Page 15 of Weston

She nodded, looking up at him. “Thank you,” she murmured, covering her legs with the blanket. Then she snuggled down in the seat and closed her eyes.

Wes spent the bulk of the flight staring at her. He couldn’t stop. A part of him felt like he was dreaming, another part wondered if he’d died back in that cave and now he was in heaven. He was terrified that if he closed his eyes, he’d wake up and she’d be gone. It wasn’t a risk he was willing to take.

At some point, Corey came over and nudged him. “Go stretch your legs, Murph. I’ll watch her.”

Reluctant to leave her side, but knowing Corey was right, Wes gingerly rose from his seat. Damn, he was sore. He looked down at Ellie for a long moment before heading back to the bathroom. As happy as he was to have her back, he knew things weren’t the same. They never would be. The big question was how could he facilitate their relationship and help it return to as close to normal as possible? Or, create a new normal?

For the rest of the flight, Wes racked his brain, trying to come up with a plan that would be most beneficial in helping Ellie remember him and her old life. Although they’d lived in Michigan, Wes wanted her to stay in Montana with him. She was his wife, after all, and she belonged by his side. But, now that she’d spoken to her family, would she want to go back to Michigan? Somehow, he needed to convince her to stay. Because saying goodbye after he just found her again wasn’t an option.

???

Absolutely exhausted, Ellie slept most of the flight. It was that intermittent dozing, though, where she woke up often, her heart racing, slightly confused. But then she’d see Wes right beside her, looking so strong and capable. He’d offer her a reassuring smile and she’d relax. One time he even reached over and held her hand. His warm, solid grip instantly alleviated her anxiety. Even though she couldn’t explain it, having Wes so near, knowing he watched her so closely, made her feel comfortable, secure and so very protected.

She knew they were headed to Montana, but she wasn’t sure what her plans from there were yet. A part of her wantedto jump on the next flight to Michigan and reunite with her family, while a surprisingly bigger part of her wanted to stay with Wes. She was convinced he was her husband, and it bothered her tremendously that she couldn’t muster up even one clear memory of the years they’d spent together. She wanted to remedy that as quickly as possible, so before they landed, she decided she was staying in Montana. For the time being, anyway.

Once the plane door opened, Ellie grabbed the small bag she’d brought with her, walked down the stairs then turned to look up into Wes’ strong, chiseled face. A face that looked so unsure it made her chest tighten.

“Can I come with you?” she asked softly.

His brown eyes lit up. “Of course. And we’ll make arrangements so you can see your family, too. I just don’t want to overwhelm you.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” He hesitated. “There’s a motel not far away, but I have plenty of room at my house. You can stay in the guest room, of course. Until things, you know, start coming back.”

Ellie pulled in a breath and couldn’t help but wonder—what if they didn’t come back?

Misinterpreting her reaction, Wes immediately backpedaled. “But, if you’d be more comfortable at the motel—”

She touched his arm. “No, I want to be with you. I think it’ll help.” In fact, she was determined to do absolutely everything in her power to speed up the process of getting her memories back. Stumbling around in the dark, not having the answers to whoshe was and where she belonged for over a year now had been disheartening. Each day that passed had been more stressful than the last. But now she had hope, and a very good feeling Wes would help her.

When Ellie had asked why Wes and his friends were in Indonesia, he hadn’t exactly answered her. Just said they were on an op. From what she’d witnessed, they were clearly former military and involved in some kind of secret mission, so she hadn’t pressed him for answers. But once they were alone, she had a million questions ready to go.

After saying goodbye to the others, Wes led her over to his Explorer and opened the passenger door for her. She slid in and watched him walk around to the driver’s side. He moved well for a man who wore a prosthetic limb and she was so curious about what had happened. The SUV was set up to accommodate his injury, and she stared, fascinated, as he hit a button and controlled the car with an extra pedal on the left side.

He must’ve felt her staring because he explained, “It’s easier this way.”

“Was it hard to get used to?”

“There were a lot of things that were harder.”

She nodded but didn’t ask more. It almost felt like it was none of her business and she didn’t want to pry. At the same time, she wanted to get to know him again. Forcing her attention out the window, she studied the pretty passing scenery. As far as she knew, she’d never visited Montana before. “Where exactly are we going?” she asked.

“Cielo Springs,” he answered. “It’s a small town, pretty much out in the middle of nowhere. But there’s a little MainStreet with a cafe, a hardware store, a pizza joint. Brand has his bar not too far away, too. It’s called Old Glory.”

She smiled. “Coffee, tools, pizza and booze. What more could anyone need?”

His mouth edged up and she studied the stranger beside her. Her husband, who she knew nothing about. It was bizarre to think they’d had a life together. Of all the men in the world, she’d chosen this one to spend the rest of her life with. Why? Sure, he was handsome and he also seemed kind and understanding. She just wished she could remember. One thing was certain, though—in his presence, she felt safe.

They rode the rest of the way in silence even though Ellie was bursting at the seams with questions. Forcing herself to be patient, she willed her memory to return. But her stubborn mind was still as shrouded and murky as ever.

When a ranch house came into view, Ellie leaned forward to get a closer look. There was a large, wrap-around front porch that she instantly loved. She could easily see herself sitting out there in the morning with a steaming cup of coffee, looking out at the wilderness. Because Wes hadn’t been exaggerating—they really were out in the middle of the Montana wilds.

After he parked and turned the car off, Ellie slid out while Wes grabbed their bags from the back. Birds chirped and critters chattered but, other than that, all she heard was the wind rustling the tree branches. It was blessedly quiet, even quieter than the island. She had a good feeling that being surrounded by this kind of peace was exactly what she needed to recover her memory.

Wes started walking toward the house and she quickly followed. “It’s so beautiful,” she said, and he nodded. “I can see why you’d trade city-living for this.”

He forced a smile but didn’t comment. Instead, he unlocked the door and pushed it open. “After you,” he said, watching her closely. He watched her like a hawk, and while she thought it would make her feel uncomfortable, smothered, she found she actually liked it. It made her feel like someone cared, and that’s not something she’d felt for the past year and a half.

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