Lost Memories (Honky Tonk Hearts)

by Thomas, Sherri

  “Oh, I’m not here for a vacation. Mrs. Matthews hired me to take over for Theresa.”

  Nick looked her up and down, then gave what sounded to her like a derogatory snort. She took offense to his attitude. From what Tammy told her, Theresa’s shoes would not be easily filled. Apparently, the woman had worked with the animals, organized the overnight trips, planned entertainment, and dealt with the female drama of the guests. Not that Tammy expected her to take on every detail right away—at least that’s what she’d told her.

  “When was this?”

  “I met with your mom a few times over the last three weeks actually.” Shouldn’t he know this? Tammy is his mother, and this is his family’s ranch? “She officially gave me the job last week.” Not liking the way this meeting was starting out, she placed her hands on her hips to let him know she wouldn’t back down from her only job prospect.

  “Is that so?” Thick arms folded over his wide chest.

  “Yes.” Does he seriously think I’m making this up?

  “Funny, she didn’t say anything to me.”

  What am I to do now? In an effort to appear indifferent, she shrugged. “That’s a moot point as far as I’m concerned.” From the moment Jordan came home and told her of the conversation with a patient’s wife regarding a possible job opportunity on a ranch, Darcy wanted the job.

  His brows drew together. “Let’s go inside and see if we can’t find out what’s going on.”

  She followed him up the stairs to where the three other cowboys waited.

  “Miss Brooks, these are my brothers, Sam, Trent, and Chris. Guys, Darcy Brooks is apparently here to take over Theresa’s job.”

  She caught the sarcastic edge to his voice, but relaxed as each brother smiled and shook her hand. Dark hair, brown eyes, and similar bone structures linked the four physically. Darcy prayed the resemblance stopped there and each possessed a different mind-set than Nick. If not, she was in for a long ride.

  He pulled the screen door open and motioned for her to enter.

  As she passed, her arm brushed his chest. Awareness shot through her. Having not been around many men in the past six months, the reaction was only natural. Yeah, I’ll stick with that explanation.

  She clasped her hands together and sucked in much needed air as the hard-nosed cowboy hung his hat by the door. One by one, his brothers followed suit before Nick led the group down the narrow hall to an office.

  Sunlight shone through large windows behind a mahogany desk with papers cluttered on one corner. A tan leather couch and a couple of chairs filled the space. The area screamed business and male. The masculine scent in the room wrapped around her.

  “Have a seat,” Nick instructed as he sat behind the desk.

  Darcy lowered herself into the chair closest to the table as the others stood along side of her.

  “Since my mother isn’t here, and we had no idea you applied for the position, I’d like some information before we go any further.” He raised a doubtful brow.

  “Okay.” She gripped the arms of the chair to quell her shaking hands. Don’t show your fear. Isn’t that what they say when you’re being stalked by an animal? Considering that’s exactly how she felt, in this instance, she assumed the same rule applied.

  “Chris, why don’t you see if you can get Mom on the phone while we get started.”

  “Sure thing,” the youngest brother answered, then left the room.

  “First off, do you have a résumé or physical from your doctor? Without a physical, I can’t allow you to start work.”

  The man certainly wasted no time with pleasantries.

  “I gave the forms to Mrs. Matthews.”

  Nick grabbed a pile of papers from the corner of the desk and shuffled through the contents before slapping the stack. He pulled open the top drawer then a side drawer before producing a manila folder. Flipping open the file, he scanned the pages, frowned a couple times and shook his head. “You don’t list much of a job history.”

  Darcy cringed. This is it. He’s going to take one look at the light list of experience and tell me to get off the ranch. Not knowing her own past made for unexplained years of her life and therefore vague information on her résumé.

  “I moved here a short time ago,” she stated.

  After being turned down for job after job before this one, she’d made the decision not to reveal her amnesia to Tammy. She settled a hand on her purse, where the paper from Dr. Sheffield explaining her accident and the extent of her injuries remained tucked safely away.

  Nick’s brows grew together. “What about before you moved?”

  “The company I worked for went out of business. I have no idea how to reach them.”

  He picked up a pen. “What was the name of the company? Your boss? How about an old address even?”

  “Ah...” Think. Think.

  “Hey, Nick, slow down. Don’t browbeat her.” Sam moved to his side, winked at Darcy, and picked up the résumé.

  “I couldn’t reach Mom,” Chris said, entering the room. “I left a message for her to call.”

  “You could’ve at least offered her something to drink,” Sam continued to Nick, then nodded in her direction. “Would you like coffee or water, maybe sweet tea?”

  “No, thank you.” She smiled at this brother’s easygoing nature. Though a smidgen shorter than Nick, he sported a beefier build and kinder face.

  “Our ma really did raise us to be gentleman.” Chris chuckled. “Nick must have a burr up his shorts.”

  “Chris, cool it.” Nick ran a hand through his dark hair and down the back of his neck before leaning forward on his desk to address Darcy again. “Do you have any references?”

  “They’re on the back of my résumé.” Jordan and Ms. Nancy from the animal shelter were the only people she knew to vouch for her character.

  “I’d know that if Sam would give me back the paper,” the eldest brother growled, reaching for the sheet.

  Chris moved to stand beside the middle brother, who yanked the résumé further away from Nick. “You worked at the animal shelter?”

  Finally, a question she was able to answer. “Yes. I volunteered there for the past four months.”

  “They do good work. I think Sam finds most of his four-legged friends through Ms. Nancy’s contacts.” A mischievous grin came closer. Eyes danced with laughter as Chris whispered, “They’re his only friends by the way.”

  Darcy found her tight shoulder muscles loosening a bit and smiled.

  “Very funny, runt.” The stockiest brother chuckled and put an elbow to Chris’s ribs.

  Darcy watched the exchange between the brothers and felt her lip dip slightly in frustrated sadness. Did she have siblings? A sister? A brother? And if so, had they joked and prodded each other in fun banter as these brothers did? Were they worried about her now?

  “Can you guys be serious for ten minutes?” Nick scolded.

  “Lighten up.” Sam shook his head and rolled his eyes.

  “Let’s talk about Nick’s shortcomings later. I’m sure Miss Brooks has better things to do than sit here listening to us bicker.” Trent sighed, impatience evident in his tone.

  Darcy turned toward the frustrated sigh. Up until now, she’d forgotten another Matthews sat on the couch behind her.

  He gave her a tight-lipped smirk.

  “Trent’s right. Sorry,” Sam said and lowered the paper. “You moved here six months ago?”

  “Yes.” She faced the three at the desk again.

  “Where’d you live before this?”

  Wishing for the glass of sweet tea she declined to quench her parched throat, she swallowed. “A small town up north. I don’t think it even registers on the map.” In an attempt to hide her nervousness, she laughed.

  “I’m sure I can find it, if you can give me a name.”

  Nick’s dark eyes bore into her. Maybe this job wasn’t such a good idea after all.

  Be honest and tell him about your amnesia.

 
Nope. No can do.

  The manager at the last job she applied for refused to hire her, claiming the decision had nothing to do with her accident, but she knew different. Everywhere she went people were wary of hiring a person with an existing medical condition, especially because she possessed no past. No work experience. No qualifications.

  Darcy wanted this job more than anything. Wanted a sense of self-worth, to be a whole person, and she’d be damned if she’d allow some cowboy to bully her.

  She stuck her chin up and straightened in the chair. “It’s a little town in northern Pennsylvania called Girard.” She fought back a groan at the lie.

  “Do you have family around these parts?” The uncompassionate brother questioned.

  “No.”

  “What brought you to Amarillo?”

  “My friend, Jordan Reece, lives here. She’s a nurse at the hospital. That’s how I met your mom.”

  And that’s as close to the truth as she chanced explaining. The questions came too fast, and she didn’t have time to think. Her bravado wavered under the pressure, and she shifted in her chair. Her gaze clashed with Nick’s and heat crept up her cheeks.

  When his eyes narrowed, her insides twisted into a tight knot. The air grew thick, and she licked her dry lips. He followed the movement of her tongue, and her breathing escalated as her heart hammered in her ears.

  “Nick.” One of the brothers nudged him in the arm. “The phone’s ringing.”

  He swiped up the receiver. “H-hello.” He coughed, clearing his throat. “Hey, Mom. Yes, I know. I’m not. We can handle it. That’s not nec—” He rolled his eyes upward; the other brothers chuckled, and Nick raised a hand, silencing the trio. “Okay. Okay. I can’t talk about it now. Yes, she’s right here.” He turned Darcy’s way. “Mmm-hmm. You could have told us. Fine.” He held out the phone, his lips set in a grim line. “My mother.”

  Her gaze jumped from each man, and then to the receiver stuck out in front of her. Careful not to touch his hand, she pulled the device from him with two fingers.

  “She wants to talk to Darcy, and we’re to leave the room,” Nick informed his brothers as he stood.

  When the brothers filed out and shut the door, Darcy raised the phone to her ear.

  “H-hello.”

  “Darcy, how are you? I’m sorry I couldn’t be there to welcome you, but I forgot Nick Sr. had scheduled this trip.”

  “Th—”

  “With his near heart attack this past year,” Tammy continued, “I want to take advantage of any time we can sneak away together.”

  “Mrs. Matthews, I—”

  “Call me Tammy. I thought we covered that during our luncheons. Calling me Mrs. Matthews makes me sound old. Not that having four grown boys doesn’t make me feel old at times, but I’m only in my fifties for Heaven’s sake. Okay, let’s get down to business.”

  Darcy chuckled. She couldn’t help it. The woman contained a strong similarity to a tornado swooping in.

  “I sent them out because I wanted a chance to reassure you. I know my boys can be a bit overwhelming, which was why I met with you outside the ranch in the first place. I wanted to get to know you as a person before I introduced you. I needed to be sure you could handle the stress of four testosterone-filled cowboys who, frankly, don’t always think with the right head, if you know what I mean.”

  Darcy laughed, picturing Tammy leaning forward, brushing her long, sandy-blonde hair off her shoulder and raising her eyebrows as she had whenever she made one of her wild comments during their lunches. The woman didn’t pull any punches.

  “I know we covered the basics during our lunches, but now that you’ve met my boys, what do you think?”

  Tammy had quizzed her during the meetings; was she married, did she have family in the area, did she know first aid and CPR. The last two were the only questions answered honestly thanks to Jordan’s request that she take classes.

  “I...I’m not sure what you mean.” She stood and moved toward the window. The barns sat off in the distance with pasture upon rolling pasture surrounding the big buildings.

  Hearty laughter in her ear pulled her away from the beautiful landscaping.

  “I want your honest opinion on how the world sees my boys. How do they come off to other people? I want to know how they act when I’m not there. I need to make sure they can handle running the place without us there, you see. I realize you just met them, but what’s your first impression?”

  “Oh. Um...” Weren’t her boys too old for her to worry about? “Sam seems sweet, but strong. Trent, I’m not real sure. He hangs in the background. Chris is a character.” A vision of him poking fun at his brothers filtered in, and she giggled. “He’s free spirited, and I think a jokester. But I don’t know. I really haven’t had much time to talk to them.”

  “What about Nick? You skipped him, honey,” Tammy’s voice sounded amused.

  She frowned at the receiver in her hand. This conversation struck her as odd to say the least.

  “Darcy?”

  “Um...” How to explain Nick? Hot. Mysterious. Judgmental.

  “Are you there?”

  “Yes, sorry. Ah...Nick, he’s harder than the rest. I mean, he’s intense.” Her mind played back his powerful eyes, his chiseled features and slightly crooked nose. She sat on the low windowsill behind the desk. “He has an electrical...I mean a take-charge attitude about him.” She chewed on her nail. Did she say too much?

  “An electrical charge, you say?” A chuckle vibrated through the phone line and Tammy’s voice lowered. “You definitely have a take on him...them. It’s been a pleasure talking with you. I do apologize again for not being there.”

  “Thank you for taking a chance on me.”

  “Thank you, dear. Now, do me a favor and put Nick back on the phone.”

  “Hold on, I’ll find him for you.” She crossed to the door and pulled it open to find the hall empty. Taking a deep breath, she walked toward the entrance.

  “Nick?” Where did everyone go?

  She didn’t want to be searching around in the strange surroundings. Moving to the next doorway, she glanced inside the empty room and backed up into the hallway.

  Not sure of where to look next, she spun on her heel and stopped dead in her tracks millimeters from a massive chest. Her body tingled with nervous awareness.

  Oh, Lord, what have I gotten myself into?

  Chapter Two

  Nick glanced down at the beautiful woman in front of him. His hand itched to free the soft, dark curls secured in some sort of elastic thing. When she first stepped from her vehicle, he was curious over what such a gorgeous female would be doing way out here. Then as he neared and his heart beat out of his chest, he wondered over asking her out. Too bad she was holding something back, evident by her fidgeting demeanor and facial features. If there was one thing Miss Brooks was not good at, it was lying. Her doe eyes gazed up, and he moved forward a half step.

  A flush rose to her cheeks, and she stepped back.

  “Tammy...er...your mom wants to speak with you.”

  A smirked twitched his lip at her uneasiness as he took the phone from her hand.

  “Thanks. Chris is out on the porch waiting to show you around.”

  He watched her denim-covered behind hurry out the door before raising his mother’s screeching voice to his ear.

  “Nick...Darcy...is anyone there?”

  “You have her calling you Tammy?” he asked, returning to the den.

  “Seems fitting since she’ll be working on the ranch.”

  “Mom, you can’t be serious about hiring her.”

  “I’m completely serious, Nicholas, and I expect you to treat her kindly.”

  “What do you know about this woman?”

  When his mother informed him of her plan to hire another female to fill Theresa’s duties, Nick tried making her see reason. Another cowboy would’ve worked out a lot better, but his mother was adamant in her thinking. She claimed the female guests
were more comfortable with a woman on staff. In the end, as usual, Nick lost the argument, and her view of the situation made his life a living hell.

  After his brothers interviewed a couple of women she didn’t approve of, claiming “those girls” were only after her boys, not a job, she decided to do the interviewing herself.

  Darcy flashed before his eyes. With her brandy-colored hair and big, brown eyes, she’d be a definite distraction. Five feet of trouble.

  He rolled his tense shoulders. “Why didn’t you tell us about her?”

  “I’m sorry, honey. You know how busy I’ve been trying to keep your father from constantly worrying over the ranch; it must have slipped my mind.”

  “Mom, you can’t hire her. She’s hiding something. I know it.” Being the oldest made it his job to protect and guide his brothers. A job he’d failed at a while back. One he refused to fail again.

  He shook his head. Another time. Another place.

  “And how do you know that, Nicholas?”

  “Ask Sam or Trent. She fidgeted the whole time we talked with her. She was vague about her history. Did you even look at her résumé? Her life might as well have been nonexistent before she moved here.” Nick moved to the window and rubbed his neck with his free hand. “The only thing I can check out is the fact she volunteered at the local animal shelter.”

  “See there, she does have experience with animals.”

  “Dogs and cats, not horses, pigs, or cows.”

  “Good enough for me. Honey, I’m sure she’s just nervous; the four of you can be overwhelming. I have no doubt the scowl never left your face the whole time. As for her hiding something...” She sighed. “Aren’t we all? We don’t reveal the skeletons in our closets to a person we just met. I’m sure you didn’t divulge any information about yourself.”

  “I’m not the one applying for a job.” His voice rose out of frustration, and he closed his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

  “Nick, honey, you’re suspicious of everyone around you. I love the fact you care for your brothers, but you need to let your guard down a bit. Let people in, sweetheart.”