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“How can I? Here I am with a scratch on my head and I have you taking care of me. There’s a girl out there who probably needs your help more.”
When he didn’t respond right away, Amanda narrowed her eyes at him, disappointed.
“You don’t believe me, either.”
“We’ll ask the police what they found in the morning, okay?” he said neutrally, caressing his thumb over her uninjured temple. “Close your eyes, Amanda.”
She knew it was pointless to argue about it now, so she let her eyelids droop. Gene clicked off the nightstand lamp and got up from the bed to leave the room. The darkness brought images too clear in her mind.
“I don’t think I can sleep.” Her eyes flew open again, knowing she was gonna agonize about the accident all night. “I can’t stop thinking about what happened, or who she might be. She didn’t look hurt, but for a second, I thought I saw fear in her eyes.”
“Amanda,” Gene whispered.
“Maybe she’s lost.”
“Scoot over,” he ordered.
Without hesitation, Amanda moved automatically to give him room to sit next to her. Careful not to jar her, Gene slid an arm around her shoulder and pulled her to him.
“We’ll figure it out in the morning, okay?” His voice was low and soothed her. “I promise, but you need to rest. I’ll stay here until you fall asleep.”
Why does having his arm around me feel so good? I shouldn’t be this comfortable with him.
Somehow, Amanda felt safe with Gene. She rested her head on his shoulder and snuggled into him further. The sound of his heartbeat under her ear lulled her spinning brain. His arm firm around her felt secure. Her hand on his chest rose and fell with his breath, and Amanda didn’t notice her own breath echoed his as she drifted into sleep.
four
Doe eyes stared at her. Her face smeared with dirt. But those eyes screamed, ‘Help me!’
Amanda drove her car faster to catch up with the girl as she ran into the fog.
“Stop!” Amanda shouted. “I can’t help you if you don’t stop.”
The girl vanished, swallowed by the trees.
“Amanda,” a deep voice broke through her panic.
She jerked around in the darkness but didn’t see anyone. The surrounding woods disappeared.
“Amanda,” the voice called again. “Wake up.”
Gasping, Amanda’s eyes opened wide. A man was looking down at her.
“Hey, it’s me. It’s Gene,” the voice said.
The name triggered a flood of memories, but her heart was pounding so hard, her head hurt. Still disoriented from the dream, Amanda didn’t respond.
“You hit your head last night,” he said. “Do you remember?”
Right. The accident.
“Of course I remember. It still hurts like a bitch,” she grumpily answered. “And before you ask again, like you did the last time you woke me up, my name is Amanda Garner. It should be clear by now I don’t have memory loss.”
“Wow, she wakes up with boxing gloves on.” Gene chuckled and got up to open the curtain.
Amanda buried her face in the pillow and groaned.
“Here, take these,” Gene’s voice returned.
