Page 10 of Help Me Remember
Spencer says, “No one is going to hurt you. We have officers outside the door now until your new security team arrives to protect you when you’re released. We would never allow you to be hurt.”
“A security team?”
Emmett nods. “Yes. We’d hire the entire US Army if we could, but these guys are all former SEALs or special ops guys. I trust them with my life, and they will protect yours.”
I swear that I’m living in an alternate reality. Maybe this is the dream. Maybe I’m in my room, just waiting to wake up from this nightmare, but this isn’t a dream. There is no waking up from this hell. I lie back against the pillow, feeling useless. “If I could just retrace my life . . .”
Holden smiles. “It might help, but it might not.” His phone goes off, and he answers, giving one-word responses before turning to Emmett. “The other patient you wanted to talk to is awake.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll be back to check on you in a bit,” Holden explains.
I nod. “I’ll still be here.”
They leave, including Addison and my mother, and Spencer settles into the chair Emmett had been sitting in. He looks exhausted, and the scruff on his face is almost a full beard. “What?” he asks.
I wonder what happened to make him look so broken. Spencer has always been larger than life, but today, he appears a little lost.
“You just look . . . like you came back from a very exciting story.” That could be true. Usually, after a big assignment, he isn’t exactly dashing. He’s been living God knows where, doing God knows what, and . . . well, it’s when I always found him a little sexier than usual.
“I wish it were that.”
“So, you’re not off conquering some unknown horror story?”
He grins. “If I were, I would be much better than I am now.”
“I know you can’t tell me anything about my life, but can you tell me about yours?”
He smiles softly. “There’s not much to say.”
“I doubt that.”
Spencer was always seeing amazing things and meeting people who had incredible lives. He interviewed spies and diplomats. I think he was working on uncovering a terrorist ring at one point too.
I used to love listening to him recount his trips. Well, about everything but the girls he met. That part I always wanted to skip.
Spencer sighs. “It’s true, it’s been a while since I worked on anything.”
“Why?”
He shrugs. “Writer’s block, and I wanted to stick around here.”
At that, my brows rise. “You wanted to stay in Rose Canyon?”
“Who doesn’t love this idyllic town and all its quirks.”
I bark out a laugh. “You and I both know that’s a lie.”
“I stuck around once Emmett got back from his tour. Addy and Isaac were married, which you remember.”
“I do. You were so drunk at the wedding.”
“I had to give that fucking speech.”
I roll my eyes. “You are a writer! You like words.”
“On paper,” he says with a smirk. “I hate speaking. I was nervous.”
