Vashti couldn’t rightly say that she did. She’d gone through plenty of drama in her own life but nothing like this. “No, I don’t know,” she said honestly.
Ashley wiped at her eyes. “Please tell me what you know about Devon.”
Vashti’s brow went up. “Devon?”
“Yes. The man you know as Ray Sullivan is Devon Ryan. I need to know how a man everybody in Hardeeville, South Carolina, believes is dead is very much alive in Catalina Cove, Louisiana.”
Vashti didn’t know everything about how Ray came to live in Catalina Cove, but she knew two men who did. “I can tell you what I know, but you really need to talk to Sawyer and Kaegan.”
She moved away from the sofa to grab the phone off her desk, punched in a number and then waited for an answer. “Hello, sweetheart. What’s up?” the male voice on the other end asked.
“Hi, Sawyer. I need you to come to Shelby immediately. And please bring Kaegan with you.”
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“I’ll explain things when you get here.”
* * *
VASHTI WASN’T SURPRISED when Sawyer arrived with Kaegan in less than five minutes. They rushed inside Shelby by the Sea like they expected to find the inn on fire. Since she’d been expecting them, she was there to open the door before they got a chance to knock. “Come in, guys. Sorry to interrupt your breakfast.”
Sawyer leaned down to give her a peck on the lips. “Sweetheart, you can interrupt me at any time.”
“Well, you can’t interrupt me anytime. I have a lot of work to do today,” Kaegan said, moving past Vashti and Sawyer to enter her office. He headed in that direction, but stopped when he saw Ashley standing there.
Ashley had stood when the men entered the room.
“Hello, excuse my manners. Good morning,” Kaegan said, smiling and moving toward her. Vashti didn’t miss the way he checked out Ashley’s hand and noticed her wedding ring. She knew he would assume she was off-limits and would respect that.
“Hello and good morning,” Ashley replied, accepting the hand he offered in a friendly handshake.
“It’s good seeing you again, Ashley,” Sawyer said, walking over to her to shake her hand as well. “Glad you’re out of the hospital and doing well.”
“Ashley?” Kaegan asked, as if surprised. “Ray’s Ashley?” Then as if he might have said something he should not have, he said, “What I mean is that you’re the woman Ray saved from drowning yesterday, right?”
“Yes, I am,” Ashley said. “I’m Ashley Ryan.”
Kaegan gave her a friendly smile. “Glad to see you up and about after yesterday.”
“Thanks.”
He then turned to Vashti. “So what’s up, Vash? Why did you have us rush over here?”
Vashti moved to stand beside Ashley. “What you let slip moments ago, Kaegan, is pretty close to the truth.”
Sawyer stared at his wife. “What do you mean?”
Vashti glanced at her husband and Kaegan. They were Ray’s closest friends and fiercely loyal to him. She looked at Ashley, giving her a supportive smile, before glancing back over at them. “I want you guys to meet Ray’s wife.”
* * *
ALMOST AN HOUR later Ashley drew in a deep breath. She hadn’t been bothered by Kaegan and Sawyer’s relentless questions. They needed to verify she was who she claimed to be before they would tell her anything. She hadn’t taken it personally. In fact, it made her feel good that Devon had such loyal friends.
It had been Sawyer who asked the most questions. She hadn’t been surprised to learn he was a former FBI agent. She’d shown them her photo album that had been transferred to her new phone that included tons of pictures of her and Devon, even their wedding picture.
Then on Vashti’s computer, she was able to pull up Devon’s obituary and news articles about his death. There was also a news article about the foundation she’d established in his name and the number of college scholarships the foundation gave out each year.
“Although Ray couldn’t remember a single thing about his past,” Kaegan was saying, taking a sip of his coffee while sitting across from Vashti’s desk, “I knew in my gut he was well educated, with an IQ that would astound a lot of people. But all he wanted to do was be on a boat in the ocean. And I often wondered why his family wasn’t looking for him. Now I know.”
Ashley nodded. “The reason we didn’t look for him was because we had no reason to suspect that wasn’t him in that car. Had I known differently, no amount of money would have kept me from searching for him. I gave the Ohio sheriff hell for not sending divers into that river to find him and bring up his car.”
“To give law enforcement credit, they didn’t have reason to think it wasn’t Ray driving that car,” Sawyer said. “And I’m not just saying that because I’m a cop.”
“Please tell me what you guys know,” she said softly. “How did he end up here in Catalina Cove?”
“I know the answer to that,” Kaegan said. “After he came out of his coma and went through various evaluations, the one thing his doctor discovered about Ray was that he loved being near water. His doctor, Dennis Riggins, was a college friend of mine. We’ve stayed in touch and he knew I had returned to Catalina Cove to take over my family’s shipping company. I got a call from him one day and he told me about Ray and what happened to him. Dennis thought Ray would not only be a good fit for my company but also for the town. He thought the cove was just the place Ray needed to start over. I hired him over the phone just on Dennis’s recommendation without even talking to Ray. After he was given a new identity and enough funds just to make do, I picked him up from the airport.”
Kaegan took another sip of his coffee. “We hit it off immediately. I told him that instead of living in an apartment, he could move in with me and use one of my spare bedrooms until he was up on his feet. To keep people from asking too many questions about his past, we decided to let people assume he was an old military friend of mine. The only person we leveled with was Sawyer. Only because being a cop made him curious and suspicious by nature.”
“Whose idea was it to claim he was a divorced man?” Ashley asked.
“It was Ray’s idea. Although he had no recollection of his past, he was convinced it included a wife. When he came out of the coma, the indentation of where his wedding ring used to be was obvious. Dennis figured at some point he’d gotten robbed by gunpoint of everything. He was found unconscious by a jogger in the woods. He was badly beaten with a broken jaw and nose as well as several hard blows to the head from the butt of a gun.”
Ashley fought back tears upon hearing all Devon had gone through without her. “Is there any way for me to talk to Dr. Riggins? To get a clear understanding of how to move forward. It’s obvious Devon has no idea who I am.”
“That might be true but he does feel a connection to you,” Sawyer said.
Ashley’s heart leaped. “How do you know that?”
“He told us. He thinks it’s an attraction.”
Her stomach contracted when she remembered how she had awakened last night to find him sitting in her room and staring at her. She’d been certain the look in his eyes had been of male interest. The look he’d seen in hers certainly had been feminine interest. If he’d been capable of reading her thoughts like Devon could, then he would know for her it was more than interest and all about love.
“But you don’t think that’s what it is?” she asked Sawyer.
He shrugged. “I can’t say. All I know is that from the time he’s been in the cove there hasn’t been a woman who’s caught his interest.”
“Sawyer is right about that,” Kaegan said, standing to stretch his legs. “Ray even brought you up at breakfast this morning. Personally, I just assumed he felt an affinity toward you for saving your life. But like Sawyer, now I’m not sure. What if he’s slowly regaining his memory and feelin
g a connection to you is the first sign?”
Kaegan pulled his cell phone from his jean pocket. “I’ll put you in touch with Dennis. I know for a fact he’d want to talk to you. He calls me from time to time just to see how Ray’s doing.”
When Dr. Dennis Riggins came on the line, Ashley placed the call on speaker for all of them to hear. He was able to provide her with the details about Devon from the time he’d been brought into the ER, a man barely alive, and how he’d remained in a coma for three weeks. He told her everything had been done to determine Ray’s identity. News about him had been placed in newspapers around the country and he was funneled through the national missing persons database with no luck. The authorities had even done a fingerprint check. Since Ray didn’t have a criminal record, nothing came back.
Profound regret washed over Ashley. Had she thought for one second that Devon had been missing instead of dead as the police had claimed, there was no way she would not have searched for her husband. That made her wonder who had been driving Devon’s car when it had gone off the bridge.
Dr. Riggins further explained retrograde amnesia and how there was a chance Devon would never regain his memory, but then, there was an equal chance that he might. Also, he couldn’t guarantee any connection that Devon felt to her had anything to do with his memory returning.
He warned her against shocking Devon into remembering her, no matter how tempting it might be to do so, explaining that with some amnesia cases, doing such a thing might work, but with Devon it could backfire and cause him to have a setback.
“If you tell him that you’re his wife,” the doctor was saying, “he’s going to feel guilty that he has no idea who you are and that emotions he should be feeling for you aren’t there.”
“Then what am I supposed to do? I can’t just leave my husband here and go back home and pretend I didn’t see him and he’s still dead. I love Devon and the thought that he might never get his memory back is unacceptable to me.”
“Yes, but it’s a reality you might have to face. Fifty percent of those with retrograde amnesia don’t ever get their memory back. The other half does. Not enough studies have been conducted to determine the reason why some regain their memory while others don’t. But statistics have shown those who don’t ever get their memory back are usually those whose families try to force their memory on them. The brain can’t accept what is being told to them and reacts negatively.”
Ashley drew in a deep breath. That was not what she wanted to hear and she fought back her tears. She had cried enough over the last three years and now she had to be strong, for both her and Devon. “Then what should I do?” she asked in a shaky voice, although she was determined not to feel defeated.
“You love your husband regardless of whether he’s Devon Ryan or Ray Sullivan, right?”
“Yes,” she said softly. There was no question in her mind or heart that she did.
“Then get to know Ray Sullivan as Ray Sullivan and not as Devon Ryan. Get to know him and let him get to know you. According to what Kaegan said earlier, Ray is attracted to you, although he might not know why. That’s a start. It could be that those same qualities you possessed that captured his heart before might recapture it again. In other words, give him a chance to know you, not as the woman he should be in love with, but as the woman he would want to be in love with. If he gets his memory back, then you’ll be both his first and second love.”
Ashley brightened at that, but Kaegan said, “There’s something you should know, though. There’s a chance that although Ray might be interested in you, he will never act on it. He believes he was married in his former life, and because there’s a fifty-fifty chance he might regain his memory, he’s decided not to get involved with another woman. He has a strong sense of doing what’s right. He’ll probably resist anything between the two of you. Put all kinds of roadblocks in the way. Whatever you do, you’re going to have to make it seem like pursuing you is his idea and you’re not a stalker.”
Ashley didn’t say anything. From the looks on Sawyer’s face, he agreed. They, of all people, should know since Devon was their friend. Now what the nurse at the hospital had said made sense. That was why he wasn’t dating any of the single women in town.
Sawyer gave a half smile. “I would hate for Ray to file a complaint against you for stalking. Then I’d have to arrest you.”
Ashley knew even with the sheriff’s smile that he was dead serious. Ray had rights, and if he thought those rights were being violated or threatened, he would have the law on his side. That could get ugly, especially if, as a result, she was forced to reveal Ray’s true identity. She had to figure out a way to ensure Ray became interested in her again without him feeling she was a threat or manipulating the process.
“What happens if he wants to get to know me and information I share about myself starts him remembering things?” she asked the doctor.
“Then that’s good. Being told who you are and figuring out who you are on your own are two different things. There’s a possibility the information you share might trigger some type of memory, and if so, that’s good.”
The doctor paused a minute and then added, “If you decide to give him the chance to get to know you, it’s imperative that you be truthful with him as much as you can. If he asks, tell him the truth that you’re a widow. If he asks your husband’s name and how he died, tell him.”
Ashley nodded and then asked, “What if I’m able to break through this wall Devon has erected? If he falls in love with me all over again, then can I tell him the truth about who I am?”
“Telling him at that point could be less traumatic for him. Although he still won’t remember a life with you, I believe having you in his life in that situation would be more acceptable because he has fallen in love with you all over again. However, I would caution you to know for sure he’s at that point. You shouldn’t assume emotions Ray might not be feeling.”
In other words, Ashley knew the doctor was warning her not to assume Ray had fallen in love with her just because that was what would be best for her. She decided he’d have to tell her he loved her outright. “Thanks, Dr. Riggins, for all the information you’ve provided.”
“I’m sure I’ve given you a lot to think about.”
“Yes. I love Devon, and if I have to get to know him as Ray Sullivan, then I will. Even if he never gets his memory back or doesn’t fall in love with me a second time, it doesn’t matter. I will always love him.” She drew in a deep breath. “Why does life have to be so complicated?”
Nobody answered her and then Dr. Riggins said, “Please solve this mystery for me regarding Ray.”
Ashley’s brow bunched. “What mystery is that?”
“That tattoo on his back. He had no idea why it’s there and what it means.”
A smile touched Ashley’s lips as she remembered the day they’d gone to the tattoo parlor together. “Sunflower is Devon’s pet name for me. It’s written in script across his back, and I have an actual design of one someplace else.” No need to share with them that she had a design of a sunflower on her upper hip.
“Mystery solved,” Dr. Riggins said, chuckling.
“And just so you’re not taken by surprise in case you reschedule that tour around the cove on Ray’s boat, the name of his boat is the Sunflower,” Kaegan told her.
Ashley’s breath caught. “It is?”
“Yes. He figured the word evidently meant something since he had it tattooed on his back and decided to give that name to his boat.”
“We also have a mystery that needs solving,” Sawyer said when the room got quiet again.
Ashley lifted a brow. “What mystery is that?”
“A couple of weeks ago Ray mentioned to me and Kaegan that he woke up feeling that particular day should mean something to him.”
“What date was it?”
“June 10,” Kaegan said.
Ashley stared at the two men. “That’s my birthday.”
Nobody said anything for a moment. Then Vashti asked in a hopeful voice, “Could that mean something vital, Dr. Riggins?”
“I still can’t say. It could, but again, there’s no guarantee even with that.”
“But what if he asks when my birthday is?”
“Tell him. He’s either going to think it’s a coincidence or it might help in his memory’s reclamation process. If you need more information from me, just get my number from Kaegan and call me at any time.”
“Thanks, Dr. Riggins.”
Vashti crossed the room to Ashley, gave her a hug and said, “As Ray’s friends who love him and want what’s best for him, we’re hoping you’re able to break through those barriers he has erected, Ashley.”
Ashley smiled through tears she’d tried to hold back and said, “I hope so, too. I intend to do whatever it takes and I truly do thank you guys for being there for Devon.”
“I’m going to warn you that it won’t be easy since he has pretty much made it up in his mind to be a loner,” Vashti said. “But then, I know firsthand how strong an attraction between two people can be,” she said, glancing over at her husband and giving him a smile. She then looked back at Ashley. “A strong attraction is hard to resist.”
“So, what’s the first thing you plan to do?” Kaegan asked.
For several seconds, Ashley stood there in front of them, the three people she’d discovered were her husband’s closest friends. “I guess the first thing I need to do is wrap my mind around the fact that he’s not Devon Ryan now but Ray Sullivan. I have to get used to calling him that.”
* * *
AT THE END of his workday, Ray opened the door to his truck and slid behind the wheel. After buckling his seat belt and before turning the key in the ignition, he paused a moment and just sat there, fighting the urge to call Vashti to see how Ashley Ryan was doing.
Forget Me Not Page 7