Page 10 of Cowboys & Navy SEALs

“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, somepeople 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 injuryrecovers, 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 hisplace. It was selfish, but Jaxson hoped it would take her a while to remember. That way, he could keep her longer.

Chapter Three

She 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.

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