Page 10 of It's a Date (Again)

“Yes. You work on subatomic particles and neptunium chemical compound bonds,” Maya says with a nod.

My eyes go wide, darting back and forth between Maya and the window behind her. I don’t know what any of those words mean. How can I keep doing that job if I don’t understand it? If my memories don’t return, I’m going to have to get a new career or go back to school because there’s no way I can fake knowing any of that.

Maya cracks a grin and tries to stifle a laugh, but it bursts out. “I’m just kidding. You’re awful at science. You actually failed chemistry freshman year of college.”

I frown but it doesn’t last long, quickly morphing into a smile. I’m truly relieved that’s not my job. But also, deep down in my gut, I knew it wasn’t. That’s gotta count for something.

“Okay.” I squint. “What do Iactuallydo?”

“You work in social media,” she says through a snort.

“That sounds more like me. Or at least I think it does.”

Maya pats my shoulder. “I had you going.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty easy to fool a person with a traumatic brain injury,Maya.” I put emphasis on her name. “Now I’m even more confused.” I pout.

Her face turns serious, and her laughter extinguishes. She leans in. “I’m sorry, Peyton. I shouldn’t do that to you. You know how I am ... well, I guess actually you don’t. But I use humor to cope with anything and everything. I’m really sorry.” She sighs heavily.

I stare back at her, holding my frown. But eventually it wavers. The corners of my mouth curve up. “I had you going too.”

She rocks back in her chair, chuckling. “I should have known. Even without your memory, you’d still have your snark and wit.”

I don’t remember Maya, but it feels like she and I have one of those friendships where even if we hadn’t seen each other in a long time, we could pick up like we never were apart. It makes me both sad and happy. Sad that I can’t remember but happy that even though I don’t have any memories of Maya, I can in a way feel a connection to her.

She jolts forward in her chair like she just thought of something important. “So, I know you don’t remember this, but I was on the phone with you when you were hit by the car, and you were telling me—”

A double knock on the door interrupts Maya, and a woman dressed in casual yet professional clothes calls out, “Knock, knock,” as she walks in. Is this another person I’m supposed to know? Her hair is pulled into a low ponytail, and her makeup is a bit heavy for a hospital setting—dark pink lipstick, false lashes, and a fully contoured face. She’s not wearing scrubs, but I notice a name tag. Okay, she works here. I let out a sigh of relief that it isn’t someone else I’m supposed to know but don’t.

“I have some visitors for you, Ms.Sanders, but you’re only allowed two at a time.” The woman snaps her fingers, and three very nice-looking men file in, standing shoulder to shoulder before me in a line. No, not just nice looking ... hot. I stop myself from having any more thoughts about them just in case we’re related or something. I avert my eyes and look to Maya, trying to gauge if she recognizes them. Her mouth hangs open as her gaze skims over them. She’s clearly just as surprised as I am.

“They’re all claiming to be your boyfriend,” the woman says with a smirk.

One holds a balloon that saysGETWELLSOON. He’s tall, dark, and handsome. The man lifts his hand. Another carries a stuffed teddy bear and a box of chocolates. He has a sleeve of tattoos and a clean, square jawline. He’s just as handsome as the other one. The man nods and delivers a sympathetic look. The last one sports neatly trimmed facial hair and broad shoulders. His large hand clutches a vase full of roses, and his lips form a straight line, like he’s unsure how to greet me. The woman scans over them as though she’s appraising pieces of artwork. She clears her throat and directs her attention to me. “So, which one is your boyfriend?”

I inhale deeply and shake my head.

“I don’t know,” I say.

CHAPTER3

No one has said a word for at least two minutes, which feels like a lifetime given how uncomfortable and confusing the situation is. I have three boyfriends. How?Was I a ...I don’t finish that question. I look to Maya for help but realize she won’t be of any because she’s salivating over the men. I don’t blame her, though. They’re hot with a capitalH, and my body is physically reacting to them. Perspired skin, flushed cheeks, even my heart rate is speeding up. And that damn beeping monitor is giving it away. The guys stare back at me and exchange glances with one another like they’re sizing each other up.

The woman with the name tag clears her throat and squints. “What do you mean you don’t know?” she asks, clearly unfamiliar with my medical file.

Maya takes a step forward. “Peyton has amnesia and can’t really remember most things, like her name or who she is or who I am or who any of you are.”

The woman’s mouth falls open with surprise, but she quickly snaps it closed. Her lips curve into a coy smile. “Oh. Well, this is quite the predicament then. It’s like two of my favorite shows combined,Grey’s AnatomyandThe Bachelor.” She lets out a laugh but stops herself, regaining her professional composure. “You know, the two-visitor policy is pretty arbitrary anyway, so I can give you a little time to figure all this out.” The woman gestures to the men and starts to back out of theroom. “I’ll be back in ten to find out who’s accepted your roses.” She stifles another laugh as she leaves. Her heels click down the hallway, growing quieter.

My gaze returns to the six men standing before me. Oh, wait. Three men. There’s three of them. One, two, three. My vision doubled for a second there. I don’t know who any of them are, but I do know that I have very good taste.

“Hi,” I say awkwardly.

They greet me with a “Hey,” “Hi,” and “Hello.”

“What do I do?” I whisper to Maya.

“This is what I was trying to tell you,” she whispers back. “I was on the phone with you before the accident, and you were going on about how you were done with serial dating because you knew who you loved, who you wanted to spend the rest of your life with, and you were going to tell him. But then you got hit by that car.”

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