Promises from a Playboy--A secret billionaire with amnesia romance

by Andrea Laurence

  Willow was not so optimistic. She’d watched her mother slowly wither away as she tried all kinds of holistic remedies. Mother insisted the mainstream treatment was worse than the disease, and in a way she was right. But by the time she finally agreed to the chemotherapy, there was no real point.

  Willow had firsthand experience with what this cancer could do. So when the doctors delivered the bad news, she had already decided what her path forward would be. It was drastic. Her doctors seemed surprised that she wanted to take it that far. But she couldn’t be dissuaded. A full mastectomy and a full hysterectomy was the only way to be certain. If she survived the breast cancer, the BRCA gene still left her vulnerable to relapse and ovarian cancer, as well. So she had them take it all. If she didn’t have any of those parts, they couldn’t try to kill her later.

  Rain told her she was acting out of fear not logic, but Willow didn’t want to tiptoe around this. She would use a sledgehammer on the thumbtack of her cancer. And it was just as well. As she’d alluded to Jack, Willow had no interest in passing this curse on to another generation anyway.

  The doctors thought she might regret her decision. Her sister certainly disagreed. She was very vocal about it. But Willow had made up her mind and it was her body. And after the painful surgeries, a long recovery and chemotherapy, she didn’t ever want to see the inside of another hospital again if she could avoid it.

  And she hadn’t regretted it. Until now.

  Turning around, Willow started the shower to let the water warm up. Then she pulled off her shirt, padded mastectomy bra and pajama pants. Looking down at the mangled remains of her chest, she knew exactly why she had panicked that night on the couch. She had opted out of the reconstruction surgery. She couldn’t bear going through more procedures and more pain just so she could fit the image of what a woman should be. Where her breasts once were, now was only flat, rippled skin with a pair of scars that were still pink and healing.

  No one had touched her chest since the surgery. But Jack had come very close. When she was alone, she didn’t bother with the mastectomy bra that gave her the illusion of a slight figure. After Jack’s arrival, she’d put one on, but she hadn’t worn it to bed that night.

  What would’ve happened if she’d let him touch her? If he’d realized she was a shell of the woman she’d once been? There were no nipples to harden and press against his eager hands. No full globes for him to caress. She couldn’t bear to see the desire in Jack’s eyes die away when he realized the truth. Willow would rather run and have control over the situation than be rejected.

  But as his lips had touched hers and he’d moaned with desire, it had felt so amazing. It was nice to be wanted as a woman again. Even for just a moment, until she ruined it all.

  When she came into the living room after showering, Jack was propped up in the recliner. He had made himself a bowl of cereal and brewed a pot of coffee for them both.

  “Good morning,” she said, as she went into the kitchen and poured herself a cup.

  “Good morning,” he responded. “You have an amazing cereal collection.”

  She chuckled as she added cream and sugar to her cup. “My sister wouldn’t agree. She says I don’t eat real food.”

  “Well, these Lucky Charms are great. Oh,” he said, setting aside his bowl, “your cell phone was ringing while you were in the shower.”

  “Thank you.” Willow walked through the living room to where she’d left her phone on the charger. The missed-call banner on the screen said that Doc had called. She hit the button to call him back and he picked up a moment later.

  “Good morning, Willow. How is our patient doing?”

  She glanced over her shoulder at the man in her easy chair. “Jack’s getting around better.”

  “Jack? Has his memory returned?”

  “No. He still has no idea who he is. But we had to call him something.”

  “Ah, that’s a shame. I was hoping for a miraculous recovery. Did you two fare okay with the storm? The power was out for a long while this time.”

  “It was fine. I had a fire going and the generator kept the food from spoiling.”

  “I’m glad. I’m sorry I didn’t call sooner, but I had a tree land on our carport and I’ve been dealing with that. I figured if there was an issue, you’d call. But today I have some good news. The ferry to Seattle is up and running again. I called over to a friend of mine at Harborview Medical Center. They’re expecting Jack later this afternoon. With any luck, they’ll be able to track down who he really is and he’ll be out of your hair before too long.”

  Willow didn’t respond. She didn’t know what to say. She hadn’t been expecting this call so soon. Of course she wanted Jack to get the help he needed. But at the same time, there was a part of her that wasn’t quite ready to let him go yet, either.

  “Willow?”

  “Thanks, Doc,” she said. “I’ll let him know.” Willow hung up the phone and took a sip of her coffee. “Good news.”

  With a groan, Jack pushed up from his chair and carried his bowl into the kitchen. “What’s that?”

  “Our connection to the mainland is restored. We can finally get you to a real doctor in Seattle where they can take X-rays and treat you properly.”

  “Oh, okay,” he said, although he didn’t sound very excited. She tried not to think too much about why.

  “Maybe they’ll even be able to check the missing-person reports to see if someone is looking for you. I’m sure your family is worried.”

  “If I have one,” Jack said.

  She was certain he had one. A man in a designer suit with an expensive watch didn’t go missing without anyone noticing. Even if he didn’t have family, he had friends, employees or a lover who would know he was gone. Maybe that was why she was hesitant to take him to Seattle. The knowledge that he probably wouldn’t come back.

  “I can check the ferry schedule and drive you down there when you’re ready.”

  Jack turned to Willow and frowned. “Wait. You’re not going with me?”

  She knew it probably sounded horrible, that she would just drop a man with brain damage on a boat and wave goodbye. But she couldn’t go back there. Harborview was where she’d had her surgeries and treatments. She just couldn’t. Just thinking about the scent of the disinfectant and the long stretches of linoleum-lined hallways made her chest tighten with anxiety.

  “You’ll be fine. I’ll give you some cash to get a cab from the ferry terminal to the hospital.”

  “It’s not a question of how I get to the hospital,” Jack said. “I mean, what happens when I finish my exam and all the tests? What if no one is looking for me? Where do I go? I know I don’t have any right to ask anything of you, but I don’t want to go alone. I know I’m just some stranger that’s been sleeping in your guest room for a few days, but you’re basically the only person in the whole world that I know. You’re my only and best friend right now. I’d really like you to go with me.”

  Of course, he’d managed to make her feel terrible for not going. “I don’t like hospitals, Jack.”

  He approached her and cupped her upper arms with his warm hands. “Please, Willow,” he pleaded. His large brown eyes were like a big, sad puppy dog, wearing away at her resistance. “I’ll find a way to make it up to you, I promise.”

  She shook her head, knowing that it was a lost cause. She was going back to the hospital. At least this time they wouldn’t be sticking her with the needles.

  Five

  Jack stepped through the doors from the MRI wing of Harborview Medical Center and found Willow waiting for him there. It had been a long day of tests and exams, but thankfully this was the last one. The nurse had told them he could go for the day, but to stay in town. They would reach out to him tomorrow with the results and he might need to come back for more tests.

  Willow was curled in a ball in the corner of t
he waiting room. Her knees were drawn up to her chest with her large cardigan wrapped around her. Her head was resting against the wall with her eyes closed. She looked so small and fragile sitting there. As though she were the patient instead of him.

  He felt guilty. She told him she didn’t like hospitals and he’d asked her to come with him anyway. It had apparently been a stressful day for her just being here. He supposed that after losing several members of her family to illness, a place like this probably held a lot of bad memories for her.

  It made him wish he could treat her to a night out. A nice dinner and a stay at a fancy Seattle hotel. It seemed like the right thing to do. If he had a penny to his name. A lot of things about his life had felt weird since he’d woken up without his memory, but not having any funds at his disposal bothered him more than most.

  “Hey,” Willow muttered as she sat up and sleepily rubbed her eyes. “How did the MRI go?”

  “Fine. I found out I’m not claustrophobic, so that’s good to know.” He grinned at her, trying to lighten the mood. “I’m all done for the day.”

  Willow looked down at her watch and frowned. “The last ferry to the island left an hour ago, so it looks like we’re staying here tonight.”

  “It’s for the best,” he said. “The doctors said I might need to come back in the morning if the test results find something that concerns them.”

  She nodded. “I should’ve thought of that before we left and brought an overnight bag for us. As it is, we’ll have to find a pharmacy where we can get some essentials for the night. Hopefully we can find something nearby.”

  Jack walked over to where she was sitting and held out his hand to help her up. “I’m sorry today ran long. I promise you that once I have things straightened out, I will pay you back for everything. Not just the hotel, I mean. But food, clothes, medicine, your time... I know I’ve been an inconvenience from the moment you found me.”

  Willow looked down at his hand touching hers and gently untangled her fingers from his own. “It’s not a problem, Jack, really. I have plenty of money. I have the time. To be honest, your arrival is the most exciting thing to happen in my life in a long time. If it wasn’t for the fact that you were hurt, I’d enjoy the change to my routine. Life will surely be boring without you.”

  There was a sadness in her eyes when she spoke that Jack hadn’t noticed before. It did feel like their time together was coming to a close. He couldn’t hide out on her island forever. Eventually he would get his memory back or someone would come looking for him. Part of him wished it weren’t true. Like somehow things would be easier if he could start fresh with Willow and never look back.

  “Okay. Let’s go find a hotel,” she said. “And then we’ll get something to eat. I’m sure you’re looking forward to something other than soup and breakfast cereal.”

  “I don’t have a single complaint,” Jack replied with a grin.

  They headed down the hallway together to the exit of the hospital. As they were reaching the lobby, they passed a woman in a wheelchair. Jack didn’t pay much attention to the patient, but a few steps later, he realized that he was walking alone. Turning around, he saw Willow frozen in her tracks. Her wide eyes were locked on the woman in the wheelchair, her lips trembling but wordless.

  Jack turned to the woman in the wheelchair to see what he was missing. This woman was likely a cancer patient at the hospital. The thin remains of her hair were wrapped in a bright pink handkerchief. Her face was thin and sunken in with dark circles beneath her eyes. She was the embodiment of frail with arms that looked like a rough nurse could snap them putting in a new IV. Her eyes were shining gems, the spirit still alive despite the ravages of the illness that had brought her here.

  He looked back at Willow and the pieces finally clicked into place. This woman had cancer. Being in the hospital was bad enough, but seeing her like that no doubt reminded Willow of losing her mother and grandmother to it. He didn’t know how long ago they’d passed away, but judging by the look on Willow’s face—large, fearful eyes, tense jaw and firmly pressed lips—it wasn’t long enough. She actually looked like she was riding along the edge of panic.

  As if on cue, Willow drew in a ragged breath and started frantically wheezing. The woman in the wheelchair watched in alarm as Willow clutched her chest and backed up hard against the far wall to brace herself.

  “Willow?” Jack asked, unsure. “What can I do?” He knew better than to ask what was wrong when she could barely breathe and waste the words.

  “Leave,” she managed between gasps.

  Jack didn’t hesitate to wrap his arm around her and guide her to the front exit. Outside, he led her to a concrete bench and sat her down. The sun was just setting and the cool air was a refreshing shock to him after so many hours in the hospital. He hoped it was the same for her. Some nice fresh air without the scent of disinfectant and death tainting it.

  Willow dropped down to the bench and buried her face in her hands. After a few moments, her shoulders were shaking with raw tears instead of the desperate breaths of her earlier hyperventilating.

  The whole situation was unexpected for Jack. Since he’d woken up on the beach, Willow had been his rock. Strong. Independent. Seeing her break down like this was unsettling. Unsure of what else to do, Jack sat on the bench beside her and wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders.

  “I shouldn’t have asked you to come,” he said after a few minutes of silence. “You told me you didn’t like hospitals, but I was being selfish, not wanting to come here alone. I’m sorry, Willow.”

  She shook her head, wiping the tears away with the back of her hand. “No. You couldn’t have known. Even I wasn’t sure how it would be. I got cocky after going all day without more than a twinge of anxiety. And then I saw her and everything hit me all at once.”

  “I imagine it brings back a lot of bad memories of losing your family.”

  Willow stiffened beneath his embrace for a moment and then nodded. “I have nothing but terrible memories from hospitals.” She took a deep breath and sat up straight. “Enough of that. Let’s get out of here and find a place to stay tonight. It’s getting late, and I’m starving, so I know you’ve got to be, too.”

  And just like that, his strong Willow was back, taking charge of the situation and putting her emotions in check. Reaching out, he took her hand to help her up, but this time, he didn’t let her pull away like she usually did and she didn’t fight it. There was shared strength in their touch, a hum of awareness and energy that they both needed tonight. It might’ve felt like junior high to some people, but Jack liked having that connection with her.

  He was suddenly desperate not to lose it. Tonight or maybe ever.

  * * *

  “I hope you like Thai food,” Willow said as she unpacked a sack of takeout.

  They’d found a nice hotel a block or so from the hospital that had availability and a room with two queen beds and a kitchenette. While Jack showered, Willow had gone in search of dinner and a pharmacy to pick up some essentials for the night. She’d returned about an hour later with toiletries and enough Thai food to feed an army. She’d followed her nose to a place down the street and if the scents were any indication, they were in for a treat. She hadn’t had good Thai or even Chinese food in ages. It wasn’t exactly an option on her tiny island.

  Jack came out from the bathroom wearing only his sweatpants from earlier. His blond hair was still damp and curling at the edges, and the steam from the bathroom had left moist highlights along the ridges of his stomach and chest. Willow had to look away and tried to focus on setting out dinner instead.

  “Thai food, huh? I don’t know if I like it or if I’ve even had it before, but it sure smells good.”

  They settled down at the small table for two the room provided. The cartons and containers of various Thai delicacies took up nearly every inch of the table, leaving them barel
y enough room for their plates and the sodas she’d purchased at the pharmacy.

  They were both exhausted from a long day and ate in relative silence for a while. Even in the quiet, however, Willow was aware of a change between them. Something had shifted today. She had always been attracted to him. And he’d kissed her, so she supposed he was into her on some level. But neither of them had really pressed the issue since that night on the couch.

  But today, when he’d taken her hand outside the hospital, things changed. The attraction was still there, but there was more to it. An affection. A need to support and care for each other in a way that went far beyond an emotionless hookup. And it made things both easier and harder. It made her relax around him. She was far more comfortable with Jack than she’d been with anyone in years. Even on such a trying day. But that kind of comfort threatened the walls she’d built to protect herself. Before too long, she was certain she was going to let Jack get close to her. And when he left, it would leave a catastrophic mess in his wake.

  Even so, she knew she couldn’t resist him. She wanted to reach across the table and take his hand again. To feel his skin against her own. She felt not so alone with him there. It wasn’t until that moment that she realized how miserable she really was on her island.

  She thought she was protecting herself going out there. Convincing herself that all she needed was her books, her coffee and her dog. But it wasn’t enough and she knew it. Having Jack around made it impossible to lie to herself any longer.

  “Can I ask you something?” Jack finally spoke up as they finished their meal.

  Willow sat back in her chair and pushed the half-eaten plate of pad Thai away before she ate more and made herself sick. “Sure.” She was happy to get out of her own head and the turn her thoughts had taken.

  “That first night we spent together...when the storm hit and the power went out. I kissed you and everything seemed to be going well until it wasn’t. Did I do something wrong?”