So, his name was Wyatt. He was all right with that. It beat not having a name at all.
He wanted desperately to have these bandages removed from his eyes, but the doctors who have helped him insisted that they were needed to heal the burns on his face. Slowly, he lifted his hand and touched the dressings. Being as careful as he could, he felt around and found all of the sores located underneath. They stung like the dickens, and he gritted his teeth against the pain.
How long he'd been like this, he didn't know. Minutes and turned into hours, and days and turned into months. Time didn't matter any longer. The staff at the hospital must have kept him heavily medicated, because that was the only explanation to why he hadn't gone insane yet.
And then... and angel came into his life. She said her name was Jessica Simone. Her voice was much sweeter, and she sounded much younger than the other nurses. But this one actually wanted to help him heal.
Her short visit last night had given him hope that things would start looking better for him. Doom and gloom wouldn't always be his companions. Instead, he looked forward to hearing Jessica's sweet voice when she helped the others in the hospital. And he especially waited patiently for this night to arrive. They could talk more personally then. Of course, he wouldn't know what to say, but at least her voice would make him happy.
He wasn't certain how long it had been since he last heard her voice, but he could tell the light from the other side of these bandages were growing darker. Night must be upon him now. He wouldn't have much time to wait.
Wyatt moved both hands to his face as he tried to peel away the coverings from his eyes. Finally, a small amount of light shone through, enough for him to see around the room. From outside the windows, night had indeed begun to take over. Excitement grew inside him, and he hoped he could look upon Jessica's face this time. He'd convince her to take him outside for a walk or something. One way or another, he needed to see her. Perhaps that would be the key to opening his memories.
He'd heard the other men in the room talking from time to time. Wyatt realized that this hospital ward was where they kept the deserters from the war. Even if he had no memories, he knew what war was. Something in his gut told him that he'd been part of that senseless time in the past. However, he also felt that he wouldn't have deserted – that he would have kept on fighting.
If only he knew for certain. Something terrible must have happened to him. Maybe that was why his mind was afraid to open and let him remember.
He prayed his angel would help him in some way since nobody else would.
* * * *
Hugh Jackson was genuinely surprised to discover how much Jessica entertained him during dinner. His mother had visited with them for a few minutes, but because she had other people in the boarding house to feed, she couldn't give him and Jessica her full attention. He didn't mind. Jessica had captured his interest, and he was reluctant to look away for fear he'd miss one of her adorable expressions.
When she told him stories about what she'd gone through while in the nursing school, she had become very dramatic. Her expression changed with each emotion, and he found himself mesmerized. Her deep brown-eyed gaze held him prisoner. When she laughed, her eyes sparkled.
He'd never known a woman who could keep him entertained throughout a whole meal. Usually, women bored him quickly, which was what he told his mother when she asked to why he wasn't married yet. The real reason, however, was because he couldn't find a woman who shared his interests. He hadn't become a doctor just to have a prestige career. Instead, he cared about people, and he wanted to heal them. His enjoyment was seeing the gratitude on their face when he was able to help them.
Most women turned up their nose at him for wanting to spend all of his time at work. Of course, he also spend some of his time with his mother or brothers, but mostly, he worked at the hospital.
From what he could tell about Jessica so far this evening, was that she too, enjoyed helping people. That was a good thing, and yet, because she had become so attached to the amnesia patient, Hugh worried that she might push the nurse-patient relationship limit a little too far, and that she would be the one getting hurt in the end.
He hadn't realized she stopped talking until pink bloomed in her cheeks. Then he remembered that he'd been staring at her while she told him about her family. Now he felt like the fool.
"I'm um..." she said, "I'm sorry if I'm boring you."
"Nonsense." He touched her hand resting on the table by her empty plate. "You are far from boring. In fact, I think the word that comes to mind is... fascinating."
Her face flamed a deeper red and her gaze dropped to the table. "You are too kind, Hugh, but I feel that you are over-flattering me." She looked at him again. "And, let me warn you... I don't take kindly to men who lie."
He chuckled. "You think I'm lying to you?"
"It's just hard for me to believe that you would find me fascinating."
"Well, I do. You are an amazing woman."
Her gaze narrowed suspiciously. "Now I'm amazing? I'm wondering if you've been taking some of the pain medication Nurse Tweed gives to our severely injured patients."
Hugh threw back his head and laughed heartily. "No, my dear, Jessica. I wouldn't dare tough that."
She nodded once. "Good. I wouldn't think highly of you if you did."
He glanced out the window. The sun had gone to bed, and from what he could see of the back yard, it appeared to be lit well enough. He met her gaze again and grinned. "Would you like to go for a stroll with me?"
Her fast intake of air was noticeable, and he found it adorable. But he wouldn't tease her about it. That was one of the many things he liked about her. Her innocence was a breath of fresh air. He thought she was a very lovely woman, and yet she acted as though she wasn't used to having men pay attention to her.
"It'll be a short stroll," he continued. "Both of us have an early shift tomorrow morning, so we need our rest."
Her shoulders relaxed and she nodded. "A stroll sounds like it'll be the perfect thing to calm us both down after a hard day at the hospital."
He stood and offered his arm. She rose to her feet and hooked her arm around his. She was a petite woman. He was a good head taller than her. But he liked the way she gazed up at him with those sparkling eyes. It was enough to make him breathless.
A gentle wind blew through the night air, and it tousled her hair. She had taken it out of the bun he'd seen it in this morning, and it flowed silkily over her shoulders and down to the middle of her back. Thankfully, she'd changed her clothes as well. For their date, she'd worn a plain brown skirt with a daffodil colored blouse. It was certainly nice to see her without her apron.
At work, he looked upon her as a nurse, but now, every inch of her was woman. Seeing her this way made his heart skip, and it also reminded him that he was still a bachelor looking for the right woman to fall in love with.
"Hugh, I feel as though I have done all the talking tonight. You probably know everything about me now, but I still don't know much about you, except that your mother is the cook here."
"My father died when I was sixteen. I grew up fast after that as it was my responsibility to take care of my mother and brothers."
"Were you a soldier in the war?"
He shook his head. "I was actually learning how to be a doctor during that time, but I was able to help a few surgical tents that passed by our area. I think I learned more about being a doctor during that time than going to school."
Sadness creased on her face. "It was a senseless war... So many fatalities."
"Agreed."
They stopped at the wooden fence along the property. Just on the other side was a small flower garden. He leaned his shoulder against the fence, facing her, and she copied his stance.
"Jessica, the one thing you haven't talked about tonight is your relationship with the deserter with amnesia."
Her expression hardened. "Hugh, I would appreciate if you called him by his name – Wyatt."
Sighing heavily, he shrugged. "The problem is, we don't know for certain if his name is Wyatt."
"I do."
He arched an eyebrow. "You know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he is your childhood friend, Wyatt?"
Hesitation flittered across her facial features before she lifted her chin, stubbornly.
"Hugh, I know it's Wyatt. His voice is so much like the man I remembered, and his hair color is the same – maybe slightly darker, but enough to be the same color. But his birthmark is what tells me that's him."
"Because it's in the shape of a lightning bolt?"
"Yes."
"Today when I was changing his bandages, I looked closer at his arm. It doesn't look like a birthmark. It's a burn."
"No, it's a birthmark. I'm aware that there is a burn there as well, but I see his birthmark, Hugh. I know this is Wyatt." She placed her hand on his chest. "If one of your brothers was missing from the war and someone found an injured man who resembled him, wouldn't you want to believe that he was saved from death?"
Hugh didn't answer right away. Her touch was doing silly things to his belly as warmth flowed through him. He breathed slower, hoping that the pleasure he found from her touch didn't show in his face.
"Of course, I'd want to know if that was my brother."
"Well, Wyatt has parents and siblings, too. I want them to see him again." She sighed and leaned closer. "Hugh, I want to try and help him remember, but I don't want the other doctors and nurses think that I'm giving him special treatment."
His mouth turned dry. They were too close for him not to be affected. And it was her flowery scent he could smell, not the garden on the other side of the fence. "Have you ever helped a patient with amnesia?"
"No. Have you?"
"No, and neither have the other doctors."
"Then what is the harm in trying to help me?" The plea in her voice softened. "You never know, it might work."
He was sure she could feel the quick beat of his heart. If only he knew that their closeness affected her, too. He took her hand from his chest and lifted it to his mouth. He brushed his lips across her knuckles. Her eyes widened.
"Tell me, Jessica," he whispered. "What are your feelings for Wyatt?"
Hugh couldn't tell if her quick intake of air was from his breath on her fingers or from his question. He hoped it was his touch that startled her.
"I... I..." Her throat jumped as if she swallowed hard. "I've known Wyatt since we were twelve years old. Our properties connected and he and I went fishing together, and horseback riding. We did so many things together."
"Did you think of him as a friend or a brother?"
She snorted softly and rolled her eyes. "He's definitely nothing like my rambunctious brothers."
"So, Wyatt was your friend." Hugh held his breath, not wanting to hear that they were more than friends, and yet, his gut was telling him that was the case.
"We were good friends," she replied. "And if roles were reversed and I was the one lying in the hospital with amnesia, and he was the nurse, he would want to help me just as I want to help him."
Disappointment filled Hugh. Jessica wasn't going to admit it to him. Then again, he wondered if she was worried that he wouldn't let her care for Wyatt if Hugh knew the truth. She was smart, because he wouldn't allow her to tend to Wyatt's needs. Yet, now Hugh was in a sticky situation. If he gave into her and allowed her to spend all of her time with Wyatt, it would be only because Hugh didn't want her upset at him.
Decisions, decisions.
"Jessica, I don't feel like it's a good idea to help Wyatt, only because of your past with him." She scowled, so he quickly continued. "However, if you can show me – and the other doctors and nurses – that you will remain professional, I'll allow you to care for your friend."
She gasped and her face brightened. Before he realized what was happening, she threw her arms around his neck, giving him a hug. He immediately, made the best of this situation and circled his arms around her petite frame, pulling her closer. Of course, he made it look as if he was hugging her back. Hopefully, she wouldn't know that he pressed his cheek against her silky hair and breathed in her heavenly scent.
"Oh, Hugh." She withdrew slightly, peering into his eyes. "You won't regret your decision. I promise to act professional."
He really shouldn't be having these feelings for her, not when their conversation was about the man she had given her heart to when she was a child.
The quarter moon highlighted her face, and although he couldn't see every inch of her, she was still able to make him breathless. "You are so beautiful, Jessica."
Once the words left his mouth, he groaned inwardly. It was too soon to let her know his feelings... or in this case, his infatuation.
Her eyes widened and her face bloomed with color again. "Uh... thank you, Hugh. I still wonder why you are saying these things to me. Are you sure you don't have a fever?" She touched his forehead. "You're not really hot."
He nearly laughed. If she only knew the heat burning inside him right now, she would indeed think he had a high fever. "I'm not sick, Jessica." He stroked her cheek. "I'm just captivated by the woman in my arms. I hope you can forgive me."
"Hugh, I..." She pushed out of his arms. "I should be the one apologizing. I shouldn't have led you to believe—"
He dropped his mouth to hers, silencing her from giving any form of rejection. Right now he wouldn't be able to handle it. Their evening had been wonderful, and he didn't want it to end, yet.
She gasped, but thankfully, she didn't pull away. Of course, he didn't give her time to think as he continued the kiss, hoping her stiff body would soon relax. Finally, after several uncomfortable seconds, she leaned into him again. Her lips weren't stiff, and for a moment, she had responded, molding her mouth to his.
His heart beat frantically, and yet, he still didn't want to get too excited. She could still reject him. But for now, he'd welcome anything she gave.
Just as he tilted his head to deepen the kiss, she jumped and pulled out of his arms. Her face was red, and her wide eyes expressed her shock. He wanted to take her back in his arms to soothe her fears and let her know that it was all right to kiss him that way. But she mumbled her apologies, turned, and ran back into the boarding house.
Groaning, he raked his fingers through his hair. He shouldn't have taken things so fast, but when she had started to reject him, he just couldn't take it. Finally, he'd found the type of woman he could welcome into his life... only to find out that she might not return his feelings.