

“What’s wrong, Morgan?” He asked concerned.

“I just have a headache from hell. I need to rest for

a little bit. It was probably just the heat.”

“I’m calling Dr. Tharp,” he demanded.

“I don’t need Dr. Tharp. I just need to rest for a

few minutes. I’m fine.”

“Okay. Go rest. I will call you in a couple hours to

see how you’re doing. I love you,” he added.

I could only grunt as I felt the tears. No. I didn’t

want to cry.

I covered my head with the pillow, one I couldn’t

stand the light at the time, and two, I didn’t want Drew to

see me cry.

Dawson Bade, Lauren, Starlight, the coffee shop,

my house, Misty Bay, my trip to Vegas, my wreck. I

remembered it all. I was going to marry Dawson. We

were to get married two months ago. I never fell asleep. I

would probably never sleep again. I felt the love that I had

for Dawson as soon as I saw him. It was real, and I knew

that he loved me. Wait. He knew. He knew all about

Drew. He knew what a monster he was. Why did he wait

five months to come for me? How did he find me?

I let everything flood through my mind, everything

but the one that was going to rip my heart out. I saved that

for my last memory or memories. There were so many of

them. Not one was good. Drew hit me. He called me

names, humiliated me, and he did treat me like a piece of

meat. Why Drew? Why did you buy me for cash if you

never wanted me? How could you do those things to me? I

hated him. I hated him with everything in me. What should

I do? Should I just run away with Dawson? What if he

didn’t want me anymore?

I lay with my head covered for almost three hours

while thoughts and memories flooded my mind. I finally

sat up around four to see if my head felt better. It wasn’t

gone, but it did feel better. I guessed it was just

overloaded and needed time to funnel all of the abrupt

information.

“Feel better?” Marta asked as I walked into the

kitchen.

“Yes, thank you. Could you make me a sandwich

or something before I head out,” I asked, sitting at the

table.

“Yes, but I’m not sure you should go to that game.

You had a pretty bad spell this afternoon.”

“It was just the heat. I’m fine now,” I lied. I wasn’t

fine. I had no idea what to do.

“Maybe I should come with you.”

“Marta,” I warned with a look. “I’m fine. I just

need something to eat.”

I didn’t shower, change, do my hair or put on

makeup. I wasn’t trying to impress anyone at the time. I

wore the same jean shorts and red tank top. I had been

looking forward to this game for three days, and now I

knew I wouldn’t even see it.

I saw him standing at the concession stand. My

heart ached for him. He smiled a warm smile as I neared.

“Do you want something to drink?”

“Lemonade, please,” I replied.

We didn’t walk to the bleachers around the crowd

of people. He followed me to a picnic table under a shade

tree. He sat right beside me rather than across from me

like I wanted him to. I hoped he would start. I didn’t have

a clue what to say. He didn’t either.

“How did you find me?” I asked.

“You didn’t make it easy. You lied about

everything.”

“No. I didn’t. I only lied about things that would

lead you to Drew which would lead him to me.”

“I don’t understand, Riley.”

I snorted. That wasn’t my name. “How did you

find me?” I asked again.

“I tried everything to find you with Starlight and

Lauren’s help. I was lying in bed the other night and I just

remembered you telling me about Drew coming to your

high school and donating money. I went there and

pretended to be investigating a fraud case. They told me

that the money that was donated that year was from

Callaway Jewels. You told me he was a software

developer from Indiana. Did you leave me, Ry? because

you could have just told me.”

“Daw,” I quietly said. How was I supposed to

explain this? “I didn’t leave you. I didn’t know you.”

“What do you mean?”

I took his hand and ran his finger over the L shaped

scar down the whole right side of my head. “I was in a car

accident before I got out of Vegas. I didn’t remember

anything until I saw you in that shop this afternoon. I

remembered my whole life today, right at that moment. I

have spent the last five months of my life not knowing who

I was.”

“But you were on the plane. The airline told me

that you had departed and landed in Chicago.”