Page 9 of Yours Truly, Fall

She leans against the bed. Curiosity has her braving any boundaries she was worried about earlier. “Do you remember the town and the past, like high school or middle school? And before that?”

“Homegrown in Mountain Laurel Cove. I’m twenty-six. Studied architecture in college but decided to go to fireman’s academy after graduation. If we’re time traveling back further than that, I played football in high school and was crowned prom king.” I cock a brow, trying to keep the grin off my face this time. “I should feel more shame than I do over that.”

“You shouldn’t be embarrassed you were a quarterback.” She smirks this time, making me laugh.

“The night nurse brought jokes.”

“The nurse,” she whispers as if for her own ears. Odd, but I’m more curious about how she knew I played quarterback when I only said football.

“Do you live in the Cove or drive in for work?”

She crinkles her brow before seemingly checking the score of the game flashed on the screen. Her gaze slowly glides back to me. All seriousness has left the room, leaving us with a comfort settling between us, and easing her pretty features back into place. “I live here.” Her shoulders straighten, and she adjusts the tray in front of me. “You should eat and get some rest.”

“All I do is rest. I find you much more interesting.”

“Interesting is an interesting word choice.” She turns to the monitor and taps something on the keyboard.

“Why?”

“No reason.” She flashes another grin in my direction before heading for the door. “Give me a call if you need anything.”

“Anything at all?”

She laughs, looking back over her shoulder. “It’s a hospital, not a hotel. I’m a nurse, not room service, so keep it within this realm if you can manage, Mr. Culver.”

“Gotcha. Hey, Nurse?” Before she has a chance to get away again, I say, “You can call me Brandon. What should I call you?”

I’m knocked sideways by the prettiest smile I ever did see when she replies, “Autumn.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Autumn.”

She nods before letting the door close between us. I pop another cracker in my mouth and continue staring, hopeful she’ll return on her own accord since willing it didn’t work last time.

Nurse Autumn.

I could get used to her care.

Suddenly, being laid up for a few days isn’t so bad, not when I have company like her hanging around. Lying back, I stare at the TV, but like any other time I’ve been given too much room to think, my mind starts spinning. From the nurse to the night of the fire, images begin to blur as I eat another cracker stack. And before I have a chance to get invested in the highlight reel, my eyes grow heavy. Exhaustion commands I give in sooner rather than later.

Leaning my head back, I don’t have the energy or strength to fight this battle, so I close my eyes, letting darkness win another round.

CHAPTER 5

AUTUMN

Is this a joke?

It’s a cruel one if it is.

Other than the dry throat, he sounded like himself and looked at me like . . . like . . . well, like the nurse I am and not the girl he’s known his whole life. It just doesn’t make sense that I am the only thing he can’t remember. Well, me and the fall that sent him to the hospital.

My eyes roll back without permission as I drop onto the chair behind the nurses’ station again.

Brandon was the one who pursued me. He was the one who asked me, and the jerk hurt me that night. I was a fool then for trusting him, and now he’s made me into a bigger fool by forgetting me altogether. As if the wound didn’t have enough of his salt already poured on it.

Rolling forward, I poise my fingers above the keyboard. How does he not remember me? More importantly, why does he not remember me?

Is there a black hole in his memories where I used to live, or has his timeline been stitched back together like I never existed?