I tried to fill my voice with all the love and tenderness I wanted to show openly, but couldn’t.
I couldn’t help it, I reached for her hand.
She looked at Bryce with confusion. “What’s going on?”
He looked at me. “Good question. I’d like to know the same thing.”
“You don’t remember?” My throat was on fire, raw with emotion, and I sagged.
Six months. That’s how long it had taken for Monica and I to cross the bridge from acquaintances to friends to talking about forever together. All of it without telling another soul.
And now I was the only one who remembered any of it.
“Bryce?” Monica looked so confused. Then there was panic in her eyes. Her heart rate started to jump. “What don’t I remember?”
“I think it’s time for you to go, man.”
I shook my head. Desperation filled my voice. “No. Monica, please! Please, you have to remember. You and me, we’re together. Oh God, why is this happening?”
“You’re lying, Jake. That’s not true.” Monica’s words cut me to the core.
Bryce grabbed my arm and pulled me to the door. His voice was gentle, a stark contrast to my out-of-control pleading. “Come on, Jake. Just give her some time, okay?”
We were out in the hallway moments later. My breathing came heavily, and I turned to press my forehead into the wall. I pounded my fist on the wall over my head. “She doesn’t remember any of it, B.” I choked out the words. “What am I going to do?”
“Just give it time.”
* * *
KRYSTAL
Bryce carried a bowl of popcorn in from the kitchen and set it on the coffee table. I shifted to one side to make room for him at the end of the couch, then leaned against him when he sat down.
I sighed in satisfaction. After months of filming four movies for Faithmark, and a trip back to LA to get the things I left there, I was finally home.
Bryce pulled me close and kissed the top of my head. It was such a sweet, intimate gesture, I couldn’t help but smile.
“I really loved making those movies,” I said. “But boy am I glad to be done for the season.”
I felt the rumble in Bryce’s chest as he hummed his agreement. “It was a long summer without you around.”
I nodded. “I agree. How is Monica?” I had tried to get out of filming after Monica’s accident, but after she’d woken up, it became obvious that she would be okay. Other than some memory loss of the previous few months, she seemed completely fine. The doctors had simply shrugged and explained that head injuries were unpredictable. Monica didn’t even remember that I had been home for two months or that she had helped me win Bryce in the auction.
That didn’t stop her from being ecstatic about our current relationship, though.
“She’s doing okay. Most of the time you would never notice that something is off. But then someone talks about something that happened in March and she gets confused and frustrated.
“I can’t imagine losing your memories like that.”
He nodded. “I think it’s hitting Jake the hardest. Apparently, they were seeing each other, but hadn’t told anyone. And now she doesn’t remember at all.”
“Poor guy.”
“It’ll work out. If they are supposed to be together, God will work it out.”
“Like He did with us?” I asked.
“I think part of me still had this fear you would change your mind,” he admitted.