Remember Me (Men of Honor Series Book 1) Read Free Page B

alone, she’d met Mike and Emma. They made her feel safe.
    She’d told Mike she didn’t want Ben to remember. But was that true? Deep down, a part of her knew she wouldn’t have complete closure without knowing what really made him leave.
    “You still haven’t left?” Gwen’s voice from behind her brought her back to the present.
    She put her phone back in her pocket and attached her hair clip to the bottom of her scrub top. “Nope. I’m still here. The officer just left. He said we can release him when the social worker says so.”
    “Then what?”
    Tess looked toward the door of Ben’s room then back to her boss. “My friend Mike said he can stay with him until something else comes up.”
    “You mean cutie Dr. Mike? That’s sure nice of him.”
    “Yeah. Mike’s the best.” Her mouth curved into a slight smile.
    “Okay. I’ll go talk to the doc and get his release papers going. When that’s done…I guess the hunky lumberjack is all yours.”
    A nervous laugh escaped Tess’s lips. “Hmm, yeah.”
     
    ***
     
    Tess peeked in Ben’s room, careful not to wake him if he was sleeping.
    To her surprise, he was sitting up in the chair next to the bed, wearing his jeans and boots, but no shirt. Her breath caught at the sight of him. Apparently backpacking through – wherever he’d been – had helped him keep the muscular physique he’d always been proud of. And that she’d always admired, especially when they went surfing. A few bandages peppered his chest. His red plaid shirt lay across the bed. When he heard Tess at the door, he stood.
    Goodness, she was going to need strength to get through this. His six-foot-two-inch frame made him almost a good foot taller than her. She fought hard to keep her eyes on his face. “What are you doing?”
    “From the looks of it, I’m putting on my clothes.” He grabbed his shirt from the bed, shrugged into it, and buttoned it as he spoke. “I don’t want anyone else in this hospital to see more of me than they already have.” He winked at her, but she could have sworn she saw his cheeks redden beneath his beard.
    “But…you haven’t been released yet.”
    “I will be. And I’m feeling fine. I can’t sit here anymore. I need to get out and try and figure out who I am.”
    She crossed her arms over her chest. He was the same old Ben. No problem taking on the world all by himself.
    “What will you do? Where will you go? You have no identification, no money and no idea where to start.
    He finished buttoning his shirt and sat down on the bed. “You have a point there.” The strong resolve that existed just moments before seemed to fade.
    Instinct told her to turn and run. Instead she moved toward him and said, “I have one option for you.”
    He lifted an eyebrow, grinning in a way that made her heart pound and her palms sweat.
    “My friend and neighbor, Mike, said he’s willing to give you a place to stay until you figure things out.”
    “Well, that’s awful nice of him, not knowing me from Adam.” His brow furrowed.
    She fidgeted with the bottom of her scrub top. “The police officer said you were on your own. I just told a friend your story and he offered to help, that’s all.” She shrugged, attempting to make it sound more casual than it was.
    He took her hand. An electric current shot through her. Her entire body flushed red. Curse her Norwegian skin. It was a tell all.
    “Thank you. I appreciate your friend’s generosity and you looking out for me. At the moment, you’re the only friend I have in the world.”
    She pulled her hand away. Him touching her and being nice wasn’t helping her decide if she hated him or wanted to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him senseless.
    “I’m sorry, but do we know each other from somewhere? I keep getting this crazy feeling we’ve met before.”
    Tucking her hair behind her ear, she looked at the floor and then out the window – anywhere but in his eyes. She didn’t answer.
    “I’ll go