Isaiah took a deep breath and decided it was best not to lie to a person who had been so kind as to put a roof over his head and a meal in his stomach, asking nothing in return.
“To tell you the truth, no. My memories aren’t back. But I have a feeling that going back to the trailhead may triggersomething for me. I can’t really explain it, but… that’s my only connection to what happened and who I am.”
Ash nodded, and they continued down the hall together. “That makes sense. I hope things come back to you while we’re out there.”
Isaiah nodded in thanks, then his stomach grumbled as they emerged in the lobby, and he smelled eggs and bacon coming from the restaurant.
“Breakfast is included with your room. Just give them your room number,” Ash said, then he disappeared into conversation with someone else before Isaiah could remind him that the room had been an act of kindness.
His hunger won out over his pride within seconds, and he eagerly took a seat at the counter in the restaurant. He ordered an omelet and was looking around the busy establishment when Holly appeared next to him. He smelled a hint of cinnamon and relaxed as she stepped near him.
“Make sure to order a hot chocolate,” she said with a brilliant, soft smile.
“Oh, thanks. I don’t really want to order too much. Ash told me the food comes with the room, but…”
Holly’s green eyes shone. There was something about her, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. She looked like she had stepped off a film set, and she had a little extra shine around her that didn’t make sense based on the lighting in the room.
“Don’t worry about that. There’s plenty of food. Ash is happy to help you out. I know how you feel, though. I received similar kindness when I was a stranger here a few months ago.”
Isaiah’s eyes widened. “You were… You’re not from here?” It was hard to imagine. She seemed integral to everything at the Emerald House.
“Nope. But this town took me in like I was one of their own. If you need something, you just have to ask.” She smiled once more then walked away.
A few seconds later, the server brought Isaiah’s omelet, and Isaiah remembered Holly’s suggestion. “Could I get a hot chocolate?”
The server smiled and nodded. “Coming right up.”
He dug into the omelet, wondering who had made it. He didn’t think it was Sofia. If she was taking him to the trail that morning, she probably wasn’t working. He realized with a start that he didn’t know for certain if she worked there at all. But the way she’d moved around that kitchen… She was deeply familiar with the place. He knew that much.
The server came back with the hot chocolate, and Isaiah absentmindedly took a sip. He looked down at the mug in wonder. It wasdelicious. He couldn’t explain it, like so many aspects of his life at the moment, but something about the hot chocolate seemed almost unreal.
Maybe it’s too good to be true.
Maybe Emerald Hollow was too good to be true. One didn’t just lose their memory and end up in a place where everyone was willing to give them the shirt off their back.
He took another sip of the hot chocolate and tried not to wonder if it was all a dream.
Chapter Thirteen
SOFIA
Sofia parked her Subaru near the entrance to the Emerald House and began to psych herself up for the day’s outing.Get in, get Isaiah, and get out.With any luck, he would be headed home that day, and the whole surreal experience would be over with.
“Here we go,” she mumbled, pulling open the door to the Emerald House and hurrying inside. She spotted Ash immediately, doing something on the computer behind the check-in counter.
He looked up at her quickly before returning his gaze to the screen. “Be ready in just a minute. He’s in the restaurant.”
She let her gaze slide to the restaurant, and sure enough, there was Isaiah, seated at the counter, his thin blue puffer coat hanging over the back of the chair like he intended to be there all day.
That man thinks he’s the reason I dropped two champagne glasses last night,she thought with a huff and a tinge of embarrassment. Ash and Holly had both teased her about that when they were cleaning up from the New Year’s Eve party.
She’d made an effort to dress in drab clothes for the hike, wanting to be in stark contrast to the flashy dress from the nightbefore.He definitely won’t think I have any interest in him while I’m wearing this outfit.
Sofia was just gearing up to go speak to him when Holly came through the door behind her. “Hey, Sof. I saw your Subaru while I was outside. I’ll go grab Comet.”
Sofia nodded at her then refocused on Isaiah. He was drinking out of a white mug—hot chocolate, she assumed. From the way he tilted the mug back all the way, it looked like he was enjoying every last drop.Well, at least he has good taste.If he didn’t like their hot chocolate, she might think he was an alien.
He turned in her direction then, spinning casually on his chair, and she tried to keep her expression neutral.Damn.She’d wanted to be the one to surprise him that morning, not the other way around. And she definitely didn’t want him to think she’d been watching him. She had, but he didn’t need to know that. She straightened her shoulders.
