Read Online Remember Me (Men of Honor Series Book 1) by Lara Van Hulzen - Free Book Online
Authors: Lara Van Hulzen
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said he was Ben. Tears threatened. She swallowed them and got out of the car.
***
Ben worried his heartbeat could be seen through his shirt. He wanted so badly to know the truth about his life. But what if the truth meant having to leave Tess and never see her again? He couldn’t bear the thought.
He took her hand as they climbed the steps of the police station. She didn’t pull back, but rather held tight, as if needing him as much as he needed her. His heart rate slowed, and his shoulders relaxed like they seemed to do every time she came near him. She wore a knee-length flowered dress that flowed in the breeze, with a short-waisted cardigan sweater. Her hair hung in a loose braid down her back and her white sandals showed off her bright pink toenails with flowers painted on them. He forced himself to look away from her so he could focus.
The small beach town police station was a diminutive building as well as a historical landmark. When they asked for Officer Petrie at the front entrance, they were guided to his desk and directed to sit. Ben looked around. Something about the place felt familiar, but he couldn’t pinpoint how. Tess eyed him cautiously, her hands folded in her lap. Within minutes, the tall cop greeted them both then took the chair behind his desk.
“Hello again, Miss Jansenn. Mr. Wilson.” He nodded towards Ben. Reaching into his desk drawer, he drew out a wallet and handed it over the desk. “There’s not just ID inside, there’s quite a bit of cash. Nothing else though, sorry.”
Ben stared at the wallet. Nothing special. It was dark brown leather, curved and worn in from time in his back pocket.
“I’m sorry I don’t have any more info for you.”
Ben pulled out the California driver’s license from inside. He looked at the picture of himself and the name Jake Wilson. Nothing registered in his memory. His eyes looked over the information on the card.
“What about the address?”
“We looked it up and had a San Diego officer go by to see if anyone was there, but there was no response.”
Ben looked at Tess, who had been silent the entire time. She clasped her hands in her lap, but he could still see her trembling. His instinct to protect her overwhelmed him. They needed to leave.
He stood and offered his hand across the desk to the officer. “Thank you for your time. I appreciate it.”
The man stood as well and shook Ben’s hand. “My pleasure. I only wish I could do more.”
Tess smiled and stood next to Ben. The officer nodded to her and she said a quiet, “Thank you.”
Once outside and back by her car, Ben knew what he had to do, but dreaded telling her.
“What is it?” she asked.
He took her hands in his and tried to not choke on the words. “I need to go to San Diego and check out this address. If this is my home, I need to know.”
Tears formed on the edge of her eyelashes. He pulled her to him and held her tight.
Chapter 7
Ben didn’t have any clothes or things that were his, and he promised to get Mike’s brother’s shirt back when he could. Tess knew Mike couldn’t care less about the shirt and she told Ben as much. He still insisted.
She parked outside the train station but didn’t make a move to get out of the car. Her fingers gripped the steering wheel. She couldn’t go inside with him. Saying good-bye would be hard enough. But watching him ride away, out of her life once again – what if she never saw him again? Part of her wanted to tell him the truth. He wasn’t Jake. He was Ben. But then what? That didn’t guarantee him remembering. And knowing Ben, he wouldn’t rest until he had answers.
“Come with me.”
“What?” She stared at him. He sat forward in the passenger seat, still holding his wallet. Was he serious?
“Come with me.” He looked at her, his eyes full of promise and excitement.
The thought of going back to San Diego made her palms sweaty. The thought of doing so with Ben made her downright
***
Ben worried his heartbeat could be seen through his shirt. He wanted so badly to know the truth about his life. But what if the truth meant having to leave Tess and never see her again? He couldn’t bear the thought.
He took her hand as they climbed the steps of the police station. She didn’t pull back, but rather held tight, as if needing him as much as he needed her. His heart rate slowed, and his shoulders relaxed like they seemed to do every time she came near him. She wore a knee-length flowered dress that flowed in the breeze, with a short-waisted cardigan sweater. Her hair hung in a loose braid down her back and her white sandals showed off her bright pink toenails with flowers painted on them. He forced himself to look away from her so he could focus.
The small beach town police station was a diminutive building as well as a historical landmark. When they asked for Officer Petrie at the front entrance, they were guided to his desk and directed to sit. Ben looked around. Something about the place felt familiar, but he couldn’t pinpoint how. Tess eyed him cautiously, her hands folded in her lap. Within minutes, the tall cop greeted them both then took the chair behind his desk.
“Hello again, Miss Jansenn. Mr. Wilson.” He nodded towards Ben. Reaching into his desk drawer, he drew out a wallet and handed it over the desk. “There’s not just ID inside, there’s quite a bit of cash. Nothing else though, sorry.”
Ben stared at the wallet. Nothing special. It was dark brown leather, curved and worn in from time in his back pocket.
“I’m sorry I don’t have any more info for you.”
Ben pulled out the California driver’s license from inside. He looked at the picture of himself and the name Jake Wilson. Nothing registered in his memory. His eyes looked over the information on the card.
“What about the address?”
“We looked it up and had a San Diego officer go by to see if anyone was there, but there was no response.”
Ben looked at Tess, who had been silent the entire time. She clasped her hands in her lap, but he could still see her trembling. His instinct to protect her overwhelmed him. They needed to leave.
He stood and offered his hand across the desk to the officer. “Thank you for your time. I appreciate it.”
The man stood as well and shook Ben’s hand. “My pleasure. I only wish I could do more.”
Tess smiled and stood next to Ben. The officer nodded to her and she said a quiet, “Thank you.”
Once outside and back by her car, Ben knew what he had to do, but dreaded telling her.
“What is it?” she asked.
He took her hands in his and tried to not choke on the words. “I need to go to San Diego and check out this address. If this is my home, I need to know.”
Tears formed on the edge of her eyelashes. He pulled her to him and held her tight.
Chapter 7
Ben didn’t have any clothes or things that were his, and he promised to get Mike’s brother’s shirt back when he could. Tess knew Mike couldn’t care less about the shirt and she told Ben as much. He still insisted.
She parked outside the train station but didn’t make a move to get out of the car. Her fingers gripped the steering wheel. She couldn’t go inside with him. Saying good-bye would be hard enough. But watching him ride away, out of her life once again – what if she never saw him again? Part of her wanted to tell him the truth. He wasn’t Jake. He was Ben. But then what? That didn’t guarantee him remembering. And knowing Ben, he wouldn’t rest until he had answers.
“Come with me.”
“What?” She stared at him. He sat forward in the passenger seat, still holding his wallet. Was he serious?
“Come with me.” He looked at her, his eyes full of promise and excitement.
The thought of going back to San Diego made her palms sweaty. The thought of doing so with Ben made her downright
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