In their hurry to get to the hospital, Sofia had jumped right into his truck, and they hadn’t thought about her vehicle.
Her reaction to leaving her car behind confirmed she was wired from the whole experience.
“Don’t worry. I’ll take Tyler out, and we’ll drop it off here. Keys?”
Looking relieved, she nodded. “You’re a lifesaver, as usual.” She tossed the keys to him.
“Good luck. Say hi to Dr. Margo for me.”
Sofia hopped out of the truck and disappeared through the automatic hospital doors, and Ash, though he had no idea what was going on in her head, hoped that she would be okay. Despite the brave face and sassy snark Sofia typically showed the world, he’d always sensed that she wasn’t as unbreakable as she led people to believe.
Chapter Three
SOFIA
Dr. Margo was already examining Isaiah when Sofia got to the room. Emerald Hollow had a tiny hospital, and Sofia knew her way around it like the back of her hand. She’d hurried through the hallways, not daring to look left or right, not wanting to remember, and kept her eyes moving from room number to room number until she reached her destination.
The nurse asked the doctor if Sofia could come in, and a moment later, Sofia was let inside the small room and ushered onto an extra chair. Isaiah had removed his jacket, and she couldn’t help noticing the muscles under his long sleeves. She quickly turned away.
“Hi, Dr. Margo. Ash says hello.”
“I should have known he was the driver Isaiah referenced. That man manages to be everywhere at once. So, can you tell me about finding Isaiah?”
Sofia repeated the encounter, sharing the story as if on autopilot, and Dr. Margo nodded along as she listened, though her forehead was slightly pinched.
“Well, we’re running a scan just to be safe, but there are no physical bumps or indications of an injury to your skull, Isaiah.You really don’t remember anything about this morning? How about yesterday? Where were you then?”
Sofia studied him. His light-brown skin had regained some of its warmth after being in Ash’s truck. Sofia was surprised to realize she found him quite good-looking. But the thought quickly dislodged as he spoke, his forehead creased in confusion again.
“I’m sure it sounds strange, but I really don’t know. I know my name is Isaiah. I can tell you the year and the president. But aspects of my identity are just… It’s like they’re locked away somewhere. I can feel them there, but I can’t access them. It doesn’t make any sense. Sorry, I probably sound crazy.” He gave them both an apologetic look—his mouth squeezing together tightly as his eyebrows drew together—and Sofia struggled to keep her face unreadable. A feeling she couldn’t quite place was building in her.
“So… what? You have amnesia or something?” she blurted out.
Dr. Margo gave her a look that quieted her again. “It seems so. Though amnesia isn’t usually this complete. People typically remember who they are, but certain memories can become hard to keep track of. I’m thinking Isaiah here just needs a good rest. I’d like to keep him overnight for observation.” She typed something into her computer.
Isaiah sighed but nodded. “Okay, if that’s what you think is best.”
Sofia wasn’t sure why, but a sense of unease at the whole situation was creeping over her and getting stronger by the minute. She’d heard the doctor. Amnesia like he was supposedly experiencing wasn’t really a thing. It only happened in movies. Suddenly, she wondered if Isaiah had an agenda he wasn’t telling them about.
Sofia had been made to feel foolish by a man manipulating reality once before. She’d vowed to never let it happen again.
Her hands began to sweat despite the cold, and the harsh lights of the room made her dizzy. As her heart rate suddenly kicked up, she recognized the signs of an impending anxiety attack and tried to calm her breathing.
Sofia needed to get out of the room. She needed to get out of the hospital. Whatever was going on, it no longer needed to involve her. She stood up. “Well, if that’s all you need from me, I’d better get going.”
Dr. Margo stood up as if to follow her. Sofia gave one last glance at Isaiah sitting on the exam table, looking confused and vulnerable. His brow was still knitted, and the hair on top of his head was ruffled. Her heart rate sped up in a burst of compassion.No. Nope.
She peeled her gaze away from him and steeled herself. If that man was being anything less than truthful, she wasn’t going to be around to fall for it.
“Sofia, just a moment,” Dr. Margo said quietly, pulling the door gently closed behind her. “I’d like you to come back tomorrow if Isaiah hasn’t gotten any better. You were the first person he saw when he woke up. Maybe you’ll help trigger some memories for him.”
Sofia took a step back and forced her voice into a whisper. “Doc, you can’t be serious. Amnesia? Like,Overboardamnesia? From slipping on a hiking trail?”
Dr. Margo let out a sigh. “I don’t know. We’ll see what the scan shows. But until then, he’s my patient, and I will assume what he says is true. Maybe someone will come looking for him by tomorrow.”
Sofia nodded, latching on to that bit of information. Yes, one of his family members or friends would come searching for him.The hospital would be one of the first places they would check. And she would be off the hook for whatever was going on.
“You didn’t find a cell phone or any identification along the trail?” Dr. Margo asked.
