Page 39 of Cowboys & Navy SEALs

More tears wet her eyes as she hiccuped a laugh. “You think so?”

“I know so,” he said with such certainty that it immediately soothed her fears.

He sighed. “I guess I should head to my own bed, so you can get some rest.” A low chuckle sounded in his throat. “I did promise my mama that I’d be a perfect gentleman.”

She giggled. “I’ll vouch for you.”

When he moved to leave, she placed the flat of her hand on his chest. “Stay, please … just until I fall asleep.”

“You got it,” he murmured.

They lay back against the pillows. Lemon scooted close. The steady beating of his heart was more calming than a lullaby. Her eyelids grew heavy. Just before sleep overtook her, a slice of memory slipped through. “Livingston,” she said groggily. “That’s the name of the man who took my gown.”

Chapter Eight

“Lemon had a bit of a breakthrough last night.”

Knox tipped his head. “Really? That’s good news.”

Jaxson and Knox were in the living room. Early this morning, Jaxson awakened to a phone call from Daddy, saying that he’d heard back from the detective and that he needed to speak to Jaxson alone. Not wanting to alarm Lemon, Jaxson suggested that Daddy come by while she was in the shower. He’d expected Daddy to launch right into whatever he had to say, but he hadn’t. He’d asked about Jaxson’s ankle and ribs, how Lemon was doing.

“I’m doing fine,” Jaxson answered automatically, wondering all the while what Daddy was building up to. Daddy didn’t usually exude nervousness, but today he was more jittery than a bucket full of crickets.

Finally, Jaxson couldn’t handle the suspense any longer. “What did you hear from the detective?” he asked, his stomach knotting.

“First, tell me about Lemon’s breakthrough.”

Whatever Daddy had to say must be a doozy. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be stalling. Jaxson let out a long breath. His ribs were getting better, allowing him to take deeper and more satisfyingbreaths. “She had a nightmare and remembered a name. Livingston.”

Knox pressed his lips together. “A fairly common name. Did she give you anything else to go on?”

“No, but from what I know about Lemon’s past, I was able to connect the dots.”

“What do you mean?”

He rubbed his neck, feeling somewhat embarrassed for having to admit this out loud. “I’ve kept up with Lemon over the years, through the internet.”

A ghost of a smile passed over Knox’s face. “That’s not surprising. I’m glad y’all are working things out.”

“Me too.” Last night was incredible—the way he and Lemon confided in one another. He only hoped things would remain as good when Lemon regained her memories. Would she want to stay here with him or go back to her glitzy life in LA? That was the big question. Jaxson couldn’t fathom the thought of losing her again. The bit about her not wanting to live in the city was very encouraging. Hopefully, she’d still feel the same way when she rediscovered her full self.

“What dots did you connect?” Knox prompted.

Jaxson jerked, pulling his thoughts back to the topic at hand. “I’ve seen a couple of photos online of Lemon with Wesley Livingston at charity events. One of them as recent as a month ago. I suspect they might have been dating.”

Knox’s face went rigid. “Ellis Livingston’s son?”

He nodded.

“That’s not good.” Knox’s lips compressed into taut lines. “Ellis Livingston’s a snake,” he growled.

“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” Jaxson added. Daddy and Ellis Livingston had a falling out over a land deal. Daddy wanted to buy a stretch of property along the river that Ellis was selling. He and Ellis came to an agreement over it andsealed the deal with a handshake. Then, an out-of-town investor came along and offered Ellis more money, so he sold it out from under Daddy and Uncle Dylan.

“Lemon needs to stay as far away from Wesley Livingston as she can get,” Knox said, his jaw sharp. “And I’m not just saying that because of the foiled land deal.” He leaned forward, speaking in low tones. “I’ve heard things. Ellis is involved in some shady deals.”

“Lemon mentioned that in her dream, she was being controlled and manipulated.” Anger surged through Jaxson’s veins. “Do you think she’s afraid of Wesley?”

Knox sat back in the recliner and rubbed his jaw. “It’s possible.”

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