Page 25 of Lost and Found

I sigh. “So, Paige and I hung out last night in the rainstorm.”

“Wait, how’d that happen?” she asks.

I forgot I hadn’t filled her in on everything, so I take the time to explain about Jonas and his fiancé. Rhen the talk we had about the one. I tell her about how I ended up at Paige’s physical therapy appointment and how we went for ice cream afterward, and danced in the rain. I even tell her about the invisible pull I have toward her.

“Wow, I feel very out of the loop,” she comments. I look her dead in the eye and hers widen. “Wait! There’s more?”

I nod my head, slowly. “Today was Paige’s appointment and I had myself determined to keep everything under control, but then she stumbled and I caught her. I don’t know how, but the next thing I knew, she kissed me.”

“She kissed you?!”

“Yeah,” I reply.

“What did you do next?” she asks.

I shake my head and look across the street at the old fashioned movie theater. “I kissed her back.”

Elena groans. “Oh Reid, you didn’t?”

“I did.”

We sit in silence for a while until Elena says, “You know this is more than likely going to end badly, right?” I nod my head yes. “I’m sorry, Reid. If her memories were back and she was kissing you, I might say you stood a chance. But from what it sounds like, it’s just a matter of time before they resurface and she remembers everything. I don’t see how this will end well for you.”

“It won’t,” I say quietly. Elena rests her hand on my shoulder, giving it a squeeze. She knows the same thing I do, Paige’s memories are just on the tip of the diving board waiting to dive back into the pool. Once those are back, I’ll be gone from her life. Paige might be it for me, but I had always been temporary in hers.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Paige

By the time I found my way back to Arden’s, the sun had disappeared hours ago. I had sat on the beach trying to piece things together. I felt like everything was just within a fingertip’s length, but I just couldn’t reach it. It was so frustrating. Then after everything I had been through, for Arden to react the way she did over Reid, hurt my feelings.

However, her comment about me not knowing what I had been through had been nagging at me all day, taunting me in my empty head. Was I missing something else aside from my memories?

I went round and round in a circle because without my memories, I could never figure out what else I could be missing. Finally, once the moon was sitting beautifully above the ocean, I pulled myself up from the sand and made my way back to the sidewalk where I grabbed a taxi.

As I walked into the quiet house, I felt guilt hit me. I’m sure Arden had been worried when I disappeared. My phone had died shortly after and it’s been hours. When I walk in though, I’m shocked not to find her waiting by the door. I walk farther into the house and find her sitting at her kitchen island, twirling the wine glass in front of her. She doesn’t even glance up when she hears me approach. I stand awkwardly near the sink. “I’m sorry I took off like that and for being gone so long. I’m sure you were worried.”

A sarcastic laugh falls from Arden’s mouth. “I gave up being worried a few hours ago, Paige.” I don’t blame her. I would have done the same thing if the roles were reversed, but I’d be lying if I said her words didn’t sting.

“Okay then, I’m going to go to bed.”

I’m almost to the staircase when Arden says, “I am happy for you, but it’s the fear it won’t last that worries me.”

“Why wouldn’t it last?”

She sighs and turns around. “Right now, all you see is Reid. He’s all you know, but when your memories come back, it all changes. He won’t be it. You’ll have to deal with the reality of things and that will change everything.”

I nod my head and go up the stairs to the room I’m staying in. After a quick shower, I crawl into bed, my head feeling heavier than before. I wish I could just get these memories back so I could prove Arden wrong. My memories won’t change the way I feel about Reid.

****

Sun blaring through my window wakes me up. I feel completely disorientated. My room is on the side of the house that doesn’t get hit with the early morning sunrise. Slowly, I sit up and peel my eyes open, but what I find is more confusing. This isn’t my room. The colors are wrong, the bed is wrong. Where the hell am I? I get out of bed and when I open the door, and the hallway comes into view. I know where I am, Arden’s. I sag in relief.

I hear Gideon laughing in his room. Smiling, I head down the hallway to Arden’s room. I knock lightly and peek inside. She comes out of the closet, dressed for the day. She freezes when she notices me. “Hey, how are you feeling?”

“Good. Kind of confused. Why am I here?”

“What?” Arden asks.

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