Pass Protection (Fair Catch Series, Book Five)

by Christine Kersey

  Grateful for that, Greg only hoped that when her memory returned, whatever had pulled her away from him and toward that other man would be gone, that he would have overcome it. Then again, he didn’t really know what was going on in her mind. For all he knew, she was pretending to enjoy his company.

  “Let’s see,” he said in answer to her question, pushing down the doubts that kept trying to surface. “From time to time I mow the lawn.”

  She laughed. “Okay. Good.”

  “I also have a large repertoire of foods that I grill.”

  Tilting her head, Olivia smiled. “Don’t you think that would fall under Fabulous Cook?” She did air quotes.

  “I don’t know. Grilling’s completely different from cooking in the kitchen.”

  Olivia’s blue eyes sparkled as she kept her focus on him. His heart did a little flip—the flip it always did when she turned her attention completely on him. He pictured her in the hospital, unconscious, bruised and battered. Remembered how terrified he’d been that she would never wake up. At the memory, his heart crashed into his stomach and he felt his face nearly crumple.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  Great. Now he’d ruined the good time they’d been having. Still, he decided to be honest. “I was thinking about seeing you in the hospital. Before you woke up.”

  Her shoulders sagged a little, like she’d put all of that out of her mind until he’d brought it up. “I wish I could remember what happened.”

  Time to turn this around. “The important thing is that you’re okay. I mean, I know you’ve lost your memory, but you’ll get it back. You will.”

  She looked dubious, but she smiled. “I hope so.”

  Olivia appreciated his optimism regarding her memory—she appreciated everything about him. But she had to operate under the assumption that she would only be making new memories now.

  “Shay should be here any time,” Greg said.

  “Already?” Half nervous and half excited to meet Shay, Olivia sipped at her smoothie.

  “It’ll be fine. She’s a very nice person.”

  His comments didn’t soothe her. Instead they annoyed her. How did he know it would be fine? He didn’t and it irritated her that he seemed to think stating it would make it true. She was nervous and his comment only seemed to emphasize that. Needing to release the tension she felt, she said, “No need to patronize me, Greg.”

  His forehead furrowed like he was offended and Olivia felt a pinch of regret. Even so, she let her comment hang there for a moment. If it made him uncomfortable, all the better, because that was exactly how she felt.

  “I’m sorry,” he said, making that pinch of regret turn into full-fledged guilt.

  “No,” she said, and Greg’s eyebrows shot up. Olivia frowned. “I’m the one who’s sorry. None of this is your fault.”

  “That may be true, but I don’t want you to think I was trying to patronize you, Olivia. I…” His lips pressed together and he visibly swallowed. “I love you.”

  Her heart seemed to stop beating for a moment as a whole kaleidoscope of emotions washed over her—powerful attraction, regret at not remembering him or their lives together, flattery that someone like him loved her. And finally, hope. That they could put this all behind them and move forward. Together.

  Not sure what to say, she cast a soft smile at him, then focused on finishing her smoothie.

  Moments later, the doorbell sounded.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “That must be Shay,” Greg said as he stood, clearly waiting for Olivia to go with him to the front door.

  Olivia’s heart began to pound. Shay knew the old Olivia, the Olivia she couldn’t remember. What if this new Olivia was completely different? What if Shay didn’t like the new Olivia? What if Shay didn’t want to have anything to do with her? Suddenly terrified to lose this important connection to her past, Olivia felt frozen, paralyzed. She remained seated.

  Greg smiled. “I’ll bring her out to you.”

  Olivia couldn’t even muster a nod. Instead she stared at Greg with wide eyes.

  Without comment, Greg knelt in front of her, took her hands in his, and gazed at her.

  At his touch electricity zinged up her arms and right to her heart. All thoughts of Shay flew from her mind as her complete focus was on the man kneeling in front of her, his grey eyes staring into her very soul.

  “You’re an amazing woman, Olivia.” His voice was soft, his tone confident. “I love you with all my heart. Your friends love you.” His eyes shimmered and he visibly swallowed. “Be yourself. That’s all you need to do.”

  How did he know what she’d been worried about? Did he really know her so well? Maybe he did. He was her husband, after all. Her heart jolted with the unquestionable knowledge that he loved her. Very much. That knowledge gave her the confidence she needed.

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  He smiled, then he lifted her hands to his lips and pressed a kiss to the back of one hand.

  Nearly gasping, she couldn’t take her eyes from his face as he met her gaze again. “Wait here,” he said.

  All she could do was nod, but she was mesmerized by this man. By her husband.

  Deeply comforted to know he had her back, her tension began melting away.

  He stood, and moments later she heard the front door opening before voices floated out to her. His and a woman’s. Shay’s.

  Taking several deep breaths, Olivia braced herself for this meeting.

  “I appreciate you coming,” Greg said as he stood in the entry, then he lowered his voice. “Olivia’s a bit nervous to…well, to meet you.” He hoped the idea wouldn’t seem too strange to Shay.

  Shay smiled warmly. “I’m just thrilled she’s willing to see me.”

  Greg was too. He thought of the way Olivia had reacted to his declaration of love. He could tell it had affected her. Elated that she was warming up to him, he turned his attention back to Shay. “She’s on the patio. Do you want me to…?”

  Shay shook her head. “I know the way.”

  Grateful that Shay was taking the initiative—what was he supposed to do, introduce her to Olivia like they’d never met?—he nodded. “If you need anything, I’ll be in my office.”

  “Thanks.”

  He watched her walk to the patio, his gaze sliding to Olivia, whose back was to him. Her booted ankle rested on a stack of pillows and he ached for all that she’d been through, was still going through. If only he could take away her discomfort, her challenges. But he couldn’t. Clenching his jaw, he felt his heart contract with love for his wife.

  Everything would work out, everything would be okay. It had to be.

  With a final look in her direction, he turned and walked toward his office.

  Olivia heard light footsteps approaching. Turning her head, she saw a slender woman with long dark hair step onto the patio. She’d been hoping that she’d recognize Shay, but when she saw her it was as if a complete stranger was joining her. Olivia’s shoulders started to sag.

  Nope. I’m not going to let this get me down. I’ll get to know her and we can become friends. I can do this.

  Holding a beautiful bouquet of flowers in her hands, Shay said, “Good morning, Olivia!” She spoke as if they were old friends.

  Jolted to realize they were old friends, that to Shay nothing had changed, Olivia held back a frown. “Hi.”

  “Mind if I join you?”

  Olivia gestured to one of the chairs next to the couch. “Please.”

  Shay sat down, and when she smiled Olivia noticed her dimples. Something about her smile calmed Olivia, made Shay seem more approachable.

  Shay held up the bouquet. “I brought these for you.” Then she set them on the table.

  “They’re gorgeous. Thank you.” Then, wanting to get any awkwardness out of the way, Olivia said, “Can I be honest?”

  Shay nodded. “Of course.”

  “I don’t remember you, but…” Unexpected tears choked her.
“I want to get to know you.” Olivia’s chin wobbled.

  To her surprise, Shay leapt from her seat, rushed over to Olivia’s side, and threw her arms around her.

  “Oh, Olivia. I’m so sorry about all that’s happened to you.” Then she pulled back and smiled through tear-filled eyes. “I’ll do anything I can to help you. You can count on me.”

  Deeply touched by Shay’s sincerity, Olivia felt the tears that had filled her eyes begin to overflow her lashes. “Thank you.”

  “Now,” Shay said, her voice calm and matter-of-fact, “tell me how you’re feeling.” She tilted her head down as she stared into Olivia’s eyes. “How you’re really feeling.” When Olivia hesitated, Shay added. “Just between us.”

  A sense of peace swept over Olivia and somehow she knew she could trust Shay. Relieved beyond measure to have an ally, someone besides Greg—she believed he was on her side, but the way she felt about him was still complicated—Olivia softly sighed. “Thank you.”

  Shay leaned against the couch cushions, then glanced at Olivia’s ankle before meeting her gaze. “How’s the ankle?”

  Glad she was starting with something simple, Olivia half-smiled. “It could be worse. I don’t need surgery, so that’s a big relief. And it really doesn’t hurt. It’s just really hard not to be able to walk on it.” Grimacing, Olivia added, “Evidently it’s going to take about ten weeks before I can get rid of this boot, although I’ll be able to start putting weight on it in about six weeks.”

  “Ugh. I’m sorry to hear that. So no driving, obviously.”

  “Right.”

  Shay grinned. “That just means I’ll be coming to get you to take you to lunch and anywhere else you want to go.”

  Gratitude to this woman who obviously cared about her poured over her. “I’m sure I’ll take you up on that.”

  Shay’s eyebrows rose. “I should hope so. Going to lunch is one of our favorite activities.” She winked. “That and shopping. At least when we have time.”

  That piqued Olivia’s curiosity. “What do you like to do, Shay?”

  Shay straightened. “I’m glad you asked. My passion is gardening.”

  Olivia’s gaze went to the flowers before she faced Shay again. “Did you put that arrangement together?”

  A bright smile lit Shay’s face. “Yes. And the flowers are from my garden.”

  Impressed, Olivia said, “That’s quite a talent. How long have you been into gardening?”

  Shay narrowed her eyes. “We’re supposed to be talking about you.” Then she chuckled. “But that’s how you are, Olivia. Always focusing on others. One of the things I love about you, my friend.”

  That’s when Olivia realized that she felt completely comfortable with Shay, as if she’d known her for years. Relaxing into the cushions, she smiled.

  “What’s going on with this amnesia?” Shay asked, her tone showing she wasn’t put off by it or shocked, but simply curious.

  The way she asked, like it was a temporary thing, made Olivia reflect on it a little more. “It’s the strangest thing. I can remember things from maybe five years ago, but nothing since then.”

  Shay glanced toward the house. “Not even…Greg?”

  Shaking her head, Olivia grimaced. “No. I mean, it’s like I just met him three days ago.”

  A slow smile curved Shay’s mouth. “And? What do you think of him?”

  For a moment, Olivia felt like a teenager who’d just found out that the high school jock has a crush on her. “He’s…” She bit her lip to try to stop the smile from blossoming on her mouth. “He’s pretty amazing.”

  Shay laughed. “He is. Almost as amazing as my Josh.”

  “Hmm. I’d have to meet your Josh, but I’m pretty sure Greg’s more amazing.”

  Shay smiled, then asked, “So, you don’t remember anything about your accident?”

  “Nope. Not a thing.”

  “That’s too bad.”

  The text message from her mother flashed in her mind and she remembered she was going to see if Shay knew anything about what was going on. “Did I ever talk to you about…well, about my mother?”

  “Sometimes.”

  Hope flared inside her. “What did I tell you?”

  A look of uncertainty crossed Shay’s face.

  “Don’t worry. Greg told me about her drug issues.”

  Shay nodded. “Okay. Good. I didn’t want to be the one to tell you.”

  With a glance toward the house, Olivia said, “Greg said we hadn’t heard from my mother in, like, two months, but I talked to her yesterday and it sounded like I’d been in touch with her more recently than that.” Olivia’s hopes hinged on her next question. “Did I confide in you about, well, about anything to do with my mother recently?”

  Shay looked thoughtful. “Not in so many words, but you did tell me one thing.”

  Hope surged through Olivia. Maybe Shay held the key that would unlock the mystery surrounding her mother. “What did I tell you?”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Shay leaned forward and rested her forearms on her thighs, her gaze steady, like she was glad to be able to do something to help solve the puzzle surrounding Olivia’s mother.

  “You said you were helping your mother. That this had to be the last time. That you didn’t want to tell Greg because he’d already done so much.” She paused a beat. “You said you were embarrassed to ask for his help and that you were going to handle it yourself.”

  “What was I doing to help her? Did I tell you?”

  Frowning, Shay shook her head. “I asked, but you refused to give me the details.”

  Pressing her lips together as she sighed through her nose, Olivia reached for her phone. “I need to try to call my mother again. She’s not returning my calls or texts and I’m so…” She pursed her lips as she tapped the call button beside her mother’s name, then she held the phone to her ear. Meeting Shay’s gaze, she said, “This is beyond frustrating.” Whether she meant not remembering or not being able to get a hold of her mother, she didn’t know. It was all frustrating.

  Seconds later the call went to voicemail. “Mom, please call me right away. Please.” Then she disconnected the call and set the phone on the table.

  “Can I get you ladies anything?” Greg asked from the doorway a few moments later.

  Olivia’s heart thumped with longing at the sight of him. “Something cold to drink would be wonderful.”

  His gaze settled on her and her pulse skyrocketed. “Coming right up.”

  When he disappeared from view, Olivia looked at Shay, who was grinning at her. “What?”

  Shay’s smile only grew. “I just think it’s adorable the way you guys are with each other.”

  Was her attraction to Greg so transparent? “What do you mean?”

  “The man’s obviously head over heels for you.”

  Greg had told her he loved her less than an hour before, but hearing that it was so obvious to others thrilled her beyond belief. “I told you he was amazing.”

  “And you,” Shay said as if Olivia hadn’t spoken.

  “Me?”

  Shay’s eyes seemed to twinkle. “Yes. You’re clearly becoming smitten with him.”

  It was true. She was. Despite her mind having no memory of him, her heart was a different story. Because it seemed the more time she spent with him, the more her heart was tugging her into his orbit.

  When Greg brought out tall glasses of ice cold lemonade, Olivia tried to be subtle as she watched him. He handed each of them a glass, his eyes lingering on Olivia. Knowing how he felt about her, she blossomed under his gaze.

  “There you go.” His attention was focused solely on her. “Is there anything else you need?”

  Her pulse racing, she shook her head. “No. I think we’re fine.”

  He smiled at her, his grey eyes warm. “Okay. I’ll check on you in a while.” Then he turned and walked away.

  When he was gone, Shay said, “He is pretty amazing, Olivia.”

&nb
sp; Needing to cool down, Olivia turned to Shay. “How did you and Josh meet?”

  Chuckling, Shay shook her head before taking a sip of her lemonade, then she set it on the table. “Now there’s a story for you.”

  A story Olivia was sure she already knew—at least the old Olivia had known it. “I’d love to hear it.” She rolled her eyes. “Again.”

  A bright smile tugged at the corners of Shay’s mouth. “That’s one story I never tire of telling.” She settled against the cushions. “I’d left my boyfriend and gotten a ride from a stranger. Well, the guy dumped me off in the middle of nowhere. I was kind of desperate for some water and I came across this cabin. No one was home, so I let myself in.” Her lips twisted into a smirk. “Okay. Maybe I broke in. Turns out the place belonged to the great Josh Wisner, superstar quarterback for the Sacramento Vipers. Needless to say, he wasn’t too happy to find me there.” She laughed. “Funny thing is, I had no idea who he was.”

  Olivia listened as Shay described how she and Josh had fallen in love, enthralled by the tale.

  “And now I can’t imagine my life without him,” Shay said.

  “Josh does sound like a great guy.”

  “He really is. I love him so much.”

  Touched by the emotion in Shay’s voice, Olivia only hoped she would feel that way toward Greg one day. Then she realized that she was already on her way to that destination.

  They visited a while longer before Shay gave her a hug good-bye with the promise that she’d come back in a few days. Shay also elicited a promise from Olivia that she would call if she wanted to get out for a while.

  “Thank you so much for coming,” Olivia said, meaning it. She was so pleased that she’d pushed herself to meet with Shay despite her reservations.

  “Like anyone could keep me away,” Shay said with a grin. “You take care of yourself.”