Cowboys & Navy SEALs

Chapter 3

Chapter Three

S he clutched the handrail as she looked up at the door at the top of the stairs. Her eyes traced the sharp corners of the rectangular wooden frame around the door. She was transfixed by the hard edges of those corners. Edges kept everything contained. Or rather, they didn’t let anything escape.

Escape. That’s what she needed to do. Fear seized her as she swallowed the lump in her throat. Everything in her wanted to turn and flee, but something compelled her feet to stay rooted to the floor. She tore her eyes away from the door and looked down at the steps. Willing her feet to move, she took one step, two. She winced when the aged wood creaked beneath her weight.

Knowledge pierced her brain with the razor-sharp tip of an arrow, flooding her brain with a certain awareness. They mustn’t hear her. They mustn’t know she was here. A pounding sounded in the distance, growing louder. The noise penetrated her body and rang in her ears, a cadence of ba-boom, ba-boom. She realized with a jolt that the noise was her own beating heart.

As she neared the door, her nostrils tickled with the pungent fragrance of Jasmine. Slithery shadows slipped just beyond the edges of her eyes, hissing out insidious chants. Run, run, but you can’t hide. I love you. I own you. You will always be mine. She heard the ebb and flow of angry voices. A sniffle, crying. One hand grasped the knob, her other hand flat against the door. The wood was cool beneath her skin, unyielding. Did she dare open the door?

Tears pooled in her eyes. She tried to hold them in, but the pressure proved too great to contain. They gushed rivers down her cheeks with enough force to pop her eyeballs out. A cry ripped through her throat. The doorknob was suddenly scorching, searing her flesh. She released her hold with a startled yelp, nausea roiling in her gut. She whimpered as the door opened ever so slowly, revealing darkness around the edges. The opening of the door filled her with an inexplicable terror. Blackness slithered around, its greedy hands pulling and pinching her skin. It squeezed her lungs, cutting off her breath. She shrank back, losing her footing as she fell.

Lemon sat up in bed with a cry. A thick web of darkness pressed against her eyes. Alarm raced through her veins the second before her vision shifted into focus. Her gaze jumped around the room as she shrank into herself. It occurred to her that her body was bathed in sticky sweat. She looked toward the window at the silver shafts of moonlight curling around the edges of the blinds.

Her mind hurled through time and space, trying to place where she was. Her heart was beating so fast she wondered if it would tear out of her chest. Help me , her mind cried. Lemon sucked in a ragged breath. You’re okay , she kept repeating.

She grasped for pieces of sanity that she could comprehend. She’d left the hospital with Jaxson and his parents. They’d gone to their ranch. Jaxson had rounded up some clothes and toiletries from his sister Zoe.

Breathe , she ordered herself. In … out . It seemed to take an eternity for Lemon’s heart to slow to its normal pace. Lemon . Was that even her name? She kept rolling it around, hoping that it would somehow become familiar.

Before drifting off to sleep, she’d run innocuous facts through her brain—multiplication tables, addition and subtraction facts. She knew the names of states, the names of presidents, name brands of clothes and shoes. Lots and lots of shoes! Why couldn’t she remember who she was?

Jaxson had recognized her. Called her Lemon Massey. She’d been so overwhelmed by everything at the hospital that she’d not even thought to ask how he knew her. It hadn’t seemed important then. Now, however, the question pricked at her brain, demanding to be answered. Was she actually Lemon Massey? All she had to go on was Jaxson’s assertion that she was. She tried to remember. The knowledge was right there, just beyond her reach. If she could just get her fingers around the edge of this blank sheet of nothingness that was clamped down on her brain, she could pull it back to reveal the truth. She thought of the dream. There was a door and stairs. Those had to mean something! She felt a tremble of excitement, letting her know she was going the right direction.

The fear came on so suddenly that it sent her mind reeling. She sucked in a breath, tears watering her eyes. No, she couldn’t go there. Exerting all of her mental strength, she pushed the corridor of her brain closed. Relief spilled over her. She welcomed the pleasant numbness overtaking her body. Doctor Jepson said that something traumatic had happened—something her brain couldn’t process. Shivers wracked her body. Whatever it was must’ve been a doozy. She couldn’t think about it right now. She glanced around the room, focusing on the dresser, the chest of drawers, the fan swirling above her. Anything to take her away from the fear.

Finally, when she could breathe again, she lay back down. For a fraction of a second, the stairs from her dream flashed through her brain. Instantly, she pushed her thoughts in a different direction. An image of Jaxson flashed before her mind, causing a smile to drift over her lips. Jaxson was strikingly handsome with those dark, lively eyes and spiky dark hair. She liked his rugged features, the dimple in his chin, his lean muscular body. He had a bold confidence about him that was very enticing. She wondered what their connection was. Were they close friends or something more?

Definitely something more , her mind inserted. She had the satisfied feeling of a key fitting nicely into a lock.

Even though she couldn’t remember where she’d come from or why she was wandering the road in a torrential downpour, she knew that Jaxson was just the sort of man that she would be attracted to. And, in a way she didn’t understand, she knew that being here with Jaxson on his ranch was a good thing. A safe haven.

A place where the darkness couldn’t reach her.

“That’s great news! I’ll let her know.” Jaxson ended the call and placed his phone on the table just as Lemon stepped into the kitchen. His heart missed a beat. Even dressed in Zoe’s jeans, which were a few inches too long, her face scrubbed free of makeup, hair unfixed, Lemon was a vision. Her skin had a natural glow, which highlighted her prominent cheekbones. She walked with a fluid grace, giving her an almost ethereal quality.

Lemon was hugging her arms. There was a cagey look in her eyes that spoke of how unsure she was of the current situation. Jaxson felt a smidgen of guilt for hoping that it would take Lemon a while to regain her memories. He couldn’t imagine how she must be feeling right now—to not have any inkling of her identity or past. Would Lemon be glad to learn that she was mega successful? He couldn’t escape the feeling that she was running from something or someone.

Before going to sleep the night before, Jaxson had Googled Lemon. He already knew most of the facts he’d read. After graduating from high school, Lemon attended Parsons School of Design in NY. She then apprenticed under the celebrated shoe designer Elza Noelle before launching her own company five years later. She co-founded the business with a friend from Parsons School of Design, Shade Russell. The business was cleverly named Shade of Lemon. It was located in Los Angeles.

From what Jaxson could tell, Lemon was a socialite, frequenting parties with celebrities. A couple of years ago, Lemon had announced her engagement to Braden Cooper, an a-list actor. Jaxson had read something about that when it happened. It stung to know that Lemon was marrying another man. He’d brushed off the hurt by going on back-to-back dates for a solid week. Then, tragedy struck when Braden was killed in a scuba diving accident in St. Maarten.

Jaxson had briefly thought about reaching out to Lemon to offer his condolences, but ultimately decided to let sleeping dogs lie. He’d seen a couple of recent photos of her with Wesley Livingston, the son of real estate tycoon Ellis Livingston. The Livingstons were from Nashville. Jaxson wondered if Wesley Livingston had anything to do with Lemon being here in Franklin.

Jaxson was unprepared for the hot sparks of jealousy that flared through him when he saw the pictures of Lemon and Wesley together. One in particular really got to Jaxson. The two were strolling on a beach. Lemon was looking up at Wesley, smiling at something he’d said. Jaxson had met Wesley Livingston a handful of times. The guy was a pompous jerk who lived high on the hog, using his daddy’s money and influence. Surely Lemon had more sense than to get involved with Wesley.

Jaxson had his ankle propped on a kitchen chair. It had given him fits the night before, throbbing incessantly. He didn’t know which was worse—his busted ankle or sore ribs. Every time he turned in his bed, he felt like his insides were getting kicked. He’d already iced his ankle this morning, which had helped tremendously to ease the swelling and pain. He pointed to an empty chair near him. “Have a seat.”

“Thanks,” she said, pulling it out.

“How did you sleep?” Jaxson began.

“Okay,” she said casually, but the faint shadows beneath her eyes spoke otherwise.

“That was Officer Williams on the phone. I’ve got some good news.”

“Oh?”

Jaxson caught the flicker of concern in Lemon’s eyes even though she was trying to conceal it beneath a mask of calm. He wondered again what had happened to her. She was definitely afraid of something. “Some good Samaritan found your purse in a ditch and took it to the station.”

“That is good news.”

Her words were spoken so blandly that he wasn’t sure if she actually meant it. He thought about what Doctor Jepson said. Lemon’s subconscious didn’t want to remember who she was … not until she could deal with whatever trauma she’d experienced.

“Your wallet was in your purse. Your license was there, along with a few credit cards … and a little over a thousand dollars cash.”

Her eyes widened. “Wow. That’s good to know.” Her expression brightened. “Now, I can buy clothes that fit and some makeup.” She grimaced. “I might not be able to remember anything, but I feel sure that I didn’t always go around looking so dreadful.” She ran a self-conscious hand through her hair. She’d washed it this morning. It was soft with a slight wave. The ends bounced lightly against her slender shoulders with her every movement. He had to fight the temptation to lean closer so he could get a whiff of it. Zoe had added shampoo into the bag she’d packed for Lemon. Would it smell of strawberries or some other tantalizing fruit?

Laughter rumbled in his throat. “You couldn’t look dreadful if you tried.”

She blinked in surprise, color brushing her cheeks with a rosy hue. “Thank you,” she murmured, her lashes sweeping against her smooth skin. The gesture was feminine, wildly attractive. He swallowed the dryness in his throat, reminding himself that it would be poor form to hit on a woman in Lemon’s condition, even if she were his ex-girlfriend. There were so many memories—the two of them hanging out at the local hamburger joint and sharing fries. Sneaking up to the swimming hole and swimming under the silvery light of the moon.

Jaxson felt an acute sense of loss that Lemon couldn’t remember any of that. Also, she couldn’t remember betraying him. An invisible fist squeezed his gut. It was astounding how fresh the hurt was. He wondered if maybe it was because he’d never really dealt with it. He’d pushed it under the rug and lost himself in the admiration of other women.

She looked up, and it happened. Their eyes met for one long, delicious moment. His blood pumped faster. Attraction sizzled in the air, prickling his skin. Was it all one-sided or was Lemon feeling it too? Amnesia or not, had Lemon been any other woman, Jaxson would’ve taken this opportunity to say some cute or witty remark that would increase the odds of having her eating out of the palm of his hand. But here and now, with Lemon, his tongue was strangely tied, like he was eighteen years old again. He looked at Lemon’s hand resting on the table. It was dangerously close to his. He traced the lines of her long fingers. Her nails were well-manicured and painted light pink. All he had to do was reach out and touch her fingers. Did he dare? The temptation tugged at him, beckoning him down paths that he had no business going down ever again. He pulled his hands back, flicking his wrists before clasping them tightly in his lap.

He cleared his throat, trying to get a handle on his thoughts. He’d told himself he wanted to help Lemon. Making a play for her would definitely not help! “The police had hoped there would be a phone in your purse, but there wasn’t. They wanted to look at your calls so they can discover where you were just prior to the accident last night.”

“There was no phone?” she asked, as if she’d just now processed what he’d said earlier.

“No.”

“That’s strange,” she mused, tipping her head and causing her silky hair to cascade down her arm. His fingers itched to touch it to see if it felt as soft as it looked.

“Yeah, a little.” He didn’t want to point out that this whole entire situation was strange.

A corner of her lips twitched with a faint amusement. “I know what you’re thinking.”

He quirked his eyebrows. “You do?”

“Yep. You’re thinking this whole situation is one big crazy mess.”

A deep chuckle rose in his throat. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right.”

Her face fell. “You’re wishing you hadn’t crossed paths with me,” she said morosely.

He jumped to answer. “No, that’s not it at all.” Again, he had an intense desire to protect her.

A cautious hope stirred in her eyes. “Really?” she asked quietly.

“Really,” he asserted. “I told you I’d help however I can, and I meant it.”

Her eyes misted. “Thank you,” she uttered. “You have no idea how much that means to me.” She looked down.

This time, he couldn’t stop himself. He reached out and placed a hand over hers, marveling at the electric charge that buzzed through him. He could tell from her slight flinch that she’d felt it too. Interesting that they would still have so much heat between them, even after all this time. Her skin was warm and inviting beneath his. His breath ran faster as his eyes followed the graceful line of her milky neck, moving up to her chin, her prominent cheekbones, her piercing eyes feathered with thick lashes, sculpted eyebrows. She really was incredibly beautiful. No wonder he’d fallen so hard for her. “I’m not going anywhere.” The certainty in his voice was so intense that it surprised even him. Hadn’t he learned before that she couldn’t be trusted? In her defense, they were kids. Still, a zebra didn’t often change its stripes.

For years, Jaxson had made sure to keep the upper hand in every relationship by not caring too much. With Lemon, it would be too easy to slip back into old patterns. She looked up, her gaze doing strange things to his insides. How was it that Lemon wielded so much power over him? Thankfully, she didn’t seem cognizant of that fact. He’d need to make dang sure that she never realized. “You have my word,” he finished.

“Jaxson.” His name was a soft sigh on her breath. Her eyes were vulnerable, searching. “What were we to each other?”

His breath hitched. Did he dare tell her the truth? Would it be too much for her to handle? He didn’t want to lie. He could downplay the situation, tell her that yeah, they’d dated but it was more of a casual thing.

The clearing of a throat caused them both to look up. There stood Daddy, holding a white food bag, amusement coloring his features. “Good morning,” he boomed. “I was gonna ask how things are going, but from the looks of things I’d say y’all are as fine as frog hair.”

Lemon snatched her hand away from Jaxson’s as a nervous laugh trembled from her throat. Her face was cherry red. “Um, that wasn’t what it looked like,” she said, her hand going up around her neck.

“Never is,” Daddy winked. “Like the science test, huh?”

“Science test. I don’t understand.” Lemon gave Jaxson a questioning look.

Jaxson shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.” He couldn’t explain Daddy’s snide comment without delving into the past. Daddy knew that, which is why he was razzing Jaxson about it.

“Tell him that nothing was going on,” Lemon insisted, gritting her teeth.

“Nothing was going on,” Jaxson said dutifully as he sniggered.

Lemon scoffed. “You’re no help.”

“I’m just teasing. It was purely innocent,” Jaxson admitted.

“Uh, huh,” Daddy said, a twinkle in his light eyes. “I figured y’all would be hungry, so I stopped by Jack’s and grabbed some sausage biscuits.”

“Thanks,” Jaxson said heartily. His stomach growled loudly. He clutched it, feeling somewhat embarrassed. Laughter issued from Lemon’s throat. “We’d better feed your stomach before it eats your intestines.”

Daddy grinned admiringly. “I like her,” he said to Jaxson. “You got any orange juice?” He deposited the bag on the table and went to the refrigerator.

“Yep, sure do,” Jaxson answered. His thoughts went to Daddy’s science test comment. He and Lemon were in his bedroom, studying for a test. One thing led to another, and before long, they were making out. Daddy opened the door. Lemon’s face had turned redder than a sunburn, much like it had a few minutes ago. Shortly thereafter, Daddy made a new rule. From then on, no girls were allowed in the bedroom.

After getting three glasses out of the cupboard. Daddy plopped down in a chair and began pouring the orange juice. He held out his hands to both of them. Jaxson grinned inwardly at Lemon’s startled expression. “We’re offering a prayer,” he explained.

“Oh,” she said in relief as they all joined hands. Lemon’s hand was soft and delicate in his grip. He could almost feel her energy flowing into him.

Daddy said the prayer, giving thanks that Jaxson had been protected during the accident. When he asked for help on Lemon’s behalf to recover her memories, Jaxson thought he felt Lemon tense, but maybe he’d only imagined it. “Amen,” Daddy said with gusto as he ended the prayer.

“Amen,” Jaxson and Lemon repeated.

Lemon raised an eyebrow. With a jolt, Jaxson realized that he was still holding her hand.

“The prayer’s over,” Knox said unnecessarily as he winked at Lemon. “You’ll have to excuse, Jax. He doesn’t get out much.”

Jaxson let go of her hand, heat blotching up his neck. Sheesh, he was acting like he was wet behind the ears, like he’d never been around a woman before.

“Dig in,” Knox encouraged.

Jaxson didn’t have to be told twice. He unwrapped the biscuit and took a large bite. The biscuit was tender and flaky, the sausage hot and spicy. It melted in his mouth. He grinned to himself when he saw Lemon eating her biscuit with relish.

“What’s on the agenda today?” Daddy asked, turning his focus to Jaxson. “You’ll need to meet with Lucas and get him up to speed.”

Jaxson took in a breath as he nodded. He wasn’t looking forward to handing over the reins to Lucas.

“It’s temporary,” Daddy said, as if reading his mind.

“I know,” Jaxson sighed.

“Briggs can help too,” Daddy added.

“That’s true.” Briggs, the resident veterinarian was a huge help on the ranch. In many ways, he doubled as Jaxson’s right-hand man. “I could just put Briggs in charge.”

“Nah, that would be too much for Briggs. I need his primary focus to be on the cattle and the other animals. Besides, Briggs has a lot on his plate with the wedding coming up.”

“Briggs is engaged to my sister Zoe. They’re getting married in December,” Jaxson explained.

“Yep, lots of things happening in the Romeo family,” Knox quipped. “Jaxson’s younger brother, Ramsey, just got married yesterday. In fact, Jaxson was coming back from the wedding when he had the accident.”

Lemon’s face paled. “I’m so sorry,” she said quietly. “I’ve caused you so many problems.”

Jaxson was quick to reassure her. “It’s okay.” He shot Daddy an irritated look. Lemon had been through so much already. No need to add insult to injury.

“What?” Daddy demanded.

“You didn’t have to bring that up,” Jaxson retorted.

Lemon spoke up. “It’s okay.” She lifted her chin, putting down her biscuit. “I can handle it.”

Daddy gave her an appraising look. “Yes, I believe you can,” he said decidedly. He sat back in his seat. “Tell me how all of this works.”

Lemon moistened her lips. “Um, I’m not sure what you mean.”

Daddy cocked his head. “You don’t remember anything … at all?”

Jaxson cut in. “I don’t think right now is the best time to give her the third degree.” Daddy could be so dang infuriating. Hadn’t he heard anything Doctor Jepson said? Lemon needed to remember slowly, on her own terms.

“I’m not giving her the third degree,” Knox countered, casting Jaxson an annoyed look. “If we’re gonna help Lemon, then I need to know where she’s coming from.”

“It’s okay,” Lemon said to Jaxson. She took in a deep breath, pressing her lips together. “To answer your question, no, I don’t remember anything.” She paused, her expression going pensive. “The first memory I have is standing in the middle of the road and seeing the headlights from Jaxson’s truck.”

Knox shook his head. “I’m sorry. That’s rough.”

“Yes,” Lemon said, pushing her biscuit away and hugging her arms.

Knox looked thoughtful. “Do you have any questions for us? Anything you’d like to know about your past?”

“Daddy!” Jaxson exploded. “Stop it! She’s not ready.”

“We’ll let Lemon be the judge of that,” Knox said firmly.

Lemon nibbled on her lower lip. The gesture was so familiar … something Lemon did when she was nervous. Her eyes darted hesitantly between Jaxson and Knox. “I take it I grew up here? In Franklin?”

“Yes,” Knox answered.

Lemon searched Jaxson’s face. “The two of us were friends.”

Jaxson nodded in the affirmative, swallowing his disappointment. He wished that Lemon could remember something … even if it was a tiny shred of what they’d shared together.

Her jaw worked as the strip of skin between her brows dented. “Do I have any family here?”

Knox looked to Jaxson, waiting for him to respond. Great! Daddy was the one who’d initiated this little Q&A session, and now he was hanging Jaxson out to dry. “No, not anymore,” Jaxson said carefully.

Lemon scratched her eyebrow. “Where does my family live?”

“Your mother lives in Los Angeles.”

“Really?” Lemon’s eyes went bigger than silver dollars. “Why LA?”

“That’s where you live.”

Horror streaked over her features. “Why would I ever want to live there? I hate the city.”

Knox chuckled. “I hear ya. I can’t for the life of me understand why anyone would want to be confined in a concrete jungle when they can have clean, fresh air and green grass.” He slid a sideways look at Jaxson. “I knew I liked her.” This earned him a grin from Lemon. It helped ease the tension. “What else do you wanna know, darling?”

Lemon’s eyes clouded. “Who is my family?” She began wringing her hands. “I mean, who do I have left?”

It was both heartrending and fascinating to watch Lemon. From her body language, Jaxson could tell that even though Lemon couldn’t remember her past, her feelings on the subject were still there … running a swift current beneath the surface. She must have suspected, deep down, that something was amiss with her family. Jaxson cleared his throat, trying to figure out how to delicately approach the topic of Lemon’s parents.

She tightened her jaw. “Tell me,” she implored.

Jaxson sucked in a quick breath. “You’re an only child. You and your dad lost touch when you were young. Or at least, that’s the way I remember it.” He spread his hands. “You and I haven’t been in contact for many years.”

Her jaw fell. “Really?”

She looked genuinely disappointed. A fact that pleased him immensely, probably more than it should have. Jaxson felt Daddy’s eyes on him and sensed that he knew exactly what Jaxson was thinking and feeling.

“Why not?” Lemon asked, her inquisitive crystal eyes seeing into his soul.

Jaxson wasn’t sure how to answer. He didn’t want to add to Lemon’s stress, but the truth was the truth. She had a right to know what happened. He searched for the right words.

“People drift apart.” There, that was cryptic enough.

She arched an eyebrow. “Yes, and some people like to evade the subject.”

He coughed. “Excuse me?”

Daddy grinned. “I think she’s gonna be just fine,” he winked.

Jaxson chuckled. “So it would seem.”

Lemon tipped her head, her beautiful face thoughtful. “You said I lost touch with my dad. Are my mom and I close?”

“Yes, you and your mom were very close,” Jaxson answered. “At least when you and I knew each other.”

A look of pleasure overtook her features as she nodded. “I think I knew that.” She began talking fast using her hands as her expression grew animated. “I’m sure my mom’s wondering where I am. I should probably contact her, let her know that I’m okay.”

Jaxson’s insides laced up tight as he and Daddy looked at one another.

“What?” Lemon prompted, worry masking her features. “Is my mom okay?”

Compassion stirred inside of Jaxson. How could he tell Lemon that her mother had Alzheimer’s? “I’m sure she’s fine.”

“What is it that you’re not telling me?” Lemon balled her fist. “Tell me!”

“Go ahead,” Knox urged.

Jaxson took in a deep breath. There was no way around this. This whole thing was so twisted. He forced the words out. “Your mother has Alzheimer’s.” He winced at Lemon’s stricken expression.

“No,” she gasped. “It’s not true!” She pressed her fingers to her temples like she was in pain.

“Hey,” Jaxson said tenderly, touching her arm.

She jerked away from his grasp. “It can’t be true.”

“Search your memory,” Knox prompted kindly. “It’s all there.”

“Daddy,” Jaxson warned.

Knox held up his hand. “The wound is festering. I’m just trying to boil out the infection, so she can heal.”

Lemon’s hands started to shake. Her lips were thin, face pale as a ghost. Alarm raced through Jaxson. “Everything will be okay,” he said. “Your mother’s in a care center in LA.”

Her face caved the second before a cry wrenched her throat. She jumped up and fled the room.

Jaxson reached for the crutches, intent on going after her, but Daddy caught his arm. “Don’t. She needs time to cool off.”

Anger fisted Jaxson’s stomach. He spun around, glaring at Daddy. “You shouldn’t have pressed her.”

“A little pressure is necessary,” Knox said calmly.

“But Doctor Jepson said?—”

“I don’t care what Henry said,” Knox mumbled. “He’s not a psychiatrist.”

“Neither are you,” Jaxson retorted.

Knox jutted his thumb in the direction Lemon had gone. “I don’t need to be a shrink to know that Lemon’s dealing with some heavy stuff. I’d venture to say that whatever it is has to do with her mother.”

Jaxson made a face. “You think so?”

“Yeah, I do.” He let out a long sigh. “She was probably having a hard time coming to terms with her mother’s Alzheimer’s before her memory loss. That’s why she had such a vehement reaction when you told her the truth.”

As much as Jaxson hated to admit it, Daddy was making sense. “What now?” he asked dully.

Knox scratched his head. “We could hire a detective to look into the situation … find out which care center her mother is in. See how she’s doing.”

“Good idea.”

Knox propped his elbows on the table, linking his fingers. “We could hire someone to poke around, quietly ask questions … see what has been going on in Lemon’s life.” He paused, giving Jaxson a meaningful look. “I have a feeling that whatever we find won’t be pretty. I don’t need an MD degree to know that Lemon is running scared.”

The truth of Daddy’s words hit home, sending a shiver down Jaxson’s spine.

“You sure you’re up for this?” Knox motioned to Jaxson’s ankle. “You’ve got your own share of troubles right now.”

“I’m fine,” Jaxson said casually.

A perceptive light lit Knox’s eyes. “Lemon’s different from the rest.”

Jaxson tensed. “How so?”

“You actually care about her.” Daddy caught hold of Jaxson’s bicep, squeezing it affectionately, the same way he’d done since Jaxson was a kid. Jaxson’s silence was his admission.

“She hurt you bad last time.”

“We were kids.”

Knox stroked his chin. “Yes, you were. People grow up, people mature. I guess the critical question here is—has she changed for the better?”

Jaxson nodded somberly. “Yep, that’s the critical question.”

“It’s not too late to walk away. We can put Lemon up in a hotel, pay for any treatment she needs.”

“No!” Jaxson blurted.

A flicker of surprise crossed Knox’s face. “You’re already that invested. Interesting,” he mused.

Jaxson ground his teeth together. “Yep,” he clipped. “For better or worse, I’m seeing this thing through.”

“Okay.” Knox drummed his fingers on the table. “I’ll do everything I can to help.”

“I appreciate that.”

Knox gave Jaxson a meaningful look. “Just do yourself a favor.”

“What’s that?”

“Take it slow. It’s better to keep Lemon in the friend-zone. She’s dealing with a lot. You have no way of knowing what or whom she was involved with before losing her memory.” He paused. “I don’t wanna see you get hurt.”

Jaxson squared his jaw. “I’m a big boy. I can handle it.”

“Yep, I’m sure you can. Just remember what I said. Proceed with caution.”