Page 6 of When I Found You

The man hovering beside the bed has dark blonde hair, cropped close in a military-esque style, but professional with a length that makes him approachable. His soft hazel eyes scan my face and he smiles. He sits on the edge of the bed.

“Take it easy. You’re safe.”

“Where am I?” I struggle with the words. My tongue feels thick and my head aches so much I can barely think. “Who are you?”

“I’m Rob. This is Arthur.” He gestures to the man behind him standing at the foot of the bed.

I’m struck stupid at the sight of Arthur. He’s tall with dark brown hair, nearly black. His steel gray eyes pin me with unyielding curiosity. There’s nothing soft about his expression or his features. He looks carved from marble, like he belongs in a museum alongside David, not here painted in warm hues and vibrant colors.

“You’re in his apartment.” Rob continues, his voice soothing and calm, “You were injured. Do you remember what happened?”

It takes me a minute to remember. “I was at the Empire State Building...” Oh, shit. Maybe I did jump. “Am I dead?”

Rob chuckles. “No, most certainly not dead.”

I relax only a fraction until I glance out the window. The southern tip of Manhattan lays on the horizon with the Empire State Building standing tall against the blue sky, then I see the World Trade Center buildings. The Twin Towers. Holy shit, it wasn’t a dream. I really did travel through time.

The memories flash through my mind. My phone dropping off the top of the building. When I slipped. The guard finding me. The elevator. The realization. Dad and Mom. They’re alive. His office. The paper. Shit, the door.

I meet Arthur’s gaze and his jaw ticks almost imperceptibly. Oh, lord. Am I in trouble? What the hell happened?

It barely registers when Rob takes my hand. “What’s your name, sweetheart?”

“Katherine.” I meet his warm, friendly gaze. They don’t need my full name, right? I left my ID in my purse, and who knows where the hell it is now. “But everyone calls me Kate.”

“Okay, Kate. You rest here for a minute. I’ll get something to replenish your fluids. Stay in bed, okay?” Rob rises to his feet and motions for Arthur to follow him.

I’m relieved, because being in the same room with that man brought a wave of awareness I wasn’t quite ready to examine yet. When the door closes, I slowly rise to my feet and cross the room to crack it open hoping they don’t notice. I peek into the room ignoring the thundering headache pounding through my skull. Both men stand in the kitchen, their backs to the bedroom where they left me.

“What the hell did you do, Arthur?” Rob keeps his voice low and rips open the refrigerator.

What did he do? I rub the extremely tender lump on my head and wince when my hand brushes the cut and comes away damp with blood. I remember standing outside the office and leaning down to pick up a paper, then shooting pain and darkness.

“It was a fucking accident, Rob.” He rakes his hand through his hair making it stand on end. “What should I have done? Huh? Called the cops. Rushed her to the hospital in an ambulance. Made a scene.”

His restless discomfort makes me pause. It was an accident. For all I knew, I was alone on the fifty-fourth floor. My body sways and I brace myself against the doorway determined to hear what they’re discussing about me.

“You should have called me. I could have met you at the office.” The handsome doctor sets the orange juice container down on the counter with little grace.

“I know. Okay? I fucked up. Is that what you want me to admit? I panicked and made a stupid ass decision. There’s nothing I can do about it now.”

Rob pours some orange juice into a glass and replaces the cap on the jug. “Do you recognize her? From the building?”

Arthur shakes his head. “No. I mean she seems familiar, but hell, there are so many offices in the building and so much foot traffic. She could be any one of a hundred faces I pass every day.”

Familiar, huh? I nearly laugh at the absurdity of the whole situation. There’s no way in hell anyone in this time would recognize me. Mom always told me I looked like Dad, but I never quite saw the resemblance in the photographs she showed me over the years.

“You’re going to keep an eye on her, right?” Rob asks with a pointed glance at his companion, whose grim expression casts a dark thundercloud over his head.

“Yeah,” Arthur snaps. “I’m not a heartless bastard.”

The duo moves back toward the bedroom and I jump away from the door hurrying back to the bed in time to collapse against the soft bedding as the door opens. My head pounds. I press my palm to my forehead and hiss in a breath.

Rob enters the room first bearing a glass of orange juice. He sets it on the nightstand and helps me sit up.

“Take it easy.” His voice is soothing and calm. “I don’t need you passing out. Here.” He offers the orange juice and turns back to dig through the bag he brought. “Take these too.”

I take the two pills from his palm and pop them in my mouth, washing them down with a few sips of juice. The sweet tart of the liquid tingles on my tongue. I drink the rest down quickly and sigh before handing him the glass.

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