Page 54 of Love and Memories

He’d make a quick escape while suggesting she call Maury or Jerry Springer, and he had every right to cut his losses with her.

She wouldn’t ask anything of him. She wouldn’t inconvenience him any more than she already had. Anna said they could find other ways for her to get to and from work if she didn’t want to ride with Travis anymore.

“Bella!” Anna yelled from down the hallway.

“Coming!” Bella pushed her phone into her back pocket and hurried to the front of the cottage where Anna waited by the doorway. Travis’s broad shoulders filled the doorframe, surrounded by the bright morning light streaming in from behind him.

Bella slowed her steps as his gaze locked with hers. She still hadn’t figured out what to say to him, but she was out of time. The air in her lungs solidified, sitting heavy in her chest.

“You okay?” Anna asked.

She’d been asking that same question over and over, but Bella couldn’t answer with the truth–that she was crumbling and broken inside this lifeless shell.

“I’m fine.” Bella turned to Travis and gave him a weak smile. “Hey. Thanks for coming.”

Travis nodded and adjusted the baseball cap on his head. “Anytime.”

Anna clapped her hands together and turned her joyful smile on each of them. “Great. I’m off to the firm. Call me if you need me.” She whipped around to Travis, pointing a finger in his face. “Not you. You have no moderation, and I’ve had enough phone calls from you to last the rest of our friendship.”

Travis grinned and rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. Even scolded like a child, he was adorable.

Anna brushed past Travis, leaving Bella alone with him. Linking her hands behind her back, Bella looked up at him. “Are you ready to go?”

Travis stepped out of the way and gestured for her to lead. When she got to his truck, he opened the passenger door for her.

Why did he have to be so sweet? It made putting distance between them so much harder.

He settled into the driver’s seat and headed for the main road. “You hungry?”

“No, thanks.” The words were out of her mouth before she remembered the doctor’s speech about eating regular meals for the health of the baby. “Actually, I’d like something if you’re stopping to get food.”

“Sticky Sweets?” he asked.

“That would be great.”

Neither of them spoke until Travis parked in front of the small bakery in the heart of town. It was a miracle they’d gotten a spot right by the door. Bella had only been in Blackwater for a month, but the tourist crowds were growing by the day.

Inside, they were greeted by the warm smell of sugar and spices. Bella stepped into the line in front of the register, and Travis stood strong and sturdy by her side.

If only she had a small bit of the strength he carried. Travis was the kind of man who looked like he could withstand a falling tree or a speeding train and do it all without making a fuss. He was the epitome of confidence–something she didn’t have.

The young girl at the register lit up when she saw Bella. “Hey, you’re the woman who lost her memory, right?”

“Yeah, I guess that’s me. I’m Bella Young.”

“Casey. Nice to meet you. How are you feeling?”

The sincere question from a complete stranger caught her a little off guard. Casey was taking the time to ask about her even with the line piling up behind them. “I’m actually doing okay. Thanks for asking.”

“My grandma goes to the church you've been going to, and she told me about you. I can’t imagine what you’re going through right now.”

Okay, the hormones were doing their job because moisture welled in Bella’s eyes. “Thanks so much.”

When they ordered and stepped to the side with their cups of coffee, she half expected Travis to ask why she’d ordered decaf, but he continued on without question. In fact, he didn’t pay her much attention.

Maybe that was a good thing. She’d been avoiding him lately, hoping he’d get the hint and give up on her, but actually watching him pull away tore at her insides.

She took the opportunity without Travis’s gaze on her to scan the tables. Smiling faces were everywhere. Why did she feel so far from the happiness that others seemed to have in spades?

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