by Misty Malone
“Consequences?”
“Yes, ma'am.”
He sounded very authoritative, which she was surprised to realize she kind of liked, even admired. But she was also confused. “What do you mean, what kind of consequences?”
“That will depend on what you've done, how dangerous it is, if I've talked to you about it before.” He looked at her and said, “I might just have to put you over my knees for a good spanking.”
The nurse came into the room just then, which ended their conversation.
Chapter 3
The following day was a very busy day for the little mystery lady, whom the doctors and nurses had been calling Jane Doe, or Jane for short. It started with a nurse coming in early in the morning with an announcement. “Okay, Jane, the doctor wants to follow up on the lump you had on your head when you came in. We're going to take you down to have another MRI. If this one looks okay, he'll release you later today.”
Jane was looking forward to staying on Bryce's ranch, so she hoped the MRI was okay. Staying on any ranch sounded exciting, but the thought that it was Bryce's, and she would see him on a daily basis made it even better. Bryce was a very interesting man.
He was a big man, very muscular, but was also very gentle. He'd been nothing but kind to her. She could tell by the way he talked, and even by the way he walked, that he was confident. She had to admit to herself that she found that very appealing. But he was also incredibly handsome! He had dark brown hair, almost black, and brown eyes that seemed to draw her in. It seemed to her his eyes could look right into her soul.
She was looking forward to getting to know him better, though she kept reminding herself she had to guard her feelings for him. She could already feel herself caring for him more than she should. What if it turned out she had a husband somewhere? She didn't have a wedding band on, and it didn't look as if there had been one, but she couldn't allow herself to get too close to Bryce. Women didn't always wear a wedding band. Or what if she had a fiancé somewhere? Until she knew the answers to those and other questions she had about her past, she knew she had to be careful around him.
There was also his comment yesterday to consider. She'd thought about that statement after he left yesterday. Surely he wasn't serious when he'd said if she didn't follow his rules he might have to turn her over his knees and give her a spanking, was he? People didn't do that any more, not to grown women.
That thought stopped her short. She didn't know how old he was, or how old she was, for that matter, but she was guessing him to be just a couple years or so older than herself. Surely he wasn't looking at her more as a child than an adult woman, was he? He had said she looked small and vulnerable, but she was a grown woman. Or at least she thought she was.
That thought really upset her. What if she was younger than she thought? What if she was still a student in college? For some reason that thought bothered her, but she wasn't sure why. She didn't want to be a college student. But for the life of her, she didn't know why not.
She had her MRI, and breakfast was waiting for her when they brought her back to her room. She ate, still bothered by her thoughts. She'd barely finished eating when Deputy Armstrong came into her room. “Good morning, Jane.”
“Good morning, Deputy. What brings you in, has someone called claiming to know me?”
“No, sorry. No one's called yet. It ran last night on the news for just the second time, though, so it's still early.”
“Yeah, you're probably right,” Jane answered, disappointed. “So what can I help you with, if it's not that?”
“I understand you've agreed to go to The Circle M when you're released?”
“The Circle M?”
“Bryce Montgomery's ranch?”
“Are you saying the ranch has a name?”
Deputy Armstrong chuckled. “I take it you're not too familiar with ranches?”
“No,” she said, turning red. “I take it that's common for ranches to have a name?”
“Yes, it is,” the deputy confirmed. “Bryce's ranch is The Circle M, for Montgomery. His grandfather ran it for years, and my understanding is his grandfather, Bryce's great, great grandfather, was the original owner.”
“Oh, how neat. It's been in the family for generations.”
“I believe it has. Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about staying at his ranch.”
“Okay,” she said with a confused look on her face. “Is there a problem?”
“No, no. I just want to be sure you're okay with that. I don't want you to feel like you have no choice. If you're not comfortable with that idea, we'll find you somewhere else.”
She paused a moment, considering his words. “Thank you, Deputy. I do have one question I'd like to ask you. Bryce seems like a very nice man. He is the one who found me and got me here. I think if he were going to hurt me he would have done it then, so I feel like I can trust him. He said he'd bring his housekeeper along with him tonight, too, so I won't have to worry about being alone with him in a vehicle. I think I'd still feel better about it, though, if I had your opinion of him. Is he someone I can trust?”
“The sheriff and I didn't know him personally, and we have had no dealings with him, so we ran a background check on him before we approved of you staying there. Everything we've found is positive. He lived in Kansas with his parents his entire life, other than when he was in college. We checked with the college he graduated from, and the local sheriff in Kansas, and got nothing but good comments.”
“That doesn't surprise me.”
“We agree with you that if he was going to hurt you he had plenty of opportunity before he called us and the rescue squad. We also talked to Lena, his housekeeper, and his foreman, and we feel comfortable with you staying there.”
“Thank you, Deputy. That makes me feel better about it.”
“I want to give you my card, too. It's got the number at the office, but I also put my cell phone, my home phone and the sheriff's home and cell numbers on it. If anything happens that makes you feel uncomfortable, give one of us a call. We'll come get you and move you somewhere else.”
“Thank you.”
“We'll keep in touch while you're out there. We'll stop by periodically and let you know if we have any news. If anything happens, call us. If you remember anything about who you are, let us know. Is there anything else we can do for you?”
“There is one thing I've been worried about,” she said with a red face. “I don't have any clothes to wear. The nurse said my clothes were torn up pretty badly and they threw them away.”
“Bryce already took care of that,” the deputy said with a grin. “He asked for your old clothes so he could get the size. Then he gave his housekeeper some money and asked her to get you a few new outfits so you'll have something to wear home today and for the next few days.”
“He did? A few outfits? But I don't have any money to pay him back. At least I don't have any money that I know of. How will I pay him back?”
“I don't think he's worried about being paid back, Jane. He's looking out for you.”
“I don't know what to say,” she said after a moment.
“I have a feeling, as I've been getting to know Bryce the last few days, if you tell him thank you, he'll be happy.” He patted her hand encouragingly. “I'm serious now, Jane. If you need anything at all, call me, or the sheriff.
Jane nodded and watched the deputy leave. Now she had even more to think about.
She didn't get much chance to think, though, as the rest of her day was busy. Bryce surprised her by coming in with some lunch for her, and an older lady was with him. “Good morning, sunshine,” he said as he walked into her room.
She was surprised to see him, but happy. “Hi, Bryce. I thought cowboys were too busy riding broncs or something for you to come in during the day.”
Bryce laughed, and the woman with him chuckled, as well. “You are just too cute,” he said as he leaned down to give her a quick kiss on her forehead. “I'm going to have so mu
ch fun teaching you what we cowboys do all day. In the meantime, I brought Lena, my housekeeper, so you can meet her. I want you to feel comfortable about coming to stay at the ranch.”
“Thank you, Bryce. You've been so thoughtful.” She looked at the housekeeper, who had warm eyes and a smile that matched. “Hi, Lena, it's nice to meet you.”
“I've heard a lot about you the last few days," the housekeeper said. "I'm eager to have another lady to talk to at the ranch.”
“Hold on, Lena,” Bryce said. “She hasn't said she'll come stay with us yet.”
“Oh, that's right,” Lena said. “I'm sorry, I don't mean to pressure you. I guess in my mind I already have you staying there. I'm picturing someone to share a cup of tea with and talk to about something other than horses or cattle.”
“You won't have to worry about me talking about horses or cattle,” Jane said, “because I don't think I know much about them.”
“I don't think so, either,” Bryce said. “You've asked some of the cutest questions.” He winked. “So, have you decided yet if you'll come stay with us?”
“Are you sure I won't be too much of a bother?”
“A bother?” Lena looked shocked. “Oh, honey, I'm going to be upset if you don't come. Trust me, you'll be no bother at all. Bryce has plenty of room in that big old house, and another lady would be wonderful.”
Jane looked from Lena to Bryce, and could tell they were both sincere. “Okay, if you're sure I won't be in the way, I'd love to come stay on your ranch. Thank you for inviting me.”
“Good,” Bryce said, and produced a bag he handed to her. “Now, do me a favor if you will. Lena picked out some clothes for you so you don't have to wear one of these designer gowns home. When the doctor releases you, try these on. If they don't fit, give me a call and we'll stop and get you something else on our way in to pick you up.”
“Thank you both,” Jane said hoarsely. Tears of gratitude cluttered her eyes. She blinked them away, turning to Lena. “Is he always this thoughtful?”
“Always,” Lena assured her. “He's a good man. He reminds me a lot of his grandfather. I worked for him for over 15 years, and he was a very good man.”
“Grandpa was a good man,” Bryce said. “Thank you for even comparing us.” He was quiet a moment, and Jane guessed he was thinking about his grandfather.
They talked while they ate lunch, then Bryce and Lena left, promising to be back later to pick her up.
The rest of the day passed in a flurry of activity. The sheriff came in and talked to her a few minutes. They still hadn't received any phone calls, but he warned her against going out in the public much, especially alone, until they know her background.
The doctor came in and told her she would be released once they got all the paperwork done and talked to her about what might happen when she started remembering bits and pieces about her past. He urged her not to push too hard and be patient.
A couple nurses came in to tell her bye and wish her well. One of them helped her dress, and she was happy to see the jeans and shirt Lena bought not only fit well, but she liked them.
When Bryce and Lena walked in her room she was ready and waiting for them. She stood, but before she could cross the room to meet him, he whistled. “You're even prettier in jeans and a shirt, sunshine.” He'd crossed the room in two long strikes and kissed her forehead. “Are you ready to go?”
“I sure am,” she insisted. “Thank you, both of you, for the clothes. I love them, and they fit perfectly.”
“They sure do,” Bryce said with a grin.
Lena gave him a parental-type look. “Behave, Bryce.” She turned to Jane and tried to assure her. “He's just teasing you. He's a gentleman and you can trust him.”
“Of course she can trust me,” Bryce said. “But that doesn't mean I can't tell a pretty lady she looks nice in her new clothes.” The smile he gave her somehow assured her that she could indeed trust him, but that he was also sincere in his compliment. She couldn't help but return his smile.
Ten minutes later Bryce held the front door of his SUV open for Jane, but she objected. “Lena, I can sit in the back. You sit up front.”
“No, ma'am,” Lena said. “Bryce and I talked on the way in here about ways we may be able to help you regain your memory. He talked to your doctor about it to get some suggestions, and he was relating it on to me. We both think you should sit up here so you can see the area. You never know when something might look familiar to you. I'm perfectly good back here,” she assured her.
“But I hate to see you back there when --”
Her sentence was interrupted when Bryce casually picked her up and sat her in the passenger's seat. He reached over for her seatbelt so he could fasten it. He gave her a quick kiss on her cheek and hurried to the driver's side. Lena, who was already in the back seat, was chuckling when Bryce got in and started the vehicle before she'd even registered what had just happened. “Ready to go?” he asked innocently.
She still looked stunned, and he reached over and patted her hand. “Sorry. I probably shouldn't have done that, but this was important to us. We'd already talked about it. Now, I haven't had a chance to ask yet, are you feeling okay? I know you were having headaches the first day or two. Are they still bothering you?”
Jane was shocked. He seemed so calm about everything, though, she didn't want to make a big deal of something that obviously wasn't to him. She shook her head to clear it, and answered his question. “No, I haven't had any more since yesterday morning.”
“Good. Dr. Morrow said he didn't anticipate you having too much trouble with headaches, but we're to let him know if you do.”
“You talked to Dr. Morrow?”
“Of course,” he readily admitted. “I wanted to be sure I know what to watch for, and how we can help you.” He gave her several moments before speaking again. “Would you like me to point things out to you on the way to the ranch, or would you rather just take in the scenery on your own?”
“No, I'd love to know about this area, anything you can tell me about it.”
He pointed out a few landmarks and a few other ranches they passed on their way. Finally he pulled off onto a lane of sorts. She was a little disappointed, as the other ranches they passed had a sign with the name of the ranch. They all had a grander entrance than this one. She quickly told herself judging a ranch by the entrance would be like judging a book by its cover, and looked ahead, eager to get a glimpse of the house.
Bryce pulled over to the side, though, and turned the SUV off. She looked all around, but didn't see a house anywhere. She turned to look at Bryce, but he had exited the vehicle already, as had Lena. Just as she reached for the handle, it opened. Bryce was there to help her out. He took her hand and led her over toward a creek. “Do you know where you are?”
She stopped and glanced at him, then looked around. Seeing some cattle in a pasture a little ways ahead of them, she shrugged her shoulders. “I'm on a ranch?”
He chuckled and squeezed her hand. “You certainly are. You're on my ranch. Does anything look familiar at all to you?”
She looked around more carefully, taking in the entire area. But try as she might, nothing looked remotely familiar. She shook her head. “Sorry. I assume it should?”
“No, not necessarily, I just thought I'd bring you here to see if it did. This is where we found you, up in this tree over here.” They walked over to the tree and she looked up. She shook her head again. “It doesn't look familiar, but it looks like it'd be an easy tree to climb.”
He led her back to the SUV. “Don't let it get you down. Dr. Morrow says it'll come back with time. It might be one thing that triggers a lot of memories, or it might be one little thing here and one little thing there over a period of time. You may come back here in a couple days and something will look familiar. You just have to be patient.”
“I don't think I'm very good at that,” she admitted.
“I could always teach you,” he said with his eyebrows ra
ised. Before she had time to think about what he meant they were at the SUV and he was helping her in. “Come on, Sunshine, let's get you settled into the house. Lena's got supper in the crock-pot. We can talk a little, get to know each other better then.”
He pulled back to the road and continued on. They were talking about what Lena had fixed for supper, when Jane sat up straight. “Stop!”
Bryce did a quick check in his rear view mirror, and stopped. “What is it?” He looked over at her. “Is something wrong?”
She was staring over into a field and woods on Bryce's side of the road. “I don't know,” she said at last. “Something just looked—”
Bryce looked over at her with a hopeful expression. “Familiar?”
“Well, I thought so, but not now. It was really weird. I thought I saw something, but I don't know what I saw.”
Bryce was excited. “Sunshine, I know you're disappointed, but don't be. I think this is wonderful news. That's exactly how Dr. Morrow said it usually is with amnesia patients. Over the next few days you may start doing that a lot. Then your first actual memory will hit you.”
“Do you think so?”
“I do, honey. I think this is the first step to recovering your memory.” He started down the road again, and soon pulled into a driveway. This was more like the other entrances to ranches they'd passed. It was very pretty, very impressive. There were two huge poles, one on each side of the lane, with a huge sign draped between them at the top that read The Circle M. Tall, stately elms lined the lane on both sides, with flowering shrubs between them.
Jane was in awe as they drove up the lane and parked in front of a grand old house. Bryce jumped out of the truck and opened the door before he noticed her expression. “This is beautiful,” she murmured, her eyes wide. “This is where you live?”
“This is the house,” he confirmed. “Come on in.”
