A Man She Couldn't Forget. Kathryn Shay
“Clare, if your amnesia is psychological, you don’t want to remember. But you most likely will. And you should prepare yourself for that.”
They made an appointment for the following week, Anna wished her well and Clare went to find Brady. She was unnerved by her talk with the counselor and needed to see him to calm down. That he could do that for her was another mystery.
He was waiting outside the office, though she’d told him to go get coffee or something to eat. He stood when he saw her. The worry on his face made her give him a smile.
“Hey, how’d it go?”
“Fine.”
“You’re lying. I can see it in your expression.”
“It’s hard, articulating all my fears.”
“Man, I bet it is.” He slid an arm around her and leaned in close. “You know, you can talk to me about those fears. We used to stay up late and share everything we were afraid of in life. Takes the sting out of them.”
“It sounds like we spent a lot of time together.”
“We did. After I moved in, Don was still alive and Max was working for a commercial airline, so he wasn’t home much. In some ways it was just you and me, babe.”
And that had changed. Poor Brady. She wondered if she could ever make it up to him.
SEATED ACROSS THE TABLE from his longtime friend, Mitch Anderson, Jonathan felt better than he had earlier when he couldn’t reach Clarissa. He and Mitch had gone to boarding school together and seen each other through a lot of scrapes. Sometimes Jonathan missed the boy he used to be—more carefree, more spontaneous. He definitely missed Mitch, who’d met him here at the restaurant in the Hyatt hotel where Jonathan was staying in Chicago.
“So, how’d the Chef’s Delight thing go? Their stocks are sky-high.” Mitch was an investment broker and followed the market daily. Jonathan used to take more of an interest in stocks than he did now. Of course, lately, he’d had a lot on his mind.
He told Mitch, “Clarissa’s going to be getting some of those options.”
“Really? Wow.” Mitch lazed back in the chair and sipped the merlot they’d ordered. “You struck quite a deal, then.”
“Well, I had to fly out our lawyers.” That had kept him here an extra day. “But they hammered out a lucrative contract for both the station and Clarissa herself.”
“No offense, but…for a local show?”
“They recognize, as do I, that she’ll syndicate soon.” He told his friend of his plans for the Cooking Channel.
Mitch raised his glass. “Congratulations. You’ve brought her into the limelight and now, so to speak, her star is shining.”
“I hope she doesn’t leave me in the dust.”
Mitch burst out laughing. He had a big belly laugh that contrasted with his polished good looks. “You can’t mean that. Rockford’s Most Eligible Bachelor?”
The designation a local magazine had given Jonathan had embarrassed him, though originally it had brought him plenty of dates. But once he met Clarissa, that part of his life was over. “I’m in love, Mitch. I don’t want anyone else.”
Immediately Mitch sobered. “I didn’t realize things between you and Clarissa were that serious. Since your divorce, I haven’t heard you talk like this.”
Jonathan had been married for six years to a nice woman he’d met at his country club. His parents hadn’t been happy when they’d divorced, but Marilyn and he both knew there was no spark there. Thankfully, they’d parted friends.
The feelings he’d had for his ex were nothing close to what he felt for Clarissa. He sighed, thinking of the forced celibacy her illness had brought about. He missed her body as much as her mind.
“Jonathan, you’re scowling. Do you have reason to think Clarissa is going to leave you?”
Filling Mitch in on the whole sad story of Clarissa’s amnesia made Jonathan feel even worse.
“Why didn’t you say something before this? You only see those things on TV. I don’t know that I’ve ever been privy to a real-life case. It’s a remarkable story.”
“It’s a nightmare. She loved me, I know she did, and now she doesn’t even remember me. Nothing.”
Mitch set his wine down and leaned forward. “Does she have any memories of anybody?”
“She didn’t in the hospital, but who knows now? She lives in a condo in this old Victorian house. The other three people who own there were her close friends until I came along.”
“And?”
“She grew apart from them. Was on the verge of moving out and in with me. Then she had the accident.”
“What caused it?”
He shrugged. He’d never lied outright to Mitch, but now he’d skirt the truth somewhat. “Nobody really knows. She left her condo and went out into the rainy night, cracked up her car.”
The waitress came and took their orders. After she left, Jonathan said, “Let’s table this conversation. It’s depressing to think about her accident.”
“Whatever you want.”
“So tell me about those two kids of yours.” It seemed impossible, but at only forty Mitch had two teenagers.
“They’re making me crazy. Wait until you have your own. I’m teaching Nicky to drive. Talk about nightmares.”
The rest of the evening was pleasant, and when he went back to his room, Jonathan was thinking about having his own kids, teaching them to drive, proudly showing pictures as Mitch had. He sat on the divan, took out his cell and punched in Clarissa’s number.
She answered on the fourth ring. “Hello.”
His mood lightened at the sound of her voice. “Hi, honey. It’s me.”
No response.
Damn it, didn’t she even recognize his voice? “Jonathan.”
“Yes, hi. How’s Chicago?”
“I’ve had a successful trip. But I miss you.”
Please say you miss me, too.
“Successful?”
“We got the contract.”
“Is that good?”
“Very. I’ll explain the details when I get back.”
“When will that be?”
“Friday night. I’ve made reservations at your favorite restaurant.”
A long hesitation. “Oh, good.” He heard another sound.
“Was that a yawn? Are you getting enough sleep?”
“Uh-huh. I’m in bed right now. I was watching TV.”
“Do you remember any shows?” He hadn’t thought of this side of amnesia—would she recognize songs, shows, films?
“A couple brought flashbacks.”
“Any of me? We used to watch Law and Order together.”
“Um, no, but I’ll make sure I catch an episode and see what happens.”
He tried to keep the frustration out of his voice. This wasn’t her fault, but he could curse fate for what had happened. “Honey, it’ll come back. Don’t worry.”
“I know.”
“Go to sleep.” He waited. “And dream of me.”
When