Page 48 of Running to You

He told her Daniel and Camilla’s story, then updated her on his parents and the rest of his brothers and what they were doing—as much as he knew. Grant lived in New Hampshire now, working as a cop in Coventry. Michael traveled more than he was home, working in sales. Michael never shared much, and Sam hadn’t been great about keeping up with him.

So different from when they were kids. Once upon a time, Sam and Michael had been best friends.

Bryan was a professor at Bowdoin and had just gotten tenure. Derrick, the baby of the family, flew a charter jet.

“That’s great. I remember he wanted to learn to fly.” It was the first time she’d spoken since he began the monologue. While he’d talked, she’d eaten, and he was glad to see it.

“It suits him,” Sam said. “He always had his head in the clouds.”

“Is his work seasonal? Mostly tourists, or business people?”

“He stays busy year round.”

She gazed out the window toward a maple tree, its leaves hinting at the bright orange-red that would soon cover it “My favorite time of the year.”

He remembered that, remembered how he and Eliza would walk hand in hand through the woods so she could enjoy the foliage. Remembered how she’d stop and stare straight up, wonder in her eyes at the bright colors. Remembered how he used to be as mesmerized with her as she’d been with the foliage.

“Were the leaves pretty where you’ve been living?” He took a shot with the question. Maybe catching her off guard would jog a memory, elicit a response.

“It was too barren. Hardly any trees.” She froze, fork halfway to her mouth.

He didn’t speak. Just waited and hoped.

“There were mountains, or at least they called them mountains. In the summer, they just looked like big rocks.” Though her eyes remained open, she seemed to be focused far away. “In the winter, they were snow-capped, even when we didn’t have snow in the valley. I lived in a…compound of some kind. There were multiple buildings.”

Sam swallowed all his questions, not wanting to push.

After a minute, she shook her head. “That’s all.”

“Did it seem like Colorado? Utah?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never been to… Well, I don’t remember ever going to either. It was barren and…dry. Like desert, but I don’t remember it being hot.”

“Okay. That’s good.” He’d been in Salt Lake City but not the rest of Utah, but wasn’t much of it desert? Wasn’t that where Moab and Zion were? He’d seen pictures of the national parks, and they looked arid.

Of course, Colorado had arid land too.

“It’s not much.” Her shoulders fell. “Why can’t I remember?”

He reached across the table and took her hand, only then realizing what he’d done.

Her quick intake of breath matched his own shock as their palms met.

Her hand felt so perfect wrapped in his, as if it were made to be right there.

Somehow, he managed to keep his voice level. “Your memories will come, Eliza. Don’t try to push it, and don’t beat yourself up about something you can’t control. It’s okay.”

Her answering smile was slight.

“Take the win.” He squeezed her hand and let it go, leaning back in his chair, away from her. Needing to find his equilibrium again. “Every memory brings us closer to the answers.”

In time, they’d all come back to her. She’d remember where she’d been, why she’d left. She’d remember why she’d broken up with him.

And then this reunion would be over.

* * *

“How did you know to do that?”