avoid Annie's house and to hold all their questions. As far as they knew, Izzy was her only visitor. Now the rest depended on Sam and his determination.
And how much pain he could endure.
Annie had studied his files and spoken to his doctors. She knew he would be facing an enormous amount of pain, especially at first. For his therapy to work, pain would be his constant companion.
She raised her chin, reminding herself to stay calm, to make her concern purely professional. But she kept seeing Sam's face as he'd waved good-bye from the cove.
And then his bloody, broken body captured by a hovering news team.
The lights grew brighter. Against the drone of motors, night turned to blinding day. Sand and pebbles snapped against An-nie's face as she was blown back by turbulence from the blades. Izzy grabbed her arm as the chopper landed and a man in a black jumpsuit leaped to the ground.
Dry mouthed, Annie watched him confer with Izzy, then lean inside the helicopter.
She hadn't smoked a cigarette in eight years, but she had a sudden urge for one now, watching a gurney being lowered to the ground.
Izzy pointed down the hill toward his van, and two men in flight suits hefted the gurney over the ground. Annie followed, picking up bits of conversation as they walked.
“So
this
is the Shangri-la you promised me, Teague? Can't see much in the dark, but the sea must be close, judging by that wind.”
Sam, Annie thought. Her throat tightened painfully.
“Just over the hills,” Izzy said. “How are you doing, ace?”
“Great, as soon as you get me out of this torture device. Tell me about the therapist you found for me. A real dragon lady, right?”
“She has to be a dragon to put up with a hard case like you.”
“Guess you're right.” Sam gave a low bark of laughter. “Hard on the eyes, is she?”
“See for yourself.”
Annie walked ahead, opening the door to the car. With light filtering around her, she took a breath and turned, facing Sam.
His face was pale.
His eyes held no hint of recognition.
It doesn't matter,
she told herself. They'd told her to expect this.
She cleared her throat. “I believe I'm the dragon lady in question.”
“Things must be looking up.” Sam's hand rose, curled around her wrist. “Where have you been all my life, beautiful?”
Annie couldn't speak, assaulted by memories.
“She was doing better things. Why waste her time with a saltwater cowboy like you?” Izzy said.
“Better than being a digital desk jockey like you,” Sam countered. He didn't look away from Annie's face as he spoke.
“Says you. Now let the woman do her work.”
Sam released her hand reluctantly. “Fine. Just get me out of this damned gurney. I can walk with a little effort.”
Izzy glanced at the man in the black jumpsuit, who pursed his lips and shook his head.
Annie gripped the car door, fighting to keep her hands steady. She couldn't let any of them see how shaken she was. So what if Sam didn't remember her? This wasn't
personal
, after all. Her memories would have to be buried deep, where they couldn't interfere with the difficult job before her. “Into the car, tough guy. We'll negotiate the details of your therapy when we get to the house. Then you'll find out exactly what a dragon lady I can be.”
T HE VAN HELD THE GURNEY AND THE NEW ARRIVALS WITH INCHES to spare. Annie couldn't see much of Sam until they pulled into the driveway that led up to her house.
Take this one step at a time,
she thought. At least he was strong and his outlook was positive.
Then she looked down and saw that his hand was wrapped around the edge of the gurney's metal frame, clenched tight.
Pain.
And he would never show it.
“I'd say you could use some medication, Mr. McKade.” That was how she'd been instructed to address him. Mister. No military titles. Annie wondered if it was his real name. He'd called himself Sam Mitchell before.
His eyes hardened. “I had a shot two hours ago.”
Behind Izzy the
And how much pain he could endure.
Annie had studied his files and spoken to his doctors. She knew he would be facing an enormous amount of pain, especially at first. For his therapy to work, pain would be his constant companion.
She raised her chin, reminding herself to stay calm, to make her concern purely professional. But she kept seeing Sam's face as he'd waved good-bye from the cove.
And then his bloody, broken body captured by a hovering news team.
The lights grew brighter. Against the drone of motors, night turned to blinding day. Sand and pebbles snapped against An-nie's face as she was blown back by turbulence from the blades. Izzy grabbed her arm as the chopper landed and a man in a black jumpsuit leaped to the ground.
Dry mouthed, Annie watched him confer with Izzy, then lean inside the helicopter.
She hadn't smoked a cigarette in eight years, but she had a sudden urge for one now, watching a gurney being lowered to the ground.
Izzy pointed down the hill toward his van, and two men in flight suits hefted the gurney over the ground. Annie followed, picking up bits of conversation as they walked.
“So
this
is the Shangri-la you promised me, Teague? Can't see much in the dark, but the sea must be close, judging by that wind.”
Sam, Annie thought. Her throat tightened painfully.
“Just over the hills,” Izzy said. “How are you doing, ace?”
“Great, as soon as you get me out of this torture device. Tell me about the therapist you found for me. A real dragon lady, right?”
“She has to be a dragon to put up with a hard case like you.”
“Guess you're right.” Sam gave a low bark of laughter. “Hard on the eyes, is she?”
“See for yourself.”
Annie walked ahead, opening the door to the car. With light filtering around her, she took a breath and turned, facing Sam.
His face was pale.
His eyes held no hint of recognition.
It doesn't matter,
she told herself. They'd told her to expect this.
She cleared her throat. “I believe I'm the dragon lady in question.”
“Things must be looking up.” Sam's hand rose, curled around her wrist. “Where have you been all my life, beautiful?”
Annie couldn't speak, assaulted by memories.
“She was doing better things. Why waste her time with a saltwater cowboy like you?” Izzy said.
“Better than being a digital desk jockey like you,” Sam countered. He didn't look away from Annie's face as he spoke.
“Says you. Now let the woman do her work.”
Sam released her hand reluctantly. “Fine. Just get me out of this damned gurney. I can walk with a little effort.”
Izzy glanced at the man in the black jumpsuit, who pursed his lips and shook his head.
Annie gripped the car door, fighting to keep her hands steady. She couldn't let any of them see how shaken she was. So what if Sam didn't remember her? This wasn't
personal
, after all. Her memories would have to be buried deep, where they couldn't interfere with the difficult job before her. “Into the car, tough guy. We'll negotiate the details of your therapy when we get to the house. Then you'll find out exactly what a dragon lady I can be.”
T HE VAN HELD THE GURNEY AND THE NEW ARRIVALS WITH INCHES to spare. Annie couldn't see much of Sam until they pulled into the driveway that led up to her house.
Take this one step at a time,
she thought. At least he was strong and his outlook was positive.
Then she looked down and saw that his hand was wrapped around the edge of the gurney's metal frame, clenched tight.
Pain.
And he would never show it.
“I'd say you could use some medication, Mr. McKade.” That was how she'd been instructed to address him. Mister. No military titles. Annie wondered if it was his real name. He'd called himself Sam Mitchell before.
His eyes hardened. “I had a shot two hours ago.”
Behind Izzy the
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