Forgotten (The Lost Children Trilogy Book 1) Page 7

  Jacinda eyed my pants. “This will just take a minute. Follow me.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  I reluctantly followed Jacinda down the hall. Her long blond hair swayed between her shoulder blades. My stomach protested the entire way.

  “Don’t worry,” she called over her shoulder. “I know you’re hungry.”

  We walked into her room. She nodded at a neatly made bed. “Have a seat.”

  I plopped down.

  Jacinda grabbed a very large suitcase from the corner of the room. It was the one that took up so much space in the Suburban. She pulled the gold zipper. The metallic scratch sounded in the room. I eyed the material. It looked like genuine leather. She must have noticed me staring because she smiled.

  “It’s a Louis Vuitton. A gift from Huxley.”

  “Huxley?”

  “The man I was with before I came here.”

  “You had a boyfriend?”

  She shrugged. “I guess you could call him that. We kept each other company for a few weeks, until we arrived in Colorado.”

  I sat farther forward. “How’d you two meet?”

  “At some hotel. We actually met the first night after I woke up. I wandered around my neighborhood that entire first day, trying to recognize something. Anything. When that didn’t happen, I kept walking. I ended up at a hotel, went inside and sat at the bar in the lounge. Huxley came in a few minutes later. He approached and we got to talking, and the rest as they say, was history.”

  “So, did you drive up here with…what was his name…Huxley?”

  Jacinda snorted delicately. “Drive? No, we flew in his Gulfstream IV.”

  “You flew in a Gulfstream IV?”

  If I was right, that was a private jet that could seat close to twenty people. As soon as I thought that, my mouth fell open. How do I know that? Once again, a random bit of knowledge popped into my head for no reason. It wasn’t the first time it happened.

  Initially, when I woke up, I thought everything in my memory was gone but then things slowly filtered through. Things I’d apparently once known.

  I’d never forget the first time it happened, when I was walking down a street in Rapid City. I passed a used book store, and from the corner of an outside bin, I spotted a paperback of Canterbury Tales. As I continued on, it came to mind that Chaucer was considered the father of English literature. As for where that thought came from, I had no idea.

  After that, more and more things materialized in my foggy brain. Such as the chemical composition of methane was CH4 or that Edvard Munch painted The Scream. Just random bits of information. It was incredibly disconcerting to say the least, and it just happened again. Apparently, I knew a thing or two about private jets.

  “Jacinda, I know what a Gulfstream IV is. How do I know that?”

  Jacinda took out a few clothes from her suitcase and examined them. “I don’t know. We’re all like that. We just know things. Isn’t it weird when it happens? When you’re talking to someone and some detail comes up and just like that,” she snapped her fingers, “a hundred things appear in your brain and you know what they’re talking about?”

  “Yes!” I breathed.

  Jacinda continued to rifle through her clothes. Every now and then, she pulled out a shirt, turned it back and forth and then refolded it back into her suitcase.

  “So, where’s Huxley now?” I asked.

  “I don’t know. I guess he went back to Phoenix. I broke up with him shortly after we landed.” She held up another top. It was frilly and made of shiny material. “What about this one?”

  I made a face. No doubt it would look great in a photo shoot, but it didn’t seem useful for anything else.

  “This will be a little big on you, but it should work.”

  “Um, it’s nice but I think my t-shirt is better.”

  She eyed my shirt. I could tell from her expression that she didn’t agree. She fumbled through her suitcase again and pulled out a long-sleeved shirt with splashes of color and some logo stitched on the bottom.

  “How about this one?” She threw the shirt at me. “One hundred percent Peruvian cotton, eight hundred thread count.”

  “Hmm.” I fingered the fabric.

  “Well? What do you think?”

  “This might work.”

  I rubbed it between my fingers again. It was incredibly soft cotton, smooth as silk and almost plush. All of the clothes I owned came from Salvation Army. Most of them had holes and were ingrained with dirt.

  “Try it on.”

  “What if I get it dirty?”

  Jacinda shrugged. “Then we’ll wash it.”

  I stood and peeled my shirt off. Jacinda’s top fell below my waist, and the arms were too long, but the fabric felt good against my skin. It was soft, clean, and it didn’t smell.

  “Thanks, Jacinda!” I grinned and pushed the sleeves up.

  Jacinda stared at me, her mouth open. “You really have been starving, haven’t you?”

  I felt my cheeks heat. I wondered how much of my skeletal frame she’d seen.

  She gave me a sympathetic look. “You poor thing, but don’t worry, that’ll all change now. You’re not alone and homeless anymore. You don’t need to hitchhike or go hungry again.”

  Her soft words and encouraging smile caused a warm feeling in me.

  She appraised my lower half. “Now, what are we going to do about your pants…”

  JACINDA AND I finally walked up to the main house half an hour later. I was ready to bang Jacinda’s suitcase over her head I was so hungry, but she insisted I be ‘presentable’ before I left the cabin.

  Consequently, my now clean hair was pulled up into a stylish ponytail. I also wore clean clothes from head to toe. We’d settled on a pair of jean shorts that practically fell off me since they were so big, but Jacinda decided it was the best she could do. My shoes were another story. I wore a pair of her slip-ons that were too big and kept falling off. I asked her why I couldn’t wear my worn sneakers. Her response was to pick them up and throw them in the garbage.

  Jacinda sighed heavily as I walked beside her. I could tell from her disapproving glances every time I hiked the shorts up or tripped over the too big shoes that she didn’t approve.

  “We’re going shopping after lunch,” she said. “You need your own clothes.”

  “But I don’t have any money.” I held up a hand to shade my face in the bright sun. I could practically feel my pale skin burning.

  She rolled her eyes. “Weren’t you listening when we told you about us? Money isn’t an issue.”

  “But it’s not mine.”

  “Yes it is. You’re one of us. Therefore, you’re entitled to the pile.”

  I didn’t bother arguing. We were almost to the porch and scents from lunch drifted outside. I lifted my nose and let the scent lead the way.

  When we entered the dining hall, music strummed through the speakers. Several tables in the dining area were occupied with other guests. The entire scene was quaint and pleasant. I spotted Mica, Jet and Jasper at a table in the corner. Mica smiled and waved us over.

  Jet smirked when we approached. “You’re looking as good as Jacinda.”

  My cheeks heated as I pulled up the shorts again. “Thanks.”

  “You’ve got to try this food. It’s amazing!” Mica spooned a huge bite of some kind of berry pie and vanilla ice cream to her mouth.

  I watched Mica eat. My mouth salivated.

  Jet rolled his eyes. “Good one, Mica. Torment the starving girl.”

  Mica’s brown eyes widened. “Sorry,” she said through a mouthful of food. “Buffet’s over there.” She pointed to the corner. “Help yourself!”

  I made a beeline for the buffet and almost cried in happiness when I saw the selection. A large stack of tortillas and taco shells, bowls of taco meat, cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, lettuce and olives. Cups of sour cream, guacamole and salsa sat at the end. I piled four tacos on my plate. Jacinda only took one.

  When we j
oined the others, Jasper quirked an eyebrow at my heaping meal. “Looks like you’ve met your match, Mica.”

  I didn’t care how much teasing the twins gave me. Like last night, all I saw was the food in front of me. When I finished, I slowly realized everyone was staring.

  “What?” I asked.

  “There’s sour cream all over your cheek,” Jacinda whispered.

  Heat crept up my neck. I hastily wiped my mouth. Mica grinned and dabbed some guacamole on Jasper’s nose. “Should I lick it off?” she asked.

  Jasper grabbed a napkin but a smile tugged at his lips.

  “Or I could?” Jet leaned over with his tongue out. Jasper smacked him.

  Jacinda snorted delicately as I muffled a laugh.

  “Mica will eat anything,” Jet said as Jasper cleaned his face. “Next time, leave the sour cream. She’ll probably scrape it off with a tortilla chip or two.”

  Mica slugged him playfully in the shoulder. “Okay, who wants dessert? I’m thinking of having a second helping.”

  “See what I mean?” Jet said dryly.

  I smiled again and joined Mica at the dessert table.

  THIRTY MINUTES LATER, I was so stuffed, movement seemed impossible. I groaned in pain. Jet and Jasper laughed while Jacinda clucked her tongue.

  “Next time, slow down. Your body isn’t used to all of this food,” she said.

  “You gonna be okay?” Mica asked as she polished off her second bowl of ice cream.

  Jet clapped me on the back. “You’ll survive.” He turned to his brother. “I heard they’re having a trail ride for the guests this afternoon, and those ladies over there,” he nodded toward a group of four women seated at another table. “I overheard them say they’re going.”

  Mica laughed. “Are you already over that girl you took on a few dates last week?”

  Jet shrugged. “She left, remember? Her Colorado trip had come to an end. It’s time to move on.”

  “Didn’t she cry when she kissed you goodbye?” Mica replied.

  “She may have shed a few tears.” Jet smiled devilishly.

  Mica laughed.

  “So you want to go?” Jet asked Jasper.

  Before Jasper could respond, Mica said, “I’ll go! And I promise not to interfere when you’re making your moves on the ladies.”

  Jasper chuckled, his eyes twinkling when he glanced at Mica. “Jacinda? Lena? You want to come too?” he asked.

  I was about to stand when Jacinda shook her head. “We’re going into town to buy Lena clothes. Has anyone seen Di or Flint? We’ll need a ride.”

  “I haven’t seen them since the grand revelation,” Jet replied, making air quotes around the words. He eyed one of the four women when she stood. She was a cute blonde with curvy hips. “So are you two coming or not?” Jet asked. His eyes stayed on the blonde.

  “No,” Jacinda said sweetly.

  I sighed in exasperation. “Riding horses would be more fun than shopping.”

  Jacinda merely quirked an eyebrow and appraised my bare feet under the table. I hadn’t bothered trying to keep her shoes on while we ate.

  “You can ride horses later,” she said gently yet firmly.

  “All right.” Jet stood and then smiled when he and the blonde made eye contact.

  “See you later,” Jasper called. Before I could argue, the three left. Mica’s excited chatter trailed through the dining hall.

  I sighed in disappointment but knew Jacinda was right. I couldn’t go horseback riding in flats that kept falling off. “Okay, let’s get this shopping trip over with.”

  She grinned. “Perfect. Now, we just need to find Di or Flint.”

  Hearing Flint’s name made my stomach flip. “Why do we need to find them?”

  “I don’t drive. Do you?”

  For a moment, I just sat there. Could I drive? “Um, I have no idea.”

  Jacinda pursed her lips. The glossy sheen from her lipstick – that amazingly didn’t seem to wear off despite eating – reminded me of raspberries. “We should find one of them. Just to be safe. Come on.”

  My stomach felt like a jumbled mess when we stood. I wasn’t sure if it was from overeating or at the thought of seeing Flint again. Regardless, I followed Jacinda as we left the main house. On the gravel drive, I kept tripping and almost fell because of the blasted shoes.

  I finally gave up. Pulling the flats off, I ambled down the drive in bare feet. Jacinda clucked in disapproval, but I didn’t care. Even though the gravel hurt my soles, I was still ready to throw the damned shoes in the pasture.

  IT WASN’T HARD to find Di and Flint. Both we’re in our cabin. They jumped up from the couch when we walked through the door, as if we’d caught them doing something. My stomach sank as a new thought occurred to me. Were Di and Flint together?

  I didn’t get a chance to think about it since Di asked what our plans were. Jacinda gave a pointed look at my bare feet. Di merely assessed my dirty toes with a heavy sigh, while Flint’s lips quirked up in a smile. It vanished when he caught me watching him.

  “She needs clothes,” Jacinda said. “Can one of you drive us to Little Raven?”

  Flint stepped forward. “I’ll take you.”

  Jacinda smiled sweetly. “I’ll get my purse.”

  Without Jacinda in the room, silence fell. Being so near Flint did funny things to my heart rate. He didn’t seem to notice. Instead, he and Di were doing that subtle communication again. Di raised an eyebrow, and Flint nodded slightly at which she made a motion to her wrist. I had no idea what we’d walked in on, but I felt acutely aware of it in that moment.

  I tried to ignore them. Fresh scents of eucalyptus subtly tinged the air. A dried wreath hung on the wall. I concentrated on that. It smelled nice. Unfortunately, the scent did little to distract me. Flint’s towering presence and dark eyes continually pulled at me.

  I shuffled my feet and stuffed my hands in my pockets. That was a mistake. The shorts practically fell off. Luckily, I caught them before they fell to my knees.

  “Ready?” Jacinda reappeared with a fresh sheen of lip gloss on her lips, and a pink purse clutched in her hand. A metallic Prada label gleamed.

  I nodded eagerly. “Yes!”

  She grinned, obviously mistaking my enthusiasm for the shopping trip versus wanting to flee the uncomfortable environment.

  “Let’s go,” Flint said.

  The sound of his deep voice made me jump. Calm down, Lena! It wasn’t good to pine for a guy that was already taken.

  Or were he and Di not together?

  I briefly pictured Flint’s arm around me this morning when the group revealed who they were. Di hadn’t seemed to care that Flint sat so close to me. Although, that didn’t necessarily mean anything. Flint’s intentions could have been to help me mesh with the group. Or maybe he’d been afraid I’d bolt or pass out. He simply could have had his arm around me to stop me from fleeing. I could be reading into something that wasn’t even there.

  I sighed. I was putting way too much thought into this.

  “Lena?” Jacinda called. She and Flint were standing by the door.

  “Oh, sorry,” I mumbled.

  Flint didn’t say anything as we left the cabin. He also wouldn’t meet my gaze. Once again, his face was completely unreadable. Di, on the other hand, called out to not spend too much money. Jacinda just waved and acted like she didn’t hear.

  Our car doors slammed in the quiet afternoon. Flint sat in the driver’s seat, Jacinda took the passenger side so I hopped in the back. Sitting right behind Flint offered a very nice view of his beautiful hair and broad shoulders. They were so broad they extended past the seat. A pool of heat filled my core. I squirmed uncomfortably as Flint started the engine. What the hell is the matter with me?

  Before long, we were in the forest driving toward Little Raven. A breeze trailed through Flint’s open window, carrying scents of pine. My thoughts drifted to everything I’d learned this morning. Was it really only this morning?

  I rub
bed my tattoo. The perfect circle divided into four. Since the silence was killing me, I said the first thing that came to mind. “What do you think our tattoos are symbols of?”

  Flint’s dark eyes drifted to the rearview mirror. “Di and I have a few ideas.”

  Jacinda clasped her hands tightly together. “How many shirts do you think you’ll need?” she asked. She flashed me her supermodel smile.

  Shirts? “Oh, um. I don’t know. Three or four?”

  “That’s it?” she replied.

  I leaned forward so I could better meet Flint’s gaze in the mirror. “What do you think the symbols are of?”

  “I really don’t think three or four is enough,” Jacinda cut in. “I was thinking you need at least a week’s worth at the very minimum. You’ll also need hiking boots, if you want to join in the activities. Not to mention jeans, shorts, shoes…” Her list grew.

  I leaned back in my seat. Jacinda’s nervous energy bubbled around her. Giving Flint a questionable glance, he subtly shook his head in the mirror. I took the hint. Jacinda obviously didn’t want to discuss our situation. I remembered what Jet said. How all of this was a bad omen. But still, didn’t we need to talk about it? Burying our heads in the sand, pretending like we were normal people, wouldn’t help us.

  When we got to town, Jacinda gracefully extracted herself from the Suburban.

  “Come on, Lena.” Her energy had returned to its usual subdued state. I hadn’t mentioned our tattoos again.

  Flint and I stepped out of the Suburban. We stood beside one another on the sidewalk. He towered over me. In jeans and a t-shirt, he looked incredibly sexy. I tried not to notice.

  “I’m going to the public library to use the computers,” he said to Jacinda.

  A swell of disappointment strummed through me. “You’re not coming with us?”

  He shook his head without meeting my gaze. “Pete and Val don’t have Wi-Fi. Besides, public computers are safer when we’re doing internet searches.”

  “Searches for what?”

  “I want to research a few things, now that we know where you woke up. I’ll be back in two hours.” He still wouldn’t meet my gaze.