Unforgettable Love - A Clean & Wholesome Contemporary Romance: Inspiration Point Series, #2

Chapter 1

Catalina Island, California

Julie Peterson woke up in bed and had no idea who she was. The last twenty-four hours seemed like nothing but a dark black void. A few images blinked at her like they were lit by a strobe light, but as quickly as they appeared, they faded away. There was no chance for her memory to grab hold, to hook the image and drag it into the middle of her mind where she could study it and look at it and finally say, 'Yes, I remember.'

She blinked a few times and stretched her muscles as she tried to expand her thoughts back to something, anything that might make the light go on in the old attic. But nothing would jog her memory. So, finally, Julie sighed as she lay in the bed and stared.

It was just dumb luck that Karen and Cindy had found her. Karen and Cindy. They were Julie's new friends. In fact, they were her only friends at the moment, the ones that had saved her life after finding her washed up on the beach.

Maybe Julie was a mermaid. Perhaps she suffered significant trauma like getting knocked by a boat propeller, or maybe she beached herself like whales sometimes do. She looked at her arms before flipping the blankets off her legs to look at them. There were no wounds. No scratches or black and blue marks. Well, there went the mermaid theory. She was just a regular person who literally had no clue. Another deep breath helped pull Julie's head off the pillow.

Cindy, the cool-headed and logical one of the two sisters, gave Julie a feeling of calm as if this not only happened to everyone else but to her regularly. There was nothing really weird about finding a woman unconscious on the beach, and, of course, she could stay for a few days, even weeks if necessary, until she remembered or found someone who recognized her. This unshakable steadiness made her a good fit for a receptionist at the law firm she worked at.

Karen, on the other hand, was much more dramatic. She had tossed around ideas that perhaps Julie had escaped from drug dealers. Or maybe she had been surfing and was knocked out by her surfboard. Then there was the possibility aliens had abducted her from Oregon and dropped her on Catalina Island once they finished their bizarre experiments. Julie didn't know whether to laugh or cry at all the crazy notions Karen came up with.

That was probably why Karen was a travel agent. She could schedule the adventures of a lifetime for people all day, every day. It made Julie surprised Karen hadn't come up with the mermaid theory first.

Looking at her face in the mirror over the dresser, Julie ran her hand through her hair. She was a stranger to herself. Maybe, she thought, since Karen could make travel arrangements, she could plan for Julie to go away somewhere. If she didn't know who she was or where she was from, then who was to say she wasn't from Italy, France, Egypt, or some other equally wonderfully exotic and mysterious place?

The little spare room was plain, just like you would expect an extra space to look. It would typically be a blank canvas for a guest to add a few personals to make it their own for the time they would be staying. Perhaps a few books or magazines on the nightstand or clothes unpacked and arranged for the next few days' adventures. There would at least be bottles of deodorant, perfume, toothpaste tubes, or something to indicate how the guest liked to smell and what they preferred to taste when brushing their teeth, but there was nothing. Julie felt blank and lonely like this little room, a space that was ignored most of the time until it was needed, like now.

KNOCK! Knock, knock.

Instinctively, Julie pulled the sheets up to her neck and looked nervously at the door. She hadn't closed it all the way and saw a shadow lurking behind it. The door slowly pushed open.

Good, you're up. It was Karen and Cindy's brother Aaron. She had met him yesterday as well. The three siblings shared the home together, and Aaron seemed to be the least sincere of the three.

But what could Julie possibly expect? His sisters had come home with a strange woman they found washed up on the beach like a piece of driftwood. So, she couldn't say she entirely blamed him. But, there was something about him that made her a little uneasy. She was not scared for her life, but more like she knew he had some hidden agenda behind his inquisitive eyes. But it was a little more selfish than that. She felt he thought she was pretty and wasn't concerned about her amnesia.

Here he was, peeking into the room with an inquiring expression as if Julie had overslept or was expected at a meeting. It was annoying, and Julie hated herself for feeling that way because this family had extended such a courtesy to her.

Yes, I'm up. Been awake for a little while, Julie said, forcing a smile even though she was still groggy.

Great. I've got breakfast and coffee. How are you feeling? Need any help?

Help with what? she thought. Getting out of bed? Julie gave him a surprised look. He seemed nervous, anxious, giddy, and hyper simultaneously. It was cute and reminded Julie of the puppies at the pet store that danced on hind legs just for a quick scratch behind the ears. Obviously, Aaron was looking for a bit of approval from his houseguest.

No, she said, stretching the word out like you might if speaking to a child about to touch something hot. Your sisters left me some clothes and said I could use their computer to check on the web for any news articles or anything that might shake my memory.

Are you sure you don't need any help? he insisted; his grin held a sly motive that made Julie square her shoulders and narrow her eyes.

I'm positive. I've got a lot of research to do if I'm going to find out who I am.

Well, there will be time for that. You can't do it on an empty stomach. Come to the kitchen before the coffee gets cold. And Aaron turned and left the room.

Julie laughed a little to herself. This guy was really trying. It would have been sweet if she didn't have so many other things on her mind. Actually, it was just one thing. Like remembering who she was and if other people were looking for her. Aaron would have been a great prospect. He could cook and prepare breakfast, which had to be worth something. It was obvious he was interested in her. But right now, Julie just needed a friend.

Plus, how could he expect her to focus on anything other than finding out who she was and what had happened? Maybe she only liked red-headed guys under five-nine. Perhaps she had a husband somewhere looking for her or children wondering where their mama was. She rubbed her stomach as that painful thought stuck with her. She was pretty sure she didn't have any children. Tears started to surface in her eyes at the idea of not knowing if she even had a family. Julie flung off the covers and got dressed. The sooner she started the day, the sooner she might trip over a clue, hint, or something that would lead her back home, wherever that was.

No. There was no time for a romance of any sort. Not with Aaron, not with anyone. Aaron would realize this, too, as soon as she had a chance to talk to him.

The house she was staying in was a pretty little palace. There were four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a lovely sitting area at the front of the place where the unfiltered sun poured in, a family room that opened out onto a beautiful patio overlooking the ocean, and a cozy kitchen.

While Julie walked to the kitchen, slowly and quietly, she looked at her hands. Maybe the key to unlocking her memory would be something that close. She looked at them and saw she had a manicure that was in pretty bad shape. Unfortunately, it was a plain old French manicure, done at every salon worldwide. No fancy designs or jewel-encrusted acrylic tips that would tip her off where she might have gotten them done. There were no scars, birthmarks, or pale skin where a wedding band might have been. Her hands were flawless.

She looked at her bare feet as she walked across the hardwood floor to the kitchen. They, too, had no distinguishing marks or scars to speak of. Her shoulders slouched a little until she smelled the aroma of the hot coffee percolating. It was as if a caged lion had just laid eyes on its handler and knew it was feeding time. Her stomach flipped and growled with anticipation. She didn't even realize that she couldn't remember when the last time was that she ate a meal.

Hey, are you coming or what? Everything is getting cold, Aaron yelled from the kitchen.

I'm coming. I'm coming, Julie mumbled more to herself than for Aaron to hear. She stepped into the kitchen and saw Aaron leaning his back against the counter, his arms folded over his chest with a look of pride and self-assurance.

Julie gave a quick wave and slid into the seat she had taken the night before when she, Karen, and Cindy came up with a plan for her to stay until she found family or friends who could take her back home.

When her eyes finally looked at the table, she was shocked. Not by the dozen pancakes, the wedges of French toast, the fresh fruit, or the strips of bacon piled high on a pretty white plate. But, it was the bud vase in the middle of the table. She had seen that before. And as sure as she was sitting there, she had seen it recently.

Squinting her eyes, she tried to pull the memory into view but couldn't. But it was something. It was tiny, but it was something.

She smiled up at Aaron.

I've seen this before, she said proudly. Somewhere not too long ago, I was eating somewhere, and there was a bud vase like this with a flower inside. I can't see the table with dishes. But for sure, I can see the bud vase.

Aaron did little to hide his disappointment at her reaction.

You've probably seen it a million times in movies and things, he blurted out. But, I know you've never had a breakfast spread like this before.

He stepped forward, pulled a linen napkin from the holder beside her plate, and swept it across Julie's lap.

Dig in before it gets cold, he said, leaning back against the counter and resuming his study of her features. Did you sleep well?

To be honest, I slept, but it felt like a movie kept running over and over in my head. You know, like the old-time movie projectors with reels? Sometimes the tape would skip or get hung up. That's what it seemed like. There were frames of places and faces, but nothing would stick.

Once she finished speaking, Julie could tell Aaron wasn't interested in her finding out who she was as much as he was in finding out what she thought of him. So, she took a bite of bacon, sipped the coffee, and admitted it was all excellent. Aaron filled the time with many tales about himself as she ate.

They realized I had a knack for management. But, you know, not everybody can get people to do what they want. It takes a special kind of person, you know. I'm not afraid of being the bad guy, he said as she ate two pancakes.

I usually work out a couple times a week. I do cardio on Mondays and Fridays and weight training on Tuesdays. It rounds out the week pretty well. Keeps me sharp. Focused, he told her as she finished three pieces of bacon. He cracked his knuckles.

The last thing I usually look at is the price tag. I mean, if you have to worry about how much something costs, you probably shouldn't be buying it, right? It's that simple, he said as Julie finished her cup of coffee and orange juice.

You know, you have gorgeous hair. Has anyone ever told you that?

I don't know, Aaron. I have amnesia. I can't remember anything before yesterday. She enjoyed knocking him down a peg and watching his face go blank for a second as he thought of how dumb his comment must have sounded.

I, uh, well, yeah. But, uh, I didn't mean literally. I meant uh ... Aaron stumbled over his words, trying to recover from looking a little stupid.

Julie stood up and smiled as best she could.

Thank you for breakfast. She cleaned up the table and again felt a warm wave of familiarity. "I've done this before, too.

Done what?

I've done this. I've cleaned off tables. Not like at home but for people. Like at a restaurant. Yes, she said, stacking the dishes on her arms and slowly and carefully taking them to the sink.

I don't think I'm too good at it, but I can feel it. I did do it, and I was happy when I did. She smiled, her eyes sparkling with determination, and she felt her heart pounding with new life.

"Maybe that's where you saw the