One Southern Cowboy - Jennifer Youngblood Page 0,41
by while she was in the shower. He’d expected Daddy to launch right into whatever he had to say, but he hadn’t. He’d asked about Jaxson’s ankle and ribs, how Lemon was doing.
“I’m doing fine,” Jaxson answered automatically, wondering all the while what Daddy was building up to. Daddy didn’t usually exude nervousness, but today he was more jittery than a bucket full of crickets.
Finally, Jaxson couldn’t handle the suspense any longer. “What did you hear from the detective?” he asked, his stomach knotting.
“First, tell me about Lemon’s breakthrough.”
Whatever Daddy had to say must be a doozy. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be stalling. Jaxson let out a long breath. His ribs were getting better, allowing him to take deeper and more satisfying breaths. “She had a nightmare and remembered a name. Livingston.”
Knox pressed his lips together. “A fairly common name. Did she give you anything else to go on?”
“No, but from what I know about Lemon’s past, I was able to connect the dots.”
“What do you mean?”
He rubbed his neck, feeling somewhat embarrassed for having to admit this out loud. “I’ve kept up with Lemon over the years, through the internet.”
A ghost of a smile passed over Knox’s face. “That’s not surprising. I’m glad y’all are working things out.”
“Me too.” Last night was incredible—the way he and Lemon confided in one another. He only hoped things would remain as good when Lemon regained her memories. Would she want to stay here with him or go back to her glitzy life in LA? That was the big question. Jaxson couldn’t fathom the thought of losing her again. The bit about her not wanting to live in the city was very encouraging. Hopefully, she’d still feel the same way when she rediscovered her full self.
“What dots did you connect?” Knox prompted.
Jaxson jerked, pulling his thoughts back to the topic at hand. “I’ve seen a couple of photos online of Lemon with Wesley Livingston at charity events. One of them as recent as a month ago. I suspect they might have been dating.”
Knox’s face went rigid. “Ellis Livingston’s son?”
He nodded.
“That’s not good.” Knox’s lips compressed into taut lines. “Ellis Livingston’s a snake,” he growled.
“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” Jaxson added. Daddy and Ellis Livingston had a falling out over a land deal. Daddy wanted to buy a stretch of property along the river that Ellis was selling. He and Ellis came to an agreement over it and sealed the deal with a handshake. Then, an out-of-town investor came along and offered Ellis more money, so he sold it out from under Daddy and Uncle Dylan.
“Lemon needs to stay as far away from Wesley Livingston as she can get,” Knox said, his jaw sharp. “And I’m not just saying that because of the foiled land deal.” He leaned forward, speaking in low tones. “I’ve heard things. Ellis is involved in some shady deals.”
“Lemon mentioned that in her dream, she was being controlled and manipulated.” Anger surged through Jaxson’s veins. “Do you think she’s afraid of Wesley?”
Knox sat back in the recliner and rubbed his jaw. “It’s possible.”
“Maybe that’s what caused her to lose her memory.”
Knox’s eyes deepened to dark pools of sympathy. “There’s another piece to this puzzle.”
Jaxson braced himself, sensing that Daddy was getting to the heart of why he’d stopped by. “What did you find out?”
“The detective discovered the care center Naomi Massey was in.”
Jaxson’s pulse surged. “That’s great! Lemon was saying last night that she wants to go and visit her mother.”
“That’s not gonna happen.”
“Why not?” Jaxson frowned.
“Naomi Massey is dead.”
Jaxson froze. “What?” he sputtered.
Knox nodded sadly. “She fell and hit her head on the bathtub.” He paused, looking Jaxson in the eye. “It happened on the same day of your accident. I suspect the news of her mother’s death was what triggered Lemon’s amnesia. It was too much for her to handle, so she blocked it out.”
The words came at Jaxson like a punch in the gut. “Lemon will be devastated,” he said quietly. It was so unfair. Lemon had lost touch with her dad. She was an only child. Her mother was all that she had, and now she was gone. He felt a deep anguish, almost as if he, himself, were experiencing the loss. He jerked slightly, realizing that any loss of Lemon’s was a loss of his. He marveled at how they were forming such a deep connection in such a short period of time. Then again, he’d always had a tender spot for Lemon,