A Forgetful Heart (Whispers In Wyoming Book 8) Read online

  He stared at her in confusion. “What?”

  “We’ve been separated for six years.”

  “Separated? Lainey, I don’t understand. I saw you just hours ago. You gave me a new shirt and chaps for our anniversary.”

  She let out a deep sigh and shook her head. “That was seven years ago. Austin, you were in an accident tonight. You hit your head…and swelling has caused partial memory loss. I’m sorry, I know this must be difficult to understand.”

  “Yeah, difficult is an understatement,” Austin replied, hardly able to breathe or think a complete thought. It seemed unreal that seven years of memories could have vanished into thin air. Separated for six years? How was it possible that he’d be dumb enough to throw away the best part of his life? Now, seeing the pain Laina’s misty green eyes—pain that he had caused, even though he couldn’t remember—his heart ached with sorrow and regret. He reached for her hand again. “Lainey…whatever I’ve done, I hope you know how sorry I am. Could you give me a second chance?”

  She pulled her hand away and wiped another tear off her cheek. “I’m sorry, Austin. I can’t talk about this right now. It’s just too hard. Get some rest and I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “Wait…please…” he started to say, but it was too late. Laina had already disappeared through the curtain. Austin rested his aching head against his pillows as despair filled him. Somehow along the way it seemed his life had derailed. He’d hurt the person he loved more than anyone and she wasn’t ready to forgive him, yet anyway. However, he also saw a sliver of hope through the darkness. She’d come to be with him in spite of all he’d put her through and said she would see him in the morning. At least that was a start.

  Chapter Five

  “Are you sure you’re going to be all right here all by yourself?” Trevor asked as he carried one of Laina’s suitcases into the hotel room.

  She nodded, closing the door behind them. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. I’ll leave as soon as he’s on the road to recovery. We’re still technically married, so I need to be here. It’s my duty.” She tried to sound impartial, however, as Laina turned and placed her smaller duffle bag on the bed, a flood of mixed emotions washed over her. Staying in Las Vegas went much deeper than just a sense of duty. Seeing Austin again after so many years—witnessing his reaction to the fact that they were separated. It had broken her heart in two because it reminded her how much they had loved each other before his first accident. Part of her wished they could rewind to that moment. If only he had never competed that night, they would have been happy together for the rest of their lives. Laina shook her head, chasing away the thought and then met her friend’s gaze. “I should be home in a few weeks. Now, you’ve already spent one night in a hospital waiting room and I’m sure you’re jetlagged. Get a few more hours of sleep here in the room and then go home and be with Charlotte and Emma. They need you more than I do.”

  Trevor frowned. “I still don’t like the idea of you being here all by yourself with…”

  “With Austin?” she finished with an amused grin.“You’ve never liked him—even when we were kids. Admit it.”

  He chuckled, looking guilty. “It wasn’t that I didn’t like him as a person. I just didn’t like his choices…his recklessness…especially where you were concerned.”

  Laina arched one eyebrow. “Don’t forget. He wasn’t the only reckless one back then. I got into plenty of trouble all by myself.”

  “Yeah, that’s true,” Trevor agreed and let out a low chuckle as he embraced her. “Remember, Charly and I will be praying. Just promise me something?”

  “What?”

  “Take care of yourself and if you need anything, remember that we’re just a phone call away.”

  “I promise and I’ll be fine, really,” she assured him, mustering every ounce of confidence she had within her. However, deep down, Laina knew she would need all the prayers she could get to face the difficult days ahead.

  The next few weeks passed by all too quickly for Austin. Jay stayed for a few days to help out, but then had to leave after finding out his wife had gone into labor. Laina came by every day, just like she promised she would. They talked about his recovery and about Tipton. She told him how her mom had died of cancer shortly after her return to town but the Morgans had taken her in, offering her a job and shelter. She worked at Morgan Stables training children how to trick ride. It was quite a shock to learn that the stables were under new management after the death of his old friend, Tom Morgan. Austin stayed quiet and deep in thought for a long time after she told him. It was hard to imagine how much their hometown had changed in the ten years since they had left and how much Laina had gone through. “So, Trevor…he owns the stables now?” he finally asked.

  Laina nodded and took a sip from her coffee mug. “Yeah, Tom left half ownership of it to him in his will. Charlotte, his wife, inherited the other half. That’s how they met and eventually fell in love. It’s funny how things work out, even through tragedy.”

  Austin gulped and rested his head against his pillows. Talking to Laina felt so foreign all of a sudden. She was still technically his wife. She looked like his wife, just a little more mature, but there was something so different about her that he couldn’t quite figure out. Laina seemed gentler in her mannerisms and even the way she talked. Where was the girl that he knew and loved—the wild, spontaneous and even a little brash girl at times, throwing a curse word into a conversation for the fun of it? Now, in the five days since his accident he hadn’t heard one foul word come out of her mouth. It piqued his curiosity and made him a little sad. What or who had finally managed to tame his feisty high school sweetheart? Had his past mistakes snuffed out the flame within her that he loved so much?

  “So…” Laina continued in a more business-like tone than before. “You’re going to be released from the hospital in a few days. We need to talk about what happens then. With your injuries and memory loss, you’re going to need someone to help you for a while and you’ll need to go to therapy sessions for your shoulder. There are rehab facilities that the doctor recommended, but I figured you’d feel more comfortable in your trailer…if you still have it. I can help you transport it anywhere you’d like. Do you have any friends nearby? Maybe Jay could help?”

  Austin shook his head. “He offered, but I told him no. He’s got a new baby to worry about. And my trailer?” He stopped to let out a rueful chuckle before continuing. “Honestly, I have no idea where it is.”

  “Oh,” Laina said as her eyes filled with remorse. “I’m sorry. Of course you wouldn’t know where it is. Don’t worry…we’ll figure it out.”

  Austin nodded as an idea came to him. “I’ll give my dad a call. We don’t always see eye to eye on things but I don’t think he’d turn away his own son.” Laina’s face dropped and she bit her lip, telling him there was something else he didn’t remember— something bad. “Please…just tell me. Don’t sugarcoat anything. I need to know.”

  Laina put her hand over his. “I’m sorry, Austin. He had a stroke last year that left him paralyzed on his left side. He’s in a nursing home. I’ve been to visit him a few times and he’s regained some of his speech and arm control on the affected side, but he still needs around the clock care.”

  Austin covered his mouth in disbelief. “Have I ever visited him?”

  Laina shook her head sadly. “Not that I know of.”

  Austin’s eyes misted over as he stared at the ceiling. When did he turn so uncaring and selfish? It seemed like his whole life had fallen apart in less than a few weeks, but he knew in reality it had been a gradual downward spiral. Somehow he had to fix it.

  Laina felt numb as she zipped up her suitcase and lugged it out to her rental car. After putting it in the trunk and climbing inside the car, she leaned her head against the steering wheel and let out a deep breath. Was she doing the right thing by letting Austin go to a rehab facility? He assured her it was only for a few weeks and he would be fine. However, she c
ouldn’t get his face out of her head—the pain and despair in his eyes when he heard about his father. It broke Laina’s heart. He seemed so helpless and vulnerable—a disturbing contrast to the strong, stubborn and adventurous young man she’d married.

  “God, what do I do?” She prayed, head still resting on the steering wheel and eyes closed. “This man broke my heart…and now he needs me. He doesn’t have anyone else in the world to rely on…but how can I put all those past hurts behind me in order to do what I know is right? It just doesn’t seem possible…but I know you can do anything. Please help me to see your plan and accept it.”

  When she opened her eyes, Laina knew exactly what she needed to do. She picked up her phone, dialed and then waited for three rings with a pounding heart. When a familiar voice came through, she took a deep breath before finally speaking again. “Trevor, I need your help.”

  Chapter Six

  By Saturday, Austin realized he’d been wrong about Laina losing her fire after all. He’d watched in amazement that morning as she called around until locating his truck and trailer. It had been towed from the arena parking lot to a nearby impound after his accident. He almost laughed, listening to her argue with the person on the other end over the fees he had to pay. In the end, she got the fee reduced by seventy-five percent, reasoning that Austin had no control over leaving his vehicle and trailer since he had been incapacitated.

  The next morning, after his release from the hospital, Laina had returned her rental car and arranged for a taxi to retrieve his truck and trailer. Half an hour into their trip, Austin finally turned to his wife and asked the question that had been nagging at him all week. “Why are you helping me?”

  Laina kept her eyes on the road while sitting in the driver’s seat of his truck. “It’s the right thing to do.”

  Austin nodded and watched as the Nevada countryside raced past his window. “Well, I appreciate it…with all my heart.”

  He had thought parting ways at the hospital in Las Vegas would be the hardest thing he’d ever have to do, but now he knew differently. This was the hardest—sitting so close to his wife, but yet so far away in spirit. Even worse, they were headed back to Tipton in his old truck and trailer—the same one they’d used to elope in over ten years before. It brought back too many old memories—at least the ones he could still recall.

  During the next eight hours, Austin struggled to get comfortable, but managed to sleep off and on. It was almost dark when they passed through the small town of Tipton and then his father’s house and two-hundred acres. Austin craned his neck to study it for a moment. The pastures were neglected and full of overgrown weeds. Did anyone live there?

  “The bank foreclosed on the ranch after your father went in the nursing home,” Laina said, answering his unspoken question. “To my knowledge, it’s for sale, but no one has bought it yet.”

  He nodded, but didn’t say a word. He had trouble grasping the thought of someone else buying his father’s ranch and living in the house that had been in his family for years. It didn’t seem right.

  When they finally arrived at Morgan Stables, it was dusk and Austin felt more than ready to get out of the truck and into his camper for a good night’s sleep. His head ached from the trip and swirled with unanswered questions—most of them to do with Laina.

  She pulled around the big farmhouse and onto a small gravel road, barely wide enough for his truck. When she finally parked, they were beside an old cabin. She sighed and turned to him from the driver’s seat with a weary look in her eyes. “This should work for now. There’s a hook up for water and septic.”

  Austin thanked her and soon they had his two duffel bags in the camper. Laina put new sheets on his bed, tuned his TV antenna and heated him up a cup of soup before turning in the doorway. “I’ll let you rest. If you need anything, I’m right next door…for today anyway. Tomorrow I have to start work back in the stables, but you can call my cell.”

  He nodded. “Thanks, Laina. I’ll be fine.”

  She gave a quick nod and then left. He watched through one of the camper windows as she unlocked her front door. A little beagle ran up from behind and she leaned down to pet the dog’s head. He responded by leaping into Laina’s arms and licking her face in excitement.

  Austin chuckled to himself, seeing her surprise and then joy at seeing the little beagle. He’d never known Lainey to be a dog person, but it seemed time had changed her…and him too apparently. How he’d ever managed to let Lainey go was beyond his comprehension.

  His heart swelled with longing as he watched her disappear into her little cabin with the dog. He wanted to be in there with her—wanted to hold her and never let go. He’d messed up along the way and wanted to make it up to her. He didn’t know what had caused their separation, but he wouldn’t rest until he knew the truth. However, even if he did, would he be able to win back his wife’s heart after so many years apart?

  Chapter Seven

  Laina woke up with the sunrise, refreshed after a full night’s sleep. A dog whined beside her bed and she leaned over the bed to pet his silky head. “Good morning, boy. How’d you sleep?” The dog just yawned and happily wagged his tail. Laina chuckled softly, baffled by the fact that she let a stray spend the night inside. She’d grown up with outdoor work dogs, but she never paid much attention to them. How had this little one worked his way into her heart so quickly?

  After the beagle had his fill of petting and curled up on the rug by her bed, Laina sat up and stretched, taking a moment to look around the little cabin. Her eyes rested on the new lavender window treatments Charlotte had bought for her. The cabin had been Trevor’s old bachelor quarters before he married Charlotte and moved into the farmhouse. Not wanting to disturb the newlyweds, Laina had opted to switch places with him, even though her friends had insisted it was a big house and she could stay. Living in the cabin was a little lonely, but peaceful and just the right size for a single person. Charlotte had fixed it up nice with new rugs, a colorful quilt, decorative wall hanging and other little feminine touches. With all the improvements, it should have been easy to call the little cabin home, but it wasn’t that simple for Laina. She’d always had a restless heart. Her mama told her that she’d been like that since birth—never satisfied. Now, since giving her heart to Jesus, the restlessness in her heart had calmed. She even had a little nest egg she had inherited from Charlotte’s sister, Bridget, to buy a house. However, she still hadn’t found a place in Wyoming that inspired her enough to put down some roots.

  Laina paused for a minute and thought of Austin. Maybe her restless heart linked with his because he never wanted to put down roots either. Traveling from town to town and never settling down suited both of them, until everything started to crumble. Without roots or solid ground to hold them in place, their marriage broke apart.

  She frowned while getting out of bed and padding to the window. A deep sigh escaped her lips at the sight of Austin’s truck and trailer. It hadn’t been a dream after all. They were both here, after ten years—back in the same little town they had tried to run away from. Was it only a coincidence that they ended up living just feet away from each other again, even if only temporarily?

  Laina shook the thought from her head and began preparing for the day. After feeding the dog, reading her morning devotion and eating breakfast, Laina pulled on jeans and slipped into a blue, plaid work shirt. Then she wove her hair into a French braid and headed to Austin’s camper with scrambled eggs, toast and a glass of orange juice. Reaching the door with a pounding heart, she knocked and waited. Then, after a few moments with no reply she pulled the latch and walked inside.

  “Austin?” she called softly and sat the food and orange juice on the small table by the kitchenette. Then she tiptoed to the small bedroom near the back of the camper and peered around the curtain to make sure he was all right. To her relief he appeared to be sleeping soundly. Rays of light reflected off the natural blond highlights on the top of his brown hair. Laina smiled, remem
bering how soft his hair was, suddenly having the urge to run her fingers through it.

  At that moment, he stirred and turned over on his side, mumbling her name in his sleep with a smile on his lips. Then he moved his bandaged shoulder and grimaced, his expression turning sad. “Lainey, I’m sorry.”

  Laina fled the cabin as quietly as she could manage—resisting the urge to wake him out of his dream and tell him she was there. Why did their relationship have to be so complicated? She dwelled on the sad memories while heading down the path to the stables. The dog followed and ran alongside her for a while until his nose led him into the bushes on the edges of the path. She didn’t attempt to stop him, reasoning if he wanted to run away he would have done it by now. When she’d almost reached the stables, the dog popped back out of the bushes, lightening her dark mood. “You keep a pretty good pace for a little dog,” she commented with an amused chuckle. The dog looked up with its tongue hanging out and tail wagging, happy as a clam to be with her. “Well, if you’re going to stick around, I guess I’ll call you Copper. How does that sound?” The dog gave a happy little howl that made Laina laugh again. “Okay…Copper it is,” she said as they reached the stables.

  “Good morning,” Trevor greeted as she walked down the long line of stalls. He continued putting a halter on one of his new client’s horses as he talked. “When did you get in?”

  “About dusk. Sorry I didn’t stop by. We were both exhausted.”

  Trevor nodded and his smile faded. “I bet you were.”