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"All right, will you let me arrange it?"I need to know that she trusts me to take care of her, and will give her anything that she desires.
"That sounds perfect.Now tell me some more about you."
The get to know you phase has been pretty one-sided.She keeps asking about me, and I tell her whatever she wants to know.My childhood memories, about my parents, why I joined the state troopers, and some of my favorite cases are all things that I’ve told her.
Every day she asks me to tell her more and more about myself, and I would tell her my whole life history if that's what she wants.Ultimately, I want her to know everything and to know me because when her memories come back, I plan to know every bit of her as well.
"What do you want to know today, Sleeping Beauty?"
"Well, for starters, I can't believe I haven't thought to ask until now your age.How old are you?"
"Ouch!Going right for the jugular, I see.I wouldn't expect anything less.I'm thirty-five."
"And you said I'm twenty-two.Has the thirteen-year difference been an issue for us or for anyone else?"
I sit and think for a moment because I want to give her the most honest answer I can.
"Honestly, I don't give it any thought other than when you bring it up like now.And if it bothers anyone else, they haven't said anything about it.But if it does bother them, then that's their problem, Sleeping Beauty, it's not ours."
That seems to satisfy her because she drops the subject.As we continue our conversation, my phone rings.
"Hello?"I answer.
"Hey, it's Maggie.The girls and I are having a girls’ night at the ranch and I wanted to invite Rose.Sage and Megan both remember her from school.Plus, if she's going to be hanging around you more, it might be good for her to have some friends in town," she says.
Maggie's right, of course.It would be good for her to have friends, and a reason for her to stay in town when her memories come back.More of a reason to buy me some more time, as well as give me a real true chance.
"Let me talk to her and see what she thinks, and I'll text you back.Shoot me the details."We hang up, and I turn to Rose, who is already looking at me.
"Who was that?"she asks.
"It was Maggie.Her and her sisters-in-law have a girls’ night every month or so.It's an excuse to get together.They have some food, chat and catch up on all the news.She wanted to invite you.I guess Sage and Megan remember you from school.Also, it would be a good chance for you to make some friends."
She studies me for a minute, looking slightly apprehensive.
"Do you know these girls?"
"Yes, Sage helped with some of the abandoned horses, and Lily and her husband Mike took a bunch of them in.Actually, some were left on their property, so I worked with them during the case and met with them.They're a nice group, and I think you'd really like them."
She studies me again for a moment before a look crosses her face that I can't quite read.
"Did you date any of them?"She narrows her eyes at me, and fuck, if she's not cute when she's jealous.
"No.But in the spirit of total honesty, I did ask Maggie out before she and Nick started dating.Though we didn't actually go out, and Nick about punched me in the face, but I did ask her."
"Will you be there in case I want to leave?"
"I won't be there, but I will be on the property, so if you want to leave, all you have to do is let me know.Take your phone with you so you can message me if you would like to go."
Even though I've given her the phone that was sent over in her stuff, she seems to have absolutely no interest in it.Of course, there hasn't really been anybody contacting her on it either.
She has my number, but she seems to forget about the phone and keeps it turned off most of the time.
"Okay, as long as you promise I can leave whenever I want."
"If you walk in, spend two minutes, and hate it, message me.We'll leave.I'm not going to force you to spend any amount of time there if you don't want to."
Chapter 8
