Page 21 of A Second Chance

“Unless she’s the type—”

“No,” she cut in, “I don’t. I can’t believe this…” Autumn rubbed her forehead.

“Do you think she knew who you were when you met at the hospital?” Brandon asked, looking at Autumn.

Autumn shook her head. “I don’t blame her for not saying anything—” Autumn gasped, eyes wide.

“What?”

“Oh no,” Autumn slapped his bicep, “the December after you came home. The day you found out I was pregnant and we were all arguing, Mom made us go Christmas tree shopping.” She stared at him for confirmation that he recalled this; he did not. “At the tree lot,” she continued, “this girl ran up all happy to see you and hugged you until it became clear you didn’t remember her. And she slapped you.”

“That was Gwen?” Brandon asked.

“She was all bundled up, and with me wrapped up in my own mess, I didn’t recognize her when we met, but it has to be her. I mean, unless you screwed multiple women?”

Jason leaned back on the couch and felt like a hundred-pound weight sat on his chest. “That explains why no matter how nice I’ve been to her she still hates me.”

“You need to fix it,” Autumn said.

He struggled beneath the panic of all the “what ifs” rising. What else was missing from his defective memory? How could he have forgotten a night with anyone, much less Gwen? She’d been the star of several fantasies since they’d met. As if the war and the attack hadn’t taken enough from him already, when he had it all together, another rug pulled out from under him. From flat on his ass, he had no idea what to do next.

“Jason,” Autumn’s voice cut into his thoughts.

“What?”

“Are you okay?”

No, not by a long shot. “Yeah… yeah… of course.”

“Just talk to her… and explain what happened.”

“What’s the point?” he asked. “She won’t buy it.” Jason stood. “I should make myself scarce when she’s doing stuff with ya’ll…” He turned to go.

“No,” Autumn jumped up and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Don’t go… no… don’t leave again.”

“Hey, no…” he wrapped his arms around her, blinking back tears that formed. “That’s not what I meant.”

Autumn looked up, tears streaming. His heart clenched at the sight, convicting him again for going on the hike without telling them and for everything else, too.

“I’m going back to Ben and Brandon’s house and get some rest… not leaving. Don’t cry.” He tightened the hug and rested his head on top of hers. “I’m not going away again,” he whispered. “I’m sorry about that.”

“What is going on?” Dan’s voice came from behind him.

Jason shifted, passing his crying sister into the arms of her husband. “Just a misunderstanding.”

“It scared me he’d leave again,” Autumn said.

Dan’s eyes flashed in anger at him.

“I’m not,” Jason reassured. “I found out something else that I don’t remember.”

“Does it have to do with why you and Gwen tore out of The Bar at each other’s throats?”

He nodded.

“You two didn’t…”

“Apparently, we did.”

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