Gemma was very sorry. She really was. A horrible sense of guilt washed over when she looked into the eyes of the man who gingerly held on to her as they walked along the lush pathway of the garden that surrounded the medical center building.
She'd slept for most of the past three days according to the doctors.
The jackhammering inside her brain had only recently relented. She was disoriented and groggy. But there was nothing more they could do for her here. She had a slew of appointments with a neurological trauma specialist in the coming weeks.
She would be going home tomorrow morning. To her, that meant she would be returning to the beach house her mother kept on the Cape in Massachusetts. Ma had bought it when Gemma had gotten accepted into Berklee College of Music five years ago.
She gave her head a shake. In her mind that was five years ago. Apparently it was longer.
"Are you all right?" the man asked. He'd told her his name was Louis. Her husband. She hadn't quite wrapped her mind around it. To her, he was a stranger. At least until she got her memory back.
No one seemed to know how long that might take.
"Do you remember anything the doctors said?" he asked her now.
"Not very well."
Gemma glanced at the wooden bench they were approaching along the path. Though they hadn't been walking long, she could use a bit of a rest. Louis stopped when they reached it and without speaking a word helped her sit down. She hadn't even had to say anything. He certainly seemed to be in tune with her needs and wants.
He was clearly attentive, caring and considerate. If only she could remember falling in love with the man.
Not to mention, he was quite attractive. Jet-black hair with a slight curl framed an angular face. Kind eyes the color of molten chocolate. Toned muscles on a tall frame. He looked like he could be posing for a photo shoot.
"Maybe you could go over it again," she prompted when they were both seated.
"Sure," he answered, his gaze full of patience and understanding. "You were driving down a side road after getting off the expressway when the strong winds that day knocked over a large rotted tree. You happened to be driving by at that very moment. The convertible’s soft top meant your pretty head got the brunt of a nasty blow. Luckily, you weren't seriously hurt. Aside from losing your memories."
She recalled hearing as much but for the life of her didn't remember any of that actually happening to her. Whenever she tried to call up any kind of memory related to the accident, shadows popped up in her mind instead. She blew a puff of air out in frustration.
Louis reached for her then, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.
Gemma couldn't help how her body reacted. Her muscles and spine stiffened at his touch. Despite his charm and sheer masculine attractiveness, Gemma couldn't respond in kind.
It was a hug from a stranger.
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