Leoti by Sienna Mynx Read Free Book Online

brows showed she was not happy at what she was reading. A professor? He didn’t really consider that the career for her, but she had a wisdom about her. He felt it. Or did he just see what he wanted to with his Leoti? She belonged to a world outside of his that was evident by those fancy heels he’d had to remove from her feet.
    “Is this all? What about a purse or wallet?”
    Elu shrugged. “There was nothing like that there.”
    Josie frowned. “I came to town with no identification?”
    “The car you were in exploded, I’m sure it was in there. I can go check tomorrow.”
    She slammed down the briefcase. Her eyes shined with guarded tears.
    “Leoti, all’s not lost. Give it time.”
    “You don’t know how it feels!” she snapped. She dropped her head back and closed her eyes. A tear rolled. Po went to her and rested his head on her knee. It was hard for either of them to see her in pain. “I’m sorry,” she said. “You’ve been kind. I just feel like I’m sleepwalking. What if I’m married? What if I have kids and they’re waiting on me?”
    “You have no ring.” Elu added.
    Josie looked at her hand. She felt strongly like a ring should be there. But there wasn’t. Not even a tan line. “I don’t know what to do.”
    “A week, maybe two, give it time and let it come. We will figure it out. I promise you.”
    “I can’t impose on you like this.”
    “Consider it a favor. I would enjoy the company. Besides, that head wound will heal soon and your memory will return.”
    Josie nodded. “I hope so.”
    “What would you like for dinner?”
    “Hey, I don’t even remember my name; I surely don’t know what I like to eat.”
    Elu chuckled. “Fair enough. I will make us something special.”
     
    Later
    Over dinner he told her of his childhood and why he’d never leave the Blackfoot mountains. She listened attentively and asked few questions. It had been a long time since he’d had such an open conversation with someone he’d just met.
    “Why haven’t you married?” she asked.
    “I did.”
    “Really?”
    He thought he heard disappointment in her voice. He looked up from his plate. “I married my best friend’s sister. She owned this land. I built this cabin for her. Po was the pup I gave her as a wedding gift.”
    Josie glanced to Po who was on his doggy pillow, his brow rose to see if she wanted anything, then he relaxed with disinterest.
    “He’s motherless and I’m alone.” Elu finished.
    Her eyes went around the cabin once more as if seeing it again for the first time. From across the table he observed and waited for her gaze to return to his.
    “What happened to her? Are you still married?”
    “She has moved on, died, from leukemia four years ago.”
    Her face twisted with worry. It touched him that she would even care. “The doctors said the poison they pumped in her veins would prolong her life. I knew better, but I was so desperate I abandoned my faith and turned her fate over to them. Toward the end I’d had enough of her suffering. I brought her home. I took care of her and she lived another six months. But my time to heal had passed and there was no more to be done. She was not meant to be with me for long.”
    “I’m sorry, Elu. So sorry.”
    His head tilted a little. “Do you remember love?”
    “Love?”
    “Yes, you know love, the sweet and bitter taste of life. When it arrives and leaves in the same moment you learn so much about your heart. I loved her completely, but I never knew what complete love was until the day she died in my arms. So I’m not angry or cheated, I’m accepting of what she brought to my life and the lessons it taught me.”
    “You should be a poet.” Josie laughed. “Forgive me. I wasn’t trying to disrespect you, it’s just, the way you talk about things, even with my foggy brain I know it’s beautiful.”
    “Faith can be beautiful.” He winked.
    “I can only imagine that she loved you too. You’re a really kind