Cowboys & Navy SEALs

Chapter 2

Chapter Two

J axson studied Lemon. She was still wearing the same jeans and white blouse, although they looked like they’d dried a bit since he’d last seen her. He searched his memory, trying to remember her exact height. He guessed it to be about five feet, five inches. She had a terrific figure, thin but super fit, like she knew her way around the gym. Her hair was stringy from being drenched. Her features were more defined than he remembered, more elegant. She had an air of maturity that hadn’t been there before. Eyeliner was smudged beneath her eyes. Those eyes . His heart missed a beat. A light blue, the color of a cloudless sky in June. He used to peer into them and swear he could catch sight of heaven. His heart squeezed. Oh, how he’d loved her.

A goofy smile wobbled over his lips. It was such a relief to know that Lemon was actually here. He’d not imagined the whole thing. “Hey, it’s good to see you.” Jaxson wasn’t sure how he expected Lemon to react, but certainly not like this. She just stared at him like he was a stranger.

Officer Williams spoke, “Do you know this woman?”

It took Jaxson a fraction of a second to process that the question was directed at him. “Of course. She’s Lemon Massey.” He looked at Lemon. “Tell them who you are.”

She clasped her hands together tightly, her lower lip trembling. “I—I’m sorry. I can’t remember,” she uttered softly, looking down like she was embarrassed.

“You don’t remember what?” Jaxson asked dully. The Lemon Jaxson knew had been so confident, so ready to take on the world. But this woman looked completely lost.

Lemon shrugged. “Anything.”

Jaxson’s insides tightened. “I don’t understand.” Was this some kind of joke?

“She doesn’t remember who she is,” Officer Williams explained.

Jaxson’s gut tightened. “You mean like amnesia?”

Officer Williams shrugged. “That’s what it sounds like, but I guess we’ll have to let the doctor answer that.”

A single knock sounded at the door before it opened. As if on cue, Doctor Jepson stepped in with a beleaguered sigh as he swiped his brow. “I’m sorry y’all have been waiting so long. The ER is a madhouse tonight. We finally got the results back on your X-ray. Just as we thought, a hairline fracture in the fibula—” He stopped mid-sentence, surprise washing over the older doctor’s features when he realized Lemon and the officers were in the room.

“Jaxson was able to identify our mystery woman,” Officer Williams said with a boastful grin, as if he’d been the one to solve the case.

It irked Jaxson that the officer was speaking of Lemon as if she weren’t present. Did she have amnesia? The notion seemed far-fetched, like something out of a book or movie. A memory tickled Jaxson’s brain, giving him a start. Lemon’s dad had suffered from amnesia. Jaxson tried to remember the full story. Was amnesia an inherited thing?

Jaxson realized Daddy was watching him.

“There’s something else,” Knox surmised.

“Yes,” Jaxson acknowledged, “but we’ll talk later, in private.”

Knox looked like he might argue but finally nodded.

Birdie stood and went over to Lemon, sliding a protective arm around her shoulders. “Here, hon, why don’t you sit down?” Jaxson felt a burst of pride over Mama’s kindness. She always felt like she had to mother the entire countryside.

“Thanks,” Lemon said with a slight smile of gratitude as she sat down in Birdie’s seat. Jaxson’s skin zinged like it had gotten zapped by battery cables. It was odd, and strangely exciting, to have Lemon sitting so close. Jaxson could hardly believe that she was real. His eyes were drawn to her. The years seemed to peel away. They’d shared so much together. Jaxson had wanted to build a future with Lemon, but she had other ideas. She’d gone out and conquered the world. She had a successful business, plenty of high-class friends.

Lemon met his gaze briefly before looking away. No doubt she could feel him staring a hole through her. He had to force himself to shift his eyes away from her. What was it about Lemon that had him so worked up? Yeah, she was a beauty, but Jaxson had a long line of beauties vying for his attention. The only thing he could surmise was that he was so caught up in Lemon because she was the one who got away.

His brain worked to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. Lemon had a flat tire and was walking to get help. That was the story, but it didn’t explain why Lemon had been standing in the middle of the road. Or why she was acting so dazed. She appeared to be unhurt. She had no memory of who she was. Did she not have a purse or some other form of identification in her car? Why hadn’t she simply called for a service to come and fix her flat tire? Jaxson wished Ramsey were here instead of on a plane, headed on his honeymoon. Ramsey was the detective in the family. It wouldn’t be hard for him to get to the bottom of the situation.

Knox looked at the doctor. “Henry, can you tell us more about Lemon’s condition?”

Jaxson was momentarily thrown off by Daddy’s use of the doctor’s first name. Then, he remembered that the two golfed together.

The doctor looked at Lemon. “Did you remember your name?”

“No,” she said flatly.

“Jaxson saw Lemon at the scene of the accident,” Knox explained. “He recognized her.”

“I see.” The doctor hesitated, shifting his feet. “I’m not sure that the patient’s condition should be discussed so openly, with all of those present, privacy laws being what they are.”

“Hogwash,” Knox countered, glancing at Williams and Phillips. “The officers will have to know the details to file their report. As for the rest of us. We’re all friends here.” Knox motioned at Jaxson. “If he hadn’t recognized her, you’d have a Jane Doe on your hands. I’m sure the girl wants to know the depth of her condition.” He gave Lemon a challenging look.

Doctor Jepson looked to Lemon for approval. She nodded her consent.

“Are you sure?” Doctor Jepson asked.

“Yes,” she said simply, clenching her hands.

Jaxson could feel her duress and confusion as if it were his own. He was caught off guard by the fierce need that rose inside him. He wanted to protect Lemon at all costs. From what, he didn’t know. It just cut him to see her looking so pale, so uncertain.

“Henry?” Knox prompted.

All eyes moved to the doctor, waiting expectantly.

He touched the rim of his glasses before tightening his hold on his clipboard. “We’re still waiting for the results from the CT-Scan, but upon examination, I can’t find any evidence of trauma. The patient has zero memory of her life or identity. She was found wandering the road.” He paused. “It is my opinion that she’s suffering from dissociative amnesia.”

Jaxson stole a glance at Lemon to get her reaction. He figured that Lemon would be devastated by everything she was hearing. Not so. She seemed curiously unaffected by what the doctor was saying. Strange. Didn’t she want to know who she was? What had led her to this point? There were so many questions burning inside of Jaxson, but it was doubtful that Lemon could answer any of them. He couldn’t fathom what it would be like to forget everything. He felt a glum sense of loss, knowing that she didn’t remember him.

“What does this mean in layman’s terms?” Knox asked.

The doctor cleared his throat. “Dissociative amnesia is often caused by severe trauma or stress. As a protective mechanism, the mind blocks out information, feelings or thoughts that are too overwhelming to handle. In extreme cases, this can lead to dissociative fugue where the person travels to a different location and takes on an entirely new identity, completely shedding the old.”

“I find that hard to believe,” Knox countered.

“It’s extremely rare,” Doctor Jepson explained, “affecting only one percent of the male population and a little over two percent of the female population. There seems to be a genetic or inherited connection. Those who have close relatives with dissociative amnesia tend to be at greater risk for developing it.”

Jaxson’s sudden intake of breath was the only sound in the room.

“What?” Knox asked.

Jaxson shook his head, not wanting to disclose everything he knew in front of Lemon. He feared it might be too much for her to hear.

“Will Lemon’s memory return?” Birdie asked, a clear note of concern in her voice.

Jaxson observed Lemon. Her expression was guarded. He would give anything to know what she was thinking right now.

Doctor Jepson continued, “Dissociative amnesia is different from that caused by medical problems. Most cases of this type of amnesia are temporary. Often, when the memories return, they do so suddenly and completely. This recovery may happen on its own, or it may be triggered by the person’s surroundings.”

Had something terrible happened to Lemon? Was that why she was aimlessly wandering in a torrential downpour? Jaxson looked at the police officers. “Wasn’t there a purse or wallet in Lemon’s car?”

“No,” Officer Williams answered. “The car is a rental. We are waiting to get information back. Now that we have Lemon’s name, it will help speed up the process.”

Jaxson turned to Lemon. “You really have no idea who you are?”

Her eyes grew troubled. “No.” She looked at his ankle. “I—I’m so sorry to be the cause of your accident. You could’ve died because of me.”

“I’ll be fine,” Jaxson said casually. The doc said he had a hairline fracture. He wondered how long it would take to heal. Would they put his ankle in a cast? The ankle hurt, but his ribs were worse.

“Where do we go from here?” Knox asked.

The doctor focused on Lemon. “We wait to get the results back from the CT-Scan. If it all comes back clear, as I suspect it will, we will then attribute your condition to dissociative amnesia.”

Lemon nodded. “Where will I stay?” she asked, looking concerned for the first time.

“We’ll keep you here overnight for monitoring,” Doctor Jepson said. “After that … well, I’m not sure.” He looked at the officers for help.

“Uh, I’m not sure what the protocol is for a situation like this,” Officer Williams said. “I guess we’ll have to talk to the Chief and see how he wants to handle it.”

Seeing the distress on Lemon’s beautiful face cut Jaxson to the core. Lemon was a successful businesswoman. Jaxson was sure there were plenty of people to whom she could go for help. She no doubt had vast financial resources, but she didn’t know any of that at the moment. As far as she knew she was homeless and friendless. He could only imagine how hopeless she must be feeling right now. He was tempted to rattle off how successful she was, but would it be too jolting for her to hear her life spelled out in a few sentences? Was it better to let her remember on her own? His next words seemed to issue out of their own accord. “After you’re released from the hospital, you can come to the ranch and stay with me.” When Zoe had moved back home with Milo and Madison, Jaxson had relocated to one of the guest houses. He had two extra bedrooms, plenty of room for Lemon to stay.

Birdie chortled out a cough. “What?”

Jaxson steeled his jaw. “The ranch is the perfect place for Lemon to recoup. She can learn about her past on her terms.” He looked at his mama and daddy, daring them to disagree. He was a grown man and could invite anyone he wanted to stay at his place. He knew that his mama was thinking it was improper for a woman to stay with him; but whatever Lemon was dealing with here trumped decorum. She needed help. Regardless of all the bad that had transpired between them in the past, Jaxson was determined to offer assistance.

Daddy regarded him thoughtfully. “I think it’s a good idea.”

Birdie’s jaw dropped as she turned to Knox. “You do?”

“Yeah.”

Birdie’s words rushed out. “Isn’t there another place where Lemon can stay? What about the other guest house?”

“Nope,” Jaxson quipped. “Gina and Hank’s son and his family moved into the guest house last week.” Gina, their longtime housekeeper, was like family, as was her husband. Their son, Shaw, lost his job, so Daddy had rented him the guest house for practically nothing until he could get back on his feet. Bless Daddy for being so generous. With Zoe and her kids at the main house, Shaw and his family in the guest house, Jaxson’s place was the best option.

Lemon moistened her lips, her eyes darting from Jaxson to Birdie to Knox. “I don’t want to be any trouble.”

“You won’t be,” Jaxson said firmly, offering her a reassuring smile. He looked at Mama, silently urging her to agree. From the stubborn lilt of her chin, he could tell Mama wasn’t budging on her opinion. Why did she have to be so dang proper? All he wanted was to help Lemon. Mama should be jumping onboard here. Jaxson knew there was one sure-fire way to sway Mama to his side. “If I’m looking after Lemon, I won’t have as much time to think about riding,” he added. He was a grown man and didn’t need Mama’s approval. Still, he’d been brought up to respect his parents. He wanted Mama on his side, especially considering that Daddy and Ramsey had been at odds over Hartley. Thankfully, that was now resolved. Daddy had shifted a hundred and eighty degrees and now thought Hartley was the best thing since buttered biscuits and fried chicken.

“Riding?” Knox asked dubiously. “What type of riding?”

Birdie caught eyes with Jaxson. “Are you trying to bribe me?”

“Yep.” Jaxson gave her a sheepish grin. “Is it working?”

She folded her arms over her chest. “Maybe.” She held up a finger. “Only if you promise me that you won’t do any more rodeos.”

Knox bunched his brows. “Have you been bronco riding?”

“Sure has,” Birdie asserted, her hand going to her hip. “Your son won first place.”

A large grin split Knox’s face. “That’s my boy,” he purred.

“Don’t encourage him,” Birdie blustered, swatting Knox’s arm.

“Boys will be boys, hon,” Knox said with a proud grin.

Birdie lifted her chin. “Not my boys.” She gave Jaxson a steely look. “No more riding. That’s the deal.”

He sighed as he looked at his ankle. It was doubtful that he’d be riding anytime soon. “Okay, I agree to no riding for the next four months.”

“Eight,” Birdie countered.

“Six,” Jaxson fired back.

“Done,” Birdie said. She crossed her arms over her chest. “We’ll revisit this conversation in six months.”

He could tell that Mama had no intention of dropping this. “Deal,” Jaxson grinned.

“Excuse me,” Lemon inserted as she turned to Jaxson. Her eyes lit with a certain fire that let him know that the girl he once loved was still in there. “I appreciate your offer, but what makes you so sure that I would agree to stay at your place?” Her eyes pierced his. “After all, I don’t know you.”

Jaxson didn’t skip a beat. “Fine,” he said casually, “have it your way. I just thought you might need a place to stay after they released you from the hospital. But if you don’t feel comfortable with the arrangement, then no worries.” He faked a forlorn expression. “I figured you might be willing to help a guy out. Seeing as how you did put me in this position. It’ll be mighty tough to get around.”

Lemon chuckled. “Are you trying to guilt-trip me?”

He couldn’t stop the grin from pulling at his lips. “Is it working?”

“Not hardly,” she scoffed, her cheeks turning red.

Jaxson held up a hand. “Look, I only wanna help. You’ll have your own room and bathroom. I’ll be a perfect gentleman; you have my word.”

He could see Lemon’s indecision. It was part tragic and part heroic to watch the conflicting expressions warring over her beautiful face. She was probably thinking that she had nowhere else to go. If she turned him down, he’d have to tell her who she was and point her in the direction of Los Angeles, so she could gain access to her resources. Or better yet, now that Lemon’s identity was known to the police, they could get her the help she needed. Lemon didn’t really need Jaxson’s help. Still, he hoped she’d take it. He held his breath, waiting for her response. He was tempted to point out that there were plenty of women who would jump at the chance to stay at his place, but it wasn’t polite to brag.

“Okay,” Lemon finally said. She gave him a sharp look. “But only until I can figure this thing out.”

Birdie gave Lemon an admiring look. “You know, I’m feeling better and better about this situation. I think you’ll be perfectly fine staying with Jaxson.”

The nurse stepped into the room. She stopped in her tracks when she saw all the people.

Doctor Jepson motioned at Lemon. “Nurse Stanton, could you please escort this young lady to one of the private waiting rooms?”

“Sure,” the nurse said as Lemon rose to her feet.

Lemon’s eyes darted around. “Thanks,” she said to no one in particular.

Jaxson spoke up. “If it’s all the same to you, Doc, it would be easier for us to just take Lemon home to the ranch with us when I get released. You could always call and deliver the results of the CT-Scan over the phone.” He didn’t want to let Lemon out of his sight. A part of him feared that she’d somehow vanish as suddenly as she’d come back into his life.

The doctor tipped his head. “Yes, I suppose that will work.” He turned to the nurse. “Go ahead and take her to the waiting room.” He looked at Lemon. “I’ll let you know when Jaxson is released.”

Lemon nodded, allowing the nurse to lead her out of the room.

“Thank you, officers,” Doctor Jepson said in a tone that signaled for them to also leave.

Knox looked at Officer Williams. “Son, I appreciate you calling me at the scene of the accident. It meant a lot.”

“You bet,” Officer Williams nodded. He offered a farewell wave. “See y’all later.”

Doctor Jepson waited until the officers had left and the door was closed before speaking. “I’m sure I don’t have to tell you what a precarious situation Lemon is in.”

Understanding registered in Jaxson’s brain. The doc had wanted to get Lemon and the officers out of the room so he could discuss her condition. Jaxson voiced the question that had been rumbling in his brain. “Do we tell her about her identity and past, or do we allow her to remember it on her own?”

“It’s best for Lemon if she can remember on her own,” the doctor answered. “If Lemon does in fact have dissociative amnesia, then she has most likely blocked out her memories as a protective mechanism due to overwhelming stress brought on by something traumatic. She doesn’t want to remember who she is right now.”

“Makes sense,” Jaxson murmured under his breath. That explained why Lemon didn’t seem all that concerned about her memory loss.

“Won’t there be people looking for Lemon? Wondering what happened to her?” Birdie asked.

“I would think so.” Knox looked at Jaxson. “You mentioned Lemon’s mother.”

“Yes, she has Alzheimer’s.”

“Does Lemon have any other family?”

“There’s her dad, but he hasn’t been in the picture since we were kids.” Jaxson paused. “That is, unless Lemon has reconnected with him since I’ve been around her.” Now was the time for Jaxson to tell the rest of what he knew. “Doc Jepson, you mentioned that Lemon’s amnesia could be genetic.”

The doctor nodded. “Yes, that’s correct.”

“I remember Lemon’s dad going through something similar.”

“How so?” the doctor asked, a keen interest simmering in his eyes.

“When Lemon and I were in junior high, her dad disappeared. He was fired from his job. He left, and no one knew what happened to him.”

“I’d forgotten about that,” Knox piped in. “You’re talking about Pete Massey.”

“Yep.” Jaxson continued with his narrative. “Lemon’s mom, Vera, went to the police. Four months later, Pete was eventually found in Waco, Texas working as a short-order chef in a diner. He had no recollection of who he was and didn’t recognize either Vera or Lemon.”

Birdie’s hand went over her mouth. “That’s terrible. What happened after Pete was found?”

“He came home. He and Vera tried to patch up their relationship, but they divorced a few months later. Pete went back to Waco and married the woman who owned the diner.”

“That’s so sad,” Birdie lamented.

Knox stroked his chin. “Pete was fired, and it triggered his amnesia. I wonder what triggered it for Lemon.”

“Most of the time, patients with dissociative amnesia have either a localized or generalized form. For example, some people fail to remember specific parts of their lives or certain family members or friends. Often, the memory loss centers on a specific trauma. A person’s home gets robbed. The victim can’t remember that event but can recall details from the rest of the day.” The doctor’s head swung back and forth. “In all my years of practicing medicine, I’ve never come across anyone with dissociative amnesia, much less the fugue pattern where they can’t remember anything at all about themselves. But, considering that this happened to Lemon’s father, well, it makes more sense.” He looked at Jaxson. “The best thing you can do for Lemon is to provide her with a safe environment so that her mind will be able to come to terms with whatever trauma she has experienced.”

“I can do that,” Jaxson asserted.

Birdie gave Jaxson a hesitant look. “Are you sure you’re up to looking after Lemon? She’ll need a lot of care. That’s a tall order for anyone, especially someone in your condition.”

“Your mama has a point,” Knox said.

“I’ll be fine. Really. I wanna help Lemon. She needs someone in her corner.” Even as he spoke the words, a part of Jaxson wondered why he was so determined to help Lemon. She’d betrayed him, broken his heart, and then left town. It had taken many years for Jaxson to heal. Maybe he was better off just going along as he had, playing the field and never opening up his heart to anyone.

The doctor pointed. “As for your ankle, I recommend the R.I.C.E. treatment. Plenty of rest, ice, compression, and elevation to reduce the pain and inflammation.”

That seemed encouraging, relatively simple. Again, Jaxson thought about how blessed he’d been. “Will I have to wear a cast?”

“I don’t think it’s necessary. The fibula is not a weight-bearing bone. We’ll give you a boot. You can walk as your injury recovers, providing that you use crutches and avoid putting weight on the ankle.”

“You’ll need to take it easy at the ranch,” Knox advised, “maybe get Lucas to take over your duties for a while.”

Jaxson rolled his eyes. “Lovely,” he said sarcastically.

“Don’t be like that. It won’t hurt to give your cousin a chance to shine,” Knox said. “Between taking care of Lemon and recovering, you’ll have your hands full.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Jaxson relented. He could only imagine how thrilled Lucas would be when he learned that he’d be the guy in charge.

Doctor Jepson cut into the conversation. His voice was professionally brisk, suggesting that he needed to get to other patients. “As for your bruised ribs, ice will help that as well. You will most likely need some pain medication that will aid you in taking deeper breaths.”

“Yeah, I’m realizing that,” Jaxson said with a wry grin. “Thanks, doc,” he said in a cavalier manner. “I think I’ll survive with ibuprofen and Tylenol.”

“That being said, I’ll call you in something stronger. That way, you’ll have it on hand in case you need it.” A quick smile passed over the doctor’s lips. “That’s all I have. I’m glad you came through the accident as well as you did.” He pointed to the ceiling. “Somebody up there is watching over you.”

“Amen,” Knox boomed.

Birdie put a hand over her heart as she floated Jaxson a tender smile. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

“Me too,” Jaxson agreed heartily. “Me too,” he repeated under his breath as he relaxed against the pillow. It had certainly been an interesting night. Despite his injuries and the road of recovery ahead, he couldn’t help but feel excited about what the future held, especially now that Lemon would be staying at his place. It was selfish, but Jaxson hoped it would take her a while to remember. That way, he could keep her longer.