Page 35 of Question Everything

They spentthe day in quiet companionship, neither one wanting to admit to the other that they had feelings that had started to go beyond simple friendship. They had walked far down the beach, gloved hand in hand, bundled against the cold, with Sarah wrapped warmly in the cashmere carrier that Kyle had worn tightly against his chest. A thin layer of ice coating the sand gaveway under the weight of their boots, crackling as they walked. The sunshine felt good against her skin and the sound of the ocean was like a meditation, calming and more serene now that the storm had passed. A large part of her wished that this was her life, with this man, in this peaceful place. She wanted to shut out the world on the other side of the Bourne Bridge and never return to it, to find comfort in his arms and in his bed.Kyle made her feel this way, safe and cared for. They were starting to finish each other’s sentences, to know what one or the other wanted before either asked for something ordinary, like milk for her coffee or another waffle for him at breakfast. Yet always lurking in the corner of her thoughts was what was to happen when she remembered her past? Would they ever see each other again after that?

She looked out at the ocean, its deep expanse almost calling to her, beckoning her far away from here. It was all so confusing that she pushed the thoughts out of her mind, looked over at the tall, gorgeous man carrying her baby on the beach and willed herself to live in the moment while she still could, because when her memory returned and she once again knew exactly who she was, there was no telling if he’d still want to help her.

Mia was finishing loadingthe dishwasher after dinner, and now that her daughter was asleep, she was thinking about having a little more wine. She cut two slices of the cake she’d made the night before and frosted this morning. She put a piece of the deeply chocolate dessert on plates, grabbed forks from the silverware drawer and balanced it all in one hand while she carried her refilled wine glass in the other. She brought everything into the living room where Kyle was adding two more logs to the fire, making it blaze, orange and red flames shooting high into the chimney. Placing everything down on the coffeetable, she said, “It’s do or die time, I suppose. Let’s taste this cake and see if I have any skill as a baker, or if this was all just a bad idea.”

“If it tastes as good as it looks than you might be on to something,” he said smiling, pulling the decorative grate across the opening of the fireplace, and sitting down on the couch. He reached for his plate, cut off a corner of his dessert with a fork and put the bite into his mouth.

Mia watched as he closed his eyes, clearly savoring the cake he was eating. His tongue swept against his upper lip to catch a stray crumb, and she thought she might faint. To cover her reaction to his simple motion she asked, “Is it edible?”

“May I?” he reached for her wine glass.

“That bad?” she inquired.

“No. That good. I love dark chocolate and red wine, don’t you?”

“So, it’s good?”

“Mia, this cake tastes like it comes from a French patisserie. It has a remarkable depth of flavor. It’s delicious.”

“It’s the strong coffee I added to the batter. Don’t ask me why I added it, I just had a feeling that it belonged.” She stood up.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“To get the wine bottle and your glass. I’ll be right back.”

She walked into the kitchen and took a moment to rest both hands on the countertop. There was something so sensual about the way his tongue had found that crumb. She could feel her insides quiver with the thought of his tongue in her own mouth. She wanted him, there was no denying that. Taking in a deep settling breath, she grabbed his glass and the bottle of Cabernet she’d come in here for and went back to sit next to him on the couch.

“Please tell me there’s more of this cake,” he said. “It’s addicting.”

Mia smiled. “Yes, lots more. I have a few more ideas of things I’d like to try and bake as well. It’s like a small dam burst inside my mind and it’s filled with recipes.”

“Not a bad way to start to come back to yourself,” he teased.

“I suppose. I feel like I’m walking on a frozen river that’s beginning to melt in places. I wish it was more familiar and less scary, though.”

He moved closer to her, his leg pressing against her own. “Mia, I’m right here with you. I know you’re frightened, but you don’t need to be. We’re getting closer to the truth; I can feel it.”

She lifted her wine glass and took a deep sip. “Maybe,” she replied in barely a whisper. “But perhaps when we find out who I really am you won’t want to know me anymore.”

He looked directly into her eyes, and she could see the sincerity in his own. “Listen to me, Mia. No matter what we discover, you and I are friends now. I’m not letting go of that.”

Friends,she thought wistfully.If I lean in and kiss him now, will he still see us as just friends? Will that be the signal that I want something more? He was the one who kissed me first, after all, yesterday in his bedroom. Was that a one-time thing?

In the end, it didn’t matter. Kyle drained the rest of the wine from his glass and stood up. “I’m going to bed before I eat more of that cake tonight, Mia. Thanks. It’s beyond delicious. Are you coming upstairs too?”

She heard his words and realized that it wasn’t an invitation to join him, but rather an admission that he’d be going to his room alone.

“No. I’m going to enjoy this fire a little bit more. I’ll be up in a bit.”

“Okay. See you in the morning.” He turned and walked into the kitchen. She could hear him put his dirty plate in the dishwasher and head up the long staircase. Once the house was quiet, she lifted her own piece of cake and put a small forkful inher mouth. The frosting was velvety smooth and the sprinkles along the edge added a nice crunch.Oooh, this is good,she thought to herself after one bite. She leaned her head back and allowed the sweet, rich chocolate to coat her tastebuds. It triggered a far-off memory of a cute bake shop on a smart street in a busy city.Was it a place she shopped in or was it… wait. It was her bake shop. She owned it. But where was it, and why couldn’t she remember more?

CHAPTER 19

Mia tossed and turned in bed, finally falling into a restless sleep. She had strange images cluttering her mind until she started to dream about two men in dark suits chasing her. She couldn’t find Sarah and felt her heart begin to race, a cold sweat forming between her shoulder blades. In the dream she felt as if she was running in quicksand, not able to put enough space between her and the ominous men behind her. She turned but could not see their faces, just the image of their bulky bodies, arms outstretched, trying to capture her. A hotel lobby appeared out of nowhere in her dream and she was in it, running, running, doing her best to elude their grasp. The next thing she knew, she was in a hotel room holding Sarah, looking to escape from the evil men who were now outside her door. She looked down at the baby in her arms and suddenly she knew one thing for certain. The little girl’s name wasn’t Sarah.

It was Daisy.

She woke up with a start and heard screaming. It took her a minute to realize that the sound she heard was coming from deep down in her throat. A minute later, the door to her room was flung open and Kyle stood there, gun in his right hand, eyes wide with apprehension.

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