Quite the Catch (4 page)

“You
didn’t have to get up,” she said. “I would’ve brought it to you.”

He
shrugged,
then
winced. “I wanted to see if I could
manage. I’m shakier than I thought, and I hurt like hell.”

“It’s
been long enough. You can take another round of pain pills,” she told him.

Joshua
sat at the table with a sigh. “Good. Can I have a cookie?”

“Sure,
or anything else you’d like, if I have it,” Tina replied. “I’ve got plenty of
soup, some other canned things, like ravioli and chili, deli meat, cheese,
chicken breasts, salad…”

“Cookies
will do for now.” He cradled the coffee mug between his hands and inhaled the
robust aroma. Then he took his first sip. “Ah, God, that’s good. You make it
strong, just the way I like it.”

Before
she could answer, he made a face. “Tell me, how do I know that when I didn’t
even know my name?” His tone rankled with self-disgust. “Sorry, not your fault,
I know, but it’s frustrating.”

Tina
nodded sympathetically. “I know it must be, and I’m sorry.”

He
dipped a cookie into his coffee and devoured it, then another. Then he picked
up one of the sausage biscuits and took a bite. “Can I ask you something?”

Nervous
tension crawled over her skin but she said, “Sure, ask me anything.”

“You
saw me pursued by armed men and saw them shoot at me, right?”

“Yes.”

“And
you watched me jump from a high railroad trestle into a flooded river?”

Tina
had no idea where he was headed with his questions. “That’s right.”

“So
you hauled me out of the water, brought me to your home, and saved my life. That’s
what happened, isn’t it?”

“It
is.”

“I’m
still here in your home, and you haven’t called the authorities or even
suggested it. Why?”

Tina
almost laughed because he sounded so much like a cop, as she suspected, but he
wore a serious expression, so she held back. Instead, she gathered her thoughts
so she could try to explain.

“I
thought you might be in trouble,” she said after a pause. “The men chasing you
seemed pretty intent on hurting you. I guessed from the first you might be a
Law Enforcement Officer or as you would probably say, an LEO, but I didn’t want
to put you in more danger, if there is any. So I waited, thinking you could
explain the circumstances.”

His
dark eyes scrutinized her as if he could penetrate deep into her soul with a
glance. A smile flirted with his mouth but didn’t quite form. “And I don’t
remember anything,” he said. “So I couldn’t.”

“Exactly.”

For
the first time since she’d found him, Joshua laughed. “You’re taking one hell
of a chance, lady. I think I’m a cop but maybe not. I might’ve busted out of
jail—or anything. My name might be on the ‘most wanted’ list somewhere.”

Maybe,
but she’d lay odds that he was not. “I don’t think so.”

He
snared another cookie and ate it. “Why?”

Tina
couldn’t explain. “I just have a feeling. Call it intuition or whatever you’d
like, but I’m sure I can trust you and just as certain you’re one of the good
guys.”

Joshua
flashed a faint grin. “I hope so.”

After
two more cookies and a second sausage biscuit, he asked for the Vicodin and she
provided it. He washed the pills down with more coffee. “I doubt I’ll go back
to sleep now,” he said.

“Do
you feel up to taking a shower?” she asked.

He
quirked one eyebrow up in
question
.“
I
suppose, but why? I just got dressed.”

“The
river’s pretty dirty and you were submerged in it,” Tina told him. “It wouldn’t
hurt and since I know you probably drank some of it, not to mention had river
water in your ears and nose, I thought I’d give you a round of low dose
antibiotics just to prevent any crud. It’s not clear water, not by any stretch
of the imagination, and I’d hate for you to get sick. After your shower, I’ll
look at your side and treat it.”

He
nodded. “Makes sense, so okay. I’ll just put these clothes back on, if you
don’t mind. I haven’t worn them long enough to get dirty.”

“Sure,
although there’s plenty more. Come on, I’ll show you the bathroom and where
everything is.”

She
led him through the living room, back into Gramps’ bedroom, and into the adjoining
bath. Tina pointed out the thick towels on the rack, the soap and shampoo, even
disposable razors and shaving cream. She dug out a brand-new toothbrush from
the medicine cabinet and fetched an unopened tube of toothpaste from her
bathroom. “I can’t think of anything else you might need,” she said. “I’ll get
the first aid stuff together and after you dry off, I’ll take care of your
wounded side. By then, you’ll probably be ready to go back to sleep for
awhile
.”

Joshua
wrinkled his nose. “I don’t know. I think I’m a morning person and the sun’s
coming up.”

Dawn
broke over the eastern horizon and filled the sky with soft, pastel hues. Tina
had noticed too, and on any other morning, she would’ve been out on the desk
with a mug of coffee.

“We’ll
see,” she said. Then she left him to clean up and closed the bathroom door
behind her, mind and heart brimming with a variety of emotions.

Chapter Four

God,
the hot shower pounding on his sore body brought pleasure, but it hurt, too. Joshua
stood beneath the spray and delighted in the heat. Although Tina had assured
him that his body temp had returned to normal, he’d been cold ever since he
awakened. After his initial surprise, his memory loss upset him more than his
injuries. The bruises would fade, the soreness would go away, and his side
would heal, but if he didn’t regain his past, he was screwed. His failure to
remember anything concerned him, because if Tina’s facts were accurate, danger
lurked.
And if he didn’t know what he was facing, either one
of them could get hurt or killed.

He
liked the pretty nurse who’d plucked him out of the river and brought him home.
She possessed the kind of stubborn will and steely nerve most women lacked,
tempered with kindness. Even though he knew nothing about his past but a vague
inkling that he was a law enforcement officer, she attracted him. An invisible
pull between them tugged at his heart, stronger than an ocean tide or river
current. He’d like to get to know her better and see if they might build their
shared attraction into something more, but he didn’t know if he had the luxury
or the right.

I could be married or engaged or
in a relationship. I might even be a dad. Somewhere, surely there’s someone
waiting for me, even if it’s my parents or a brother or sister or grandma.

Joshua
held up his left hand. He didn’t wear a ring but then some guys didn’t. But on
close scrutiny, he saw no marks to indicate he’d ever worn one so maybe he
didn’t have a wife or family. He hoped not, partly because he’d rather not be
worrying someone and also because Tina appealed to him.

As
he lathered up and scrubbed his body, wincing when he touched the worst spots,
he tried to remember. The harder he tried, though, the less he remembered, so
he gave up and finished the shower. He dried off and tried not to get blood on
the towels. He put on the underwear and sweatpants but left the shirt for later
so that Tina could treat his wound. Joshua peered into the fogged mirror to try
to see it and gauge how bad it might be but he couldn’t see very well. Twisting
around to get a better view was painful. He gave up the effort and brushed his
teeth. When he ran his hand over his chin, he decided he didn’t need a shave so
he opened the door and emerged.

After
the hot shower and warm bathroom, the house seemed chilly. His feet were cold
and he made a mental note to ask Tina if there might be a pair of socks he
could wear. She wasn’t in the bedroom so he checked the kitchen but found her
in the living room. When she glanced up from reading, her expression shifted
and he thought he saw admiration in her face for his bare torso.

“Hey,”
she said. “You survived the shower, I see.”

“Yeah,
so far, so good,” he told her. “I left my shirt off so you could do whatever
you need to do.”

“Let’s
go to the kitchen. I put the med basket on the table and there’s better light.”

After
straddling a ladder-backed chair, Joshua cringed when she probed the wound with
her fingers. “It’s not deep,” she said. “I’m going to put some antiseptic cream
on it, then spray it with more and put a gauze bandage over it. It may sting
and although so far it seems clean, the antibiotics will help just in case
there’s any infection too.”

Sting
turned out to be a major understatement. Whatever she applied burned with a vengeance,
but he pressed his lips together and didn’t make any noise. The last thing he’d
want would be to come across as a wimp to this woman. To avoid dwelling on the
pain, he tried to think of songs,
then
let them play
in his head. Without realizing it, he began to hum and he might not have
noticed if Tina hadn’t started singing.

“Joshua fought the battle of
Jericho, Jericho, Jericho,”
she sang.

“And the walls
came
tumbling down.”

The
words hit a chord within Joshua and he suspected it went deeper than his name.
“Sing it again,” he told her.

She
started at the beginning and ran through each verse, adding the refrain, but she
never stopped working. Tina sang as she bandaged his side and nodded. “There!
Go ahead and put your shirt on while I get the antibiotics. So what’s the deal
with the song? I mean I get that you like it but it’s not exactly a lullaby.”

Something
about it niggled in his brain but he couldn’t quite nail it. “It means
something, but I don’t know what.”

“Well,
your name’s Joshua and the song
is
about Joshua.”

“Yeah,
that’s the obvious part but I think there’s more. I just don’t know what
exactly, but I’d like to figure it out.”

A
chill wracked him as he pulled on the T-shirt and she noticed. “If you’re cold,
why don’t you lay back down for
awhile
?”

Her
suggestion had merit but Joshua shook his head. “Would you mind if I sprawl on
the couch with a blanket instead? I don’t want to feel like I’m an invalid.”

Tina
offered a little grin. “I don’t mind but you’d be more comfortable in bed.
Whatever you prefer.”

“Couch
is fine.”

He
hated being sick and knew it. Most people would curl up and indulge in rest but
no matter how much he hurt, Joshua couldn’t. Unarmed, hampered by the absence
of vital information, he still possessed an overwhelming desire to remain ready
for anything.

Still
singing, Tina fetched pillows from the bedroom and plumped each one. She
arranged them and as he settled into place, unable to repress a few stray
groans, she brought a blanket and a quilt. Joshua lay facing the back of the couch,
his wounded side not touching the furniture, and found a comfortable position
in seconds. Moments later, she covered him with the quilt. “If you need
anything, holler. I won’t be far.”

Once
prone, a pervasive fatigue took hold so he nodded. “Sure. Thanks, Tina.”

Sleep
crept over him, heavy and insistent. Before he succumbed, she cupped the back
of his head with one hand. As she’d done before, she leaned down and kissed his
forehead, her lips light and gentle against his skin. He loved the way her warm
breath blew against his skin, and he inhaled her soft perfume. This time, Tina
also touched his cheek with the back of her hand, caressing it slightly, and he
enjoyed it.

As
he drifted to sleep, he realized he wanted more. He enjoyed her touch and wondered
how a real kiss would taste and feel. Her lips were deep pink and he suspected
it might be her natural shade.
She
doesn’t look like she’s wearing any make up.
In his last conscious thought
before he dived deep into slumber, he wondered how her skin would feel against
his hand. He imagined it would be soft as satin.

If
Joshua dreamed, he didn’t recall it but when he woke, the tune he’d whistled
earlier made sense and he sat up, despite the immediate agony radiating from
his sore body. “It’s my name,” he said. “Tina, it’s my name.”

She
came out of the kitchen, dishcloth in hand, wearing a perplexed frown. “What?”

“I
know the rest of my name,” he said, aware he babbled. He probably sounded
crazy. “I’m Joshua Jericho Jenkins. That’s why the song meant something to me.”

A
smile lit her face. “That’s great. Are you sure?”

“Positive.
I’m half Cherokee and I’m from Tahlequah, the Capitol of the Cherokee Nation.”

“Then
you’re not far from home. That’s good. Are you a cop?”

Some
of the brilliant joy faded. “I’m sure I am but I haven’t remembered
everything.”

“You
will.” Tina snapped her fingers together. “Hey, I can look you up online and
maybe we’ll find something more to jog your memory.”