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“So, how does it feel to be reunited with Ruby? It’s pretty incredible, huh?”
“I feel blessed.”
“And? What else? I know Ruby has amnesia, but has it been romantic between the two of you? Moonlight and roses?”
“No, it hasn’t,” Liam said in a curt voice. “Ruby doesn’t remember me. She has no inkling of what we were to one another. The love we shared. The ups and downs.”
Cameron frowned. “Downs? You two were perfect together. Blissful.”
“That’s n
ot true,” Liam snapped. Cameron’s eyes widened. “Sorry,” he apologized. “I didn’t mean to snap at you. Before Ruby went on that Colorado mission, the two of us were having problems. We couldn’t agree on her job. I thought she was tempting fate by putting herself at risk on these various missions, and she had no intention of giving it up. We went round and round about it with no resolution.”
“Seriously?” Cameron asked, appearing stunned. “I had no idea you were going through that. From the outside looking in, the two of you seemed so content.” He ran his hands over Emma’s hair. She had fallen asleep on his chest.
“I didn’t tell anyone. I thought Ruby and I would work it out ourselves. Until the day she took off her wedding rings and asked for a legal separation. It was the day before she left us. We had been fighting nonstop... I guess she had reached her breaking point. Truthfully, so had I. But I never imagined us not being together. Until she threw it out there.”
“Liam. You would have worked through it if—” Cameron’s words dangled in the air.
“If Ruby hadn’t been presumed dead on that Colorado mountain?” Liam scratched his chin. “I don’t know. It broke my heart when she took off her rings. And even though I prayed we would find our way, we never got the opportunity.”
“But you have it now, don’t you?” Cameron asked. “She’s back... God led her straight to Love and toward you and Aidan. That has to mean something.”
Liam swallowed past the bile rising in his throat. “It’s hard to put my heart on the line again, knowing that if she remembers the past she might toss me aside all over again. Maybe she really, truly, had fallen out of love with me. Perhaps that’s why she hasn’t had a single memory about me...and what we were to one another. And I’m starting to feel guilty about making her believe everything was peaches and cream between us, when that’s far from the truth.”
“Liam, you and Ruby were a love story. I can’t believe you’d give up on that so easily. Most people don’t get second chances at love.”
“I’m not giving up. I just don’t know how to protect my heart on this journey with Ruby. I want Aidan to have the thing he wants most in the world, but I also want my life back. The life I always imagined.”
“Then go for it, bro. Don’t let fear stop you.” Cameron’s voice was laced with encouragement.
Just then the clinic door jingled again, heralding the arrival of Myrtle Maplethorpe, aka the Duchess. Myrtle, the local historian, was also known as Love’s resident town gossip. Liam could hear her high-pitched voice emanating from the other room as she greeted Wanda.
“I should get this little lady home and call Paige. It sounds like your next appointment is here.”
They walked out into the waiting room together, both marveling at how soundly Emma was sleeping. The resiliency of children always amazed Liam, both personally and professionally.
Myrtle was standing there in front of the main desk, resplendent in aqua from head to toe. She peered at them through her Coke-bottle glasses.
“Well, hello, Dr. Liam. Cameron. Oh, and a darling little Prescott princess.” Myrtle’s tone trilled.
“She’s a little under the weather with an ear infection,” Cameron explained.
“Oh, those can be dreadful,” Myrtle said. “I hope the wee one feels better.”
“Thanks. Nice to see you, Myrtle.” Cameron adjusted Emma on his chest. “See you later, Liam. And thanks for everything. If you need to talk, you know where to find me.”
As Liam turned back to Myrtle, she narrowed her eyes at him. “Sounds like you’ve been leaning on your brother for advice. I’ve been called a good listener a time or two,” she said. “If you need a listening ear.”
Liam almost burst out laughing. Myrtle was notorious for spreading people’s private business all around town. There was no way he was going to confide in her all his doubts and fears about Ruby. If he did, it would spread all over town like wildfire. Myrtle wasn’t a bad person, but she certainly wasn’t someone he could trust with his personal business.
“That’s very kind of you to offer. Why don’t we go check out your heartburn?”
As he led Myrtle into one of the examining rooms, he found himself wishing his issues with Ruby were as easy to solve as a simple case of heartburn.
* * *
Ruby felt a little bit nervous about showing up at Liam’s clinic unannounced, but after consulting with Aidan, they had decided that surprising him with lunch was a brilliant idea. She needed to step out a little bit on faith and embrace the life she’d once made for herself. On some level she had to accept that the woman she’d once been had chosen this life for herself. She had picked Liam. Although she’d made strides with Aidan, she had deliberately been distant from Liam. Knowing they had been a storybook couple felt intimidating. Out of her reach.
