Shadows of Jane

by Amy Hale

  He turned to leave when she said his name and stopped him in his tracks.

  “Colt…thank you for coming to see me. It’s nice to know that someone cares even if we are strangers.”

  His heart constricted. “We know each other’s names, and we’ve had a conversation. As I see it, I think that’s enough to make us friends.” He gave her his most dazzling smile.

  She smiled back at him, and he could see that his words had hit their mark. For at least a few minutes, she felt a little better. For some odd reason, that made him feel a little better, too.

  “Thank you, Colt. I appreciate that very much. Would you mind coming back to see me tomorrow?”

  I really shouldn’t, Jane. You wouldn’t benefit from knowing me. I’m bad news. “I wouldn’t mind at all. I’ll bring cards. Have you ever played poker?”

  She let out a small chuckle. “I don’t know. It doesn’t sound familiar. I guess you’ll have to teach me.”

  “I’d be honored to. There’s nothing more rewarding than turning an innocent miss into a card shark.”

  “How do you know I’m so innocent? I might have been a very bad girl in my past life.”

  Colt tried not to let his thoughts wander in that direction. He had a great imagination, and he could easily envision her being a bad girl…with him.

  She saw his odd expression and laughed out loud. He couldn’t help but laugh with her.

  “Poker sounds fun, Colt. See you tomorrow.”

  “See you then.” He gave her a wink and left the room.

  He was lost in thought as he exited the building and found his motorcycle. What the hell just happened? I was supposed to meet her, end this weird fascination, and move on.

  He had a sinking feeling that this was going to be a lot more complicated than he had expected.

  The next evening, true to his word, Colt spent some time teaching Jane how to play poker. Jane was a quick learner, and by the end of their fourth hand, she had actually won. She’d wagered her vanilla pudding against his black leather wrist cuff.

  “Damn.” Colt started to remove the cuff.

  She laughed and placed a hand on his wrist. “No. Leave it on. I don’t really want it.”

  “No way, lady. I always pay my debts. The cuff is yours.”

  She raised a skeptical eyebrow in his direction. “Did you really want my pudding?”

  He grinned. “No, not really.”

  “It’s all good then. I’d rather you answer a question for my prize anyway.”

  He shuffled the deck. “What question did you have in mind?”

  Jane looked at his arms and then back at his face. “Do your tattoos mean anything?”

  Colt froze mid shuffle. He didn’t know what he’d expected her to ask, but that sure wasn’t it.

  He placed the deck on the table and moved his right bicep closer to her. “Some do. Some don’t.” He pointed to an American flag peeking out from beneath the sleeve of his T-shirt, and then he rolled the fabric up a bit, so she could get a better look. “This is my newest one. It’s for my dad. He was a veteran. I lost him a few weeks ago.”

  “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude.”

  Colt sat back and smiled. “Nah. You aren’t intruding. Dad was pretty great. He would’ve loved that you just kicked my ass in poker. He always said that we boys needed someone to knock us down a peg or two every now and then.”

  Jane hurt for his loss, but she gave him a smile. “It sounds like you had a good relationship with him.”

  He gazed at the flag with the name Randy just below it. “Yeah, I did.”

  She leaned forward to get a better look at the other tattoos on his arm, but Colt shook his head.

  “One answer per winning hand.” He smiled, a wicked gleam in his grayish-blue eyes. “Maybe when you get out of here, I can teach you a few other games. Strip poker can be very entertaining.”

  Jane’s eyes grew wide, and for a few seconds, she was slightly shocked. Then, she started laughing so hard that she needed to wipe the tears from her eyes.

  Colt ruffled a bit. “Why, may I ask, was that so funny?”

  She sat back against her pillows and gave Colt a quick once-over. He was certainly a handsome man. He wore his neatly trimmed blond hair in a spiked style in the front. His eyes reminded her of storm clouds just before they’d break loose and dump their contents on the earth. He was tall and looked like he was a regular at the gym. Not to mention, he had an attitude of confidence that exuded sexiness. She could envision women falling all over themselves to get his attention.

  “How many girls have you used that line on?” she asked.

  He crossed his arms, a little annoyed that she’d laughed. “Not too many,” he admitted.

  “Does it ever actually work?”

  He couldn’t help but laugh. “So far, so good.”

  “Well, write today down on your calendar, mister, because that one just bombed.”

  Colt gave his chin a scratch as he studied her. “Well then, I guess I’ll have to try harder with you.”

  He gave her a wink, and they both laughed again.

  “It’s getting late. I guess I’d better head home. Get some rest, Jane.”

  “Will you visit me again?”

  Colt looked uneasy, and she worried that her only friend was already tired of her.

  “I don’t mean tomorrow. I just wondered if you might visit again soon. I need to practice if I’m gonna clean up in Vegas someday.”

  He nodded. “I’ll try to stop back by before the weekend is up.”

  Colt had intended to keep himself occupied for the next several days with work and a few games of pool at his favorite bar, The Rusty Hinge. A distraction was always waiting for him there—usually in the form of a short skirt and cleavage-revealing top to go along with loose morals.

  But every time he left for the bar, he’d end up in the hospital parking lot. It was almost as if he had no control over his actions. His brain said, Bar, but his body said, Jane.

  He’d wind up in her room, playing poker and talking about a little bit of everything.

  By the end of the week, he didn’t even try to pretend that he was going to go out to party. He didn’t understand why he was so drawn to the enigma that was Jane, but he did know that he honestly enjoyed spending time with her.

  If he had to put a label on their relationship, he’d say they were friends, which was weird for him. It wasn’t in his nature to be this attentive to anyone—with the exception of his little brother.

  Colt walked into Jane’s room to find her sitting up in bed with Dr. Weston situated in the chair next to her. She lifted her eyes to Colt’s face and gave him a smile that he was sure could have lit up the darkest cavern in existence. It had been a long time since someone was genuinely happy to see him, and he felt her slip through one more chink in his armor.

  “Hi, Colt! Dr. Weston was just telling me that I should be able to get out of here this weekend. Isn’t that fantastic?”

  Colt smiled back at Jane. “That is fantastic.” He turned to Dr. Weston. “I don’t wanna be a party pooper, but are you sure she’s ready, Doc?”

  “She’s made a remarkable recovery, Colt. I’d call it almost miraculous.” Dr. Weston looked at Jane and smiled as he pointed upward. “I think someone up there likes you, missy.”

  Jane laughed. “I hope you’re right, Dr. Weston. I think I’m going to need that kind of favor in my life for a while.”

  Colt tried to be happy for her, but he worried about what her future would hold. She still had no recollection of her previous life.

  How do you move on from that?

  Dr. Weston started instructing Jane on her aftercare once she was discharged.

  Colt stood back and observed. She did seem astonishingly well, especially considering she’d been on death’s door and in the hospital for a little less than two weeks. Yet there she was with a pink hue in her cheeks and a sparkle in her emerald eyes. All traces of her injuries were co
mpletely gone. No one would ever accuse Colt of being a believer, but the sight before him certainly did seem like more of a miracle than a cure from medicine.

  Dr. Weston rose from his chair. “Colt, could I talk to you for a moment?”

  Colt nodded and followed him out the door, giving Jane an eye roll as he left. He heard her stifling a laugh before he shut the door behind him.

  “Colt, I’ve made arrangements with Jessica Dorset for Jane. Jessica will pick Jane up tomorrow and help her get settled in the shelter. She’s going to need a friend in the coming weeks, and I’m hoping you’ll be that person.”

  “Me? Doc, I’m not exactly the nurturing Florence Nightingale type. I’m sure she’d be better off with someone else.”

  “That’s just it, Colt. She has no one else. We’ve searched the Missing Persons Database and sent her pictures to several agencies. So far, no one has stepped up to claim her. You’re the only friend she has right now, and she seems to trust you.”

  Colt sighed. “Why would she trust me? She barely knows me.”

  “Beats me, boy.” Dr. Weston jabbed a finger in Colt’s chest. “But she’d better not be wrong. Do I make myself clear?”

  Colt didn’t usually tolerate being threatened, but with Dr. Weston, he could only bite back his smile. “Yes, sir. I’ll do my best not to disappoint.”

  “Glad to hear it. Now, get in there, so she can kick your butt in poker.”

  Colt gave Dr. Weston a nod, and then he turned and entered Jane’s room. As he shut the door behind him, he heard Jane mumbling something, but he didn’t quite catch it.

  Once he approached the bed, he realized she was asleep.

  She turned her head on the pillow and faced Colt. Her eyes peacefully closed, her long lashes rested on her lightly freckled skin. Then, she snuggled down into the covers and murmured a breathy, “Colt…”

  The jolt of electricity Colt felt from just hearing her speak his name in her sleep made him realize that he was already in way over his head.

  CONFUSION FOLLOWS ME WHEREVER I GO,

  AND I OFTEN FEEL INSANE.

  Jane set a small duffel bag on her new bed. She glanced around the modest room and sighed. Today, she started her new life, and all her worldly possessions were waiting to be unpacked in her new home. Never mind that the new home was a tiny room in a women’s shelter, and the aforementioned possessions amounted to a toothbrush, a hair brush, and a clean change of clothes, which had all been given to her by the kind nurse Camille.

  Jane felt overwhelming gratitude to everyone who had helped her through this ordeal. Dr. Weston, Camille, and even Jessica—the administrator of the shelter—they’d been nothing but kind to her. Then, there was Colt. She had no idea how to describe what Colt meant to her, but she knew that he was meant to be in her life in one way or another.

  She moved to the window and opened the blinds. Staring out at the small playground just a few feet from her window, she noticed two children playing. Jane smiled to herself as she watched them running and laughing. Her heart filled with joy. It was almost as if she could feel what they felt as they frolicked in the sunshine. She closed her eyes and tried to visualize the happiness. Behind her eyelids, she could see a rainbow of colors dancing and swaying. She gave herself over to this inner environment, and suddenly, she was surrounded by a rhythm that seemed to caress her. She felt like she was floating, and she loved the sensation.

  Jane was lost in these emotions when she heard a knock coming from behind her. Her eyes flew open, and she turned to face the door. “Come in.”

  Colt opened the door and stepped inside. “Hi, Jane. I just wanted to stop by and see how you were settling in.”

  He looked around the tiny room, trying to hide his disappointment. She instinctively knew he didn’t approve of her new lodgings, but she didn’t understand why.

  “Hey, Colt. I’m doing well. I have a bed, four walls, and a roof. It’s more than I had when I woke up in the hospital a couple of weeks ago. Oh, and Camille gave me—” She stopped abruptly. Her duffel bag was no longer on the bed. “Wait…where did it go?”

  “Where did what go?” Colt looked as confused as she felt.

  “My bag. It was right here.”

  He stepped toward the bed and looked at the floor. Then, he bent down and picked up a small black bag. “You mean this one?”

  Jane frowned. “Yeah, that’s it. But why was it on the floor?”

  Colt gave her a smirk. “It probably fell off.” Then, he placed it back on the bed.

  “Yeah, I guess.” She wasn’t convinced. She knew there was no way the bag had fallen off the bed on its own. She had placed it right in the middle of the mattress.

  “Anyway…I thought I’d see if you needed anything. Or maybe you’d like to get some lunch? I know a great little barbeque place.”

  She smiled and nodded her head. “That sounds wonderful. It’d be nice to see a little bit of the town.”

  “Great. They just started the lunch special, so if we leave now, we can beat the crowd.”

  Jane grabbed her jacket from the foot of the bed and followed him out the door. But before she closed it, she gave her duffel bag one last glance.

  Less than fifteen minutes later, they were seated in a corner booth at Smokey Bones BBQ.

  Colt was looking at the menu, feeling a bit uncomfortable. The restaurant wasn’t packed yet, but it would be soon, and people were already staring at them. Granted, it was probably more at her. He had to admit, she was a vision. Her hair was pulled back from her face with a clip, the rest falling gracefully around her shoulders. Her complexion was flawless, and she had just a small touch of pink lip gloss on her full lips. A smattering of light freckles crossed her nose and continued under both eyes, but it wasn’t unattractive in the least. It seemed to add to her charm, not to mention her eyes—those same eyes that he would see in his sleep.

  He shifted in his seat and tried to concentrate on lunch specials. Jane seemed to be engrossed in the menu as well.

  When the waitress arrived to take their order, Jane nearly jumped out of her seat.

  “Are you okay?” asked Colt. The concern in his voice was echoed by the look in his eyes.

  “Yes. Yes, I’m fine. I’m not sure what came over me. I guess I’m still a little tired.”

  The waitress, whose name tag said Bess, gave Jane a skeptical glance, and then she turned her attention toward Colt. She leaned in close, and Colt got a good look at her cleavage, which he suspected was her intent. This wasn’t anything new to him, and normally, he enjoyed the attention, but it only annoyed him this time.

  “Hey, Colt. What can I get for you?”

  “I’ll take a large glass of water and the pulled pork sandwich.”

  Bess jotted his order down and gave him a sweet smile. Then, she turned to Jane, and her demeanor changed ever so slightly. It wasn’t enough that most people would have caught it, but Jane did.

  “So…what do you want?”

  Jane peeked above the menu and looked at Bess. “I’d like a cobb salad and a water, please.”

  Bess scribbled on her order pad once more and then tucked it into her apron. “I’ll be right back with those waters.” She gave Colt one last longing look and walked away.

  Jane glanced around the room. Her nerves suddenly felt stretched to their limits. The people, the noise, and all the activity surrounding them seemed completely foreign to her. She tightly gripped the menu and closed her eyes, willing the unwelcome panic to disappear. She was working on controlling her breathing when she heard Colt say her name. She opened her eyes to see him staring at her with a frown on his face.

  “Are you okay? I’ve been trying to get your attention, but it was like you weren’t even here.”

  She swallowed a lump in her throat. “Yeah, I’m okay. I guess I zoned out for a moment.”

  “A moment? Jane, Bess brought our food five minutes ago. You’ve been sitting there, mangling that menu for the better part of fifteen minutes.”r />
  Fifteen minutes? She didn’t understand how that could possibly be true. She was just looking around, and then she closed her eyes for less than a minute. “Really? It was that long?”

  “Yeah, pretty much.” Colt leaned forward to observe her closer. “Maybe we should call Dr. Weston. I think he released you from the hospital too quickly.”

  Jane raised her hand to stop him. “No. No, I’m fine. I think I’m just tired. So much has happened, and my situation is a little overwhelming.”

  He didn’t appear to believe her.

  “If you say so.” He picked up his sandwich and took a bite. “When we’re done here, I’ll take you back, so you can rest. You probably shouldn’t push yourself for a while.”

  She looked down at her salad, struggling to find her appetite. “Thank you. I think a nap is a good idea.”

  They finished their meals in relative silence. Colt ate quickly while Jane picked at her salad, finally eating enough to lessen her guilt over no longer being hungry.

  He seemed to sense that she wasn’t up for conversation, so during the drive back to the shelter, he kept his commentary short and sweet, only occasionally pointing out a town landmark or popular eatery. He pulled his old truck up to the doors at the shelter, and then he jumped out and ran to her side to open the door for her.

  “Thank you for lunch, Colt. I’m sorry I wasn’t better company.”

  He gave her a reassuring smile. “You were fine. Go get some rest, and I’ll see you soon.”

  She started to walk away but turned back to him. “Colt…”

  He took a step forward, waiting for her to finish her sentence. Instead, she also took a step forward and then hugged him. He was caught off guard by the action, and he just stood there, frozen in place.

  Jane let go of him and stepped back. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. It’s just…I needed a hug.”

  Colt immediately started kicking himself for not hugging her back. Friends hug, right? It didn’t mean they were an item or anything. He was just being paranoid, but he had to admit that he was once again treading into new territory.

  “I’m sorry, Jane. You have to understand…I’m not good at this whole friendship thing.”