AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Megan let out a huff of laughter. “If that’s the good news, what’s the bad news?”
Sam joined in with her laughter. “You’re more of a smart ass than I remember.”
That gave Megan pause. “Yeah?”
“Oh, yeah. You were sweet and gentle, charming even, but not at all sarcastic. It suits you.”
“Thanks, I think.” Her gaze slid to mine, worried and wary, as if I might not have noticed that same thing about her. I had, but I loved Megan more than anything, and this return to her sassy younger self was a welcome one. “So, the bad news?”
“Ah, yes.” Sam did a dramatic look down at his tablet before he looked back up with Megan with a sigh. “The only real cure for what ails you is time.”
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding at Sam’s words. “That’s it?”
Two sets of eyes turned to me, surprise swimming in them both. “That’s exactly what you said,” Megan added with a snort.
Sam’s face split into a grin. “That’s good news, Casey. Remember?”
I nodded because it was good news. It meant that all of Megan’s memories were there, in her mind, they were just locked or blocked somehow. That was welcome news after our date the other night, and that kiss that made me hard every time I thought about it.
And I thought of it, often. In the past forty-eight hours, I’d spent approximately half of every hour reliving that kiss. Replaying her shocked, aroused, reaction.
“Yeah, I remember, Sam.”
“Good.” He gave a short nod, a question swimming in his curious eyes before he turned back to Megan. “This is good news, because it means it is very likely a short-term problem. What I recommend is frequent strolls down memory lane to help you remember.”
She nodded with a sigh. “I’ve been doing that.”
“Good. Combined with the memory exercises I’ll give you, that should help speed up the recovery process. Now, I’m also going to recommend that you learn a new skill or hobby, to help stimulate the memory part of the brain.”
Megan nodded and let out a dramatic sigh, her shoulders drooped in disappointment. “I was hoping you’d say that another hit to the head would restore me back to factory settings.”
Sam laughed. “Casey and I would both be out of a job if it was that easy.”
“Maybe so, but it’d be worth another conk on the head if it was possible.” She sighed and fell quiet for a moment while the gears churned in her head. A minute later, Megan sat taller with her shoulder squared, a sign she had come to terms with Sam’s words. “All right. Relive the past, work out my brain, and learn something new. Got it. Anything else?”
“Just one thing. What new pastry creations are you working on?”
Megan blinked in surprise. “What?”
“The last time I saw Casey, he had the most delicious mini donuts, filled with liqueur cream. Never had such a good donut, so I’m curious what you’re working on now.”
I took a step forward at the look of abject fear on her face. She looked up at Sam and then me, reaching out a fearful hand.
“What if I forgot how to bake, Casey?”
I ignored the feeling of triumph that washed over me when Megan reached for me. Needed me. I took her hand between mine and sighed.
“Look at me, Megs.”
She did, and it broke my heart to see the tears that wet her eyes even though she refused to let them fall.
“You haven’t forgotten how to bake. Baking is even more a part of you than dancing, and you didn’t forget how to dance.”
Sam sighed, interrupting the moment. “Information neither of you thought to share with me?”
“Sorry, Sam.”
He shook his head, a small smile played on his mouth. “That’s a good sign that confirms my diagnosis. Bake something to ease your mind, show yourself that you can still do it. There’s nothing to be afraid of, Megan.”
“Easy for you to say. What will I do if I’m unable to bake?”
There was real fear swimming in her eyes and even though I felt helpless, I knew this was something I could help her with.
But Sam beat me to it. Again. “I’m prescribing you to go to the bakery and work a half-shift this week, at least once but no more than three times.”
Megan’s eyes rounded in surprise. “You can’t do that.”
“I can and I have, young lady. Doctor’s orders.”
She looked terrified and I gave her hand a squeeze. “I’ll go with you to the bakery. I’ll be your sous chef and we can just stay in the kitchen, no customers and no running the joint.”
She still looked unsure, and I smiled.
“You’re not expected back for at least another week, so you can just do the part that you love most and screw the rest.”
She thought it over for a long time while Sam and I just stared at her and waited for an answer. Finally, Megan nodded. She let out a resigned sigh and flashed a shy smile.
