Page 63 of Love and Memories

Camille brushed a hand through her son’s hair. “I know I recommended this agency, but maybe we should try another company.”

Bella shook her head. “No, I don’t want to rack up any more bills. He knows what he’s doing, and if anyone can figure this out, it’ll be him. Well, I guess it could be me, but…”

The pressure to remember the last five years of her life was more crushing than ever. Forcing it hadn’t worked, and rest hadn’t worked either. She’d tried the doctor’s recommended mental exercises as well as the ones Camille had used to regain her memories, but nothing had worked yet.

Life without knowing who Bella had been before the injury was becoming the new normal. Instead of worrying about where she was supposed to be and who she was supposed to know, she was becoming content—happy even. It was tough to complain when she had friends who helped her through everything.

“Maybe I’m not supposed to remember,” Bella said.

Camille’s lips pressed together in a knowing grin, and she reached out to squeeze Bella’s arm. “It’s okay to be happy. I know this is stressful, and I’m glad you’re moving on. You have a second chance at life. Be who you want to be.”

Bella looked around the sanctuary and noted all the smiling faces. She knew most of them by name now, and many of them had come to her aid in one way or another since the incident.

Anna let out a big sigh. “I can’t believe you’re so hard to find.”

Bella shrugged. “I don’t know why.”

Anita Harding walked up behind Anna and Camille and wrapped her arms around her grandson. “Hey, ladies. Don’tforget the meeting in the choir room. We’ll start in about five minutes.”

Anna slapped a hand on her thigh. “I did forget. Thanks for reminding me.” She turned to Bella with a squinted grin. “I forgot I have a planning meeting for family day. Do you mind waiting?”

“I’ll take her home.”

Travis’s voice behind Bella sent a jolt of awareness up her spine. She turned and looked up at him, amazed again at the way her body reacted to the mere sight of him.

He wore a navy collared shirt that hugged the planes of his chest and arms and khaki pants, but that wasn’t what caught her attention. It was the tiredness in his eyes and absence of a smile that had her fighting the urge to reach for him.

“Are you sure?” Anna asked.

“I’m sure,” he said without emotion.

Bella hadn’t seen Travis in nearly a week, and her excitement at seeing him warred with concern. He’d called to check on her every day while helping out his parents in Seattle, but he’d carefully skirted any talk about how he was doing. When he got home, he went straight into a forty-eight-hour shift at the fire station.

Bella turned to Anna. “I guess I found a ride.”

Anna gave him a quick thanks and said her goodbyes before following Mrs. Harding to their meeting.

“Are you ready to go?” Travis asked.

“Sure.”

Bella stayed close behind him as he led the way to his truck. She slipped into the cab and took a deep inhale. The comforting smell of wood and leather had her melting into the seat.

Travis didn’t look at her as he settled behind the wheel. “How do you feel today?”

“Good. No sickness yet. How was your trip?”

“Fine. Mom and Dad were on edge the whole time because they didn’t want my help, but they needed it.”

“That’s awful. I’m sorry they didn’t appreciate what you did for them.”

Travis went out of his way for her on a daily basis, and she struggled to find ways to express her thanks. Hopefully, he knew exactly how much she appreciated everything he did for her.

“They weren’t happy to see Greg either. I’m not the only one they don’t like.”

“So, you’re from the Seattle area, but how did you end up here in Blackwater?”

Travis kept his gaze carefully focused on the road ahead. “I needed a change of scenery. I had a friend who took a family vacation to Yellowstone National Park, and he never stopped talking about it. I found a house online and drove out to see it. I closed on it four weeks later and moved out here.”

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