Remembering You (6 page)

It
had been three years since the accident and nothing more than a few flashing lights and shadowy images filled my mind. Memories were far and gone except for the new ones I made when I awoke from my coma. I went on with my life the best I could. Zoey had married Dylan a year before and they were expecting their first baby. My mom and Zoey tried occasionally to set me up on dates, but the truth was I wasn’t interested in dating, and I wasn’t interested in relationships. I felt like half a person and it wasn’t fair to the poor guy only to get half of me. Besides, I never connected with anyone. My heart ached and I had no explanation for it. Even after three years, there wasn’t a day that went by that my heart wasn’t hurting. I’d given up trying to figure out my life before the accident, which was enough to drive any sane person right into the loony bin. I couldn’t stay sheltered in my past life or in this house anymore. I needed to start fresh, somewhere new and on my own. My parents sued the driver of the other car and put the settlement in my bank account. I didn’t care about the money at the time, but now that I was planning to leave, it would come in handy. The first thing I needed to do was to pick a city where I wanted to start my new life. I got on my laptop and pulled up a map of the United States. I looked at New York City, Chicago, and Las Vegas, but they weren’t appealing to me, at least not to live. My pop-up blocker must have been turned off because a pop up for Seattle’s Best Coffee came across my computer. I stared at the word “Seattle.” I must have wanted to go there because I was set to attend the University of Washington before the accident according to Corinne. That was it; Seattle was the city I would start my new life in. I typed Expedia.com into the address bar and searched flights from Newport Beach to Seattle. The next flight out was tomorrow morning at seven. I called a cab to be at my house at four.

I s
at down at my desk and wrote a letter to my family:

Dear Mom and D
ad,

I want to thank you for everything you have done for me. As you are reading this, I will be on my way somewhere new to start my life on my own. I’m not sure where I’m going
, but I will call you when I get settled. This is something I have to do for me, and I hope you can understand that. I don’t really know what I’m looking for, but I know it’s not here in Newport Beach. I will be forever grateful for all your support. I love you both very much, so please don’t cry, and let me go do what I need to find myself.

Love
,

Y
our daughter, Claire.

I felt ho
rrible for not telling them where I was going, but I didn’t need them hunting me down before I even landed. I would tell them about Seattle as soon as I got myself settled in. I packed my suitcase with as many items that would fit and then my carryon with my girly things. I figured what I didn’t take, I would buy what I needed when I got there. I sent a few emails to some apartments I found online. I decided that I would deal with that when I landed. I laid down for a while but couldn’t seem to fall asleep. I looked at the clock and it was almost four a.m. I tiptoed down the stairs and set my bags down by the door. I walked to the kitchen, turned on the light, and left the note on the counter by the coffee maker. I turned off the light, picked up my bags, opened the door, and headed down the drive towards the waiting cab.

I boarded the plane and suddenly became nervous. Since I couldn’t remember if I
had flown before, I considered this my first time and I was feeling anxious. I found my seat and sat down quickly. The flight wasn’t so bad and the landing was smooth. I stepped outside and breathed in the Seattle air. I hailed a cab and had the cabbie drive me to the local Hilton. I put the key card in the door and turned the handle. I stepped into the room and admired the burgundy and beige décor while setting my suitcase on the bed. I pulled my phone from my purse and there was a text from Corinne.

“Please be safe and call us the minute you get to your destination.”

I smiled because I expect
ed some harsh words and a fight. But maybe they understood where I was coming from and decided to let me go.

“I’ve landed and I’m safe. Please don’t worry.”

I checked my email and found a response from one of the apartments I had inquired about. They had a one-bedroom apartment left that was ready for immediate occupancy. I dialed their phone number and told the girl on the phone I was on my way to look at it.

The cab pulled up to the three
-story brown brick building, and I asked the driver if he could wait. He nodded his head and I headed inside to the rental office. As I stepped through the door, the manager held her finger up to me as she finished talking to someone on the phone. When she finished her conversation, she got out of her chair and introduced herself.

“I’m Tina, the manager of these apartments.”

I extended my hand. “Hi, Claire Montgomery. I’m the one who called about the one-bedroom apartment for rent.”

“Ah
, yes, Miss Montgomery, follow me.”

I followed the long
-legged vixen up the stairs to the second floor. We walked down the long hallway until we reached 5B. Tina inserted the key in the lock, opened the door, and I stepped inside and looked around. The walls throughout were painted beige and the carpet looked brand new. The kitchen was an L-shape with a breakfast bar. The living room was spacious with two floor-to-ceiling windows. I walked down the short hallway to a half bath and across was the one bedroom with a private bath off to the side. Overall, the apartment was perfect and I didn’t hesitate to let Tina know that I wanted it.

“Good choice
, Claire. I know you’ll love it here. Let’s go down to my office and fill out the paperwork.”

She told me I could move
in that day, but I needed to buy some furniture first. I told her that I’d move in over the weekend. Just as we were leaving the apartment, and she was locking the door, a guy across the hall was leaving his apartment. He locked his door, said hi, and gave me a friendly smile. I would be lying if I said it was no big deal. This guy was gorgeous and he had a smile that would make any girl’s heart flutter. Just what I needed, a hot guy living across the hall from me.

I stepped outside
to the cab that was pulled up at the curb. I thanked him for waiting and asked him to take me to the closest furniture store. Once we arrived, I got out my money and paid him my cab fare. I told him it was okay to go and that I’d call another cab when I was ready to leave. I walked into Furniture for You and, instantly, a saleswoman approached me.

“Welcome to Furniture for You. W
hat can I show you?”

I smiled.
“I’m just looking right now, but if I need any help, I will let you know,” I said as I squinted to see her name on her nametag. “Rose.”

She nodded
her head and walked away with a smile, but I could tell she was irritated. The first place I wanted to start was in the living room section. Instantly, I fell in love with a leather sofa in red and the matching chaise lounge. I found the perfect square coffee table and end table that complimented the style of the sofa. I searched the store for Rose because now I needed her help. As I was walking through the dining section, my heart stopped for a brief moment when I saw her talking to the guy that lived across the hall from me.
This was pure coincidence, right?
She walked away for a brief moment and he turned to examine a dining table I was pretty sure he had just bought. Okay, no big deal, I needed a dining room set too, so I walked over in that area to look at the sets. I caught him out of the corner of my eye, staring at me. I could feel it. I looked up as he walked towards me.

“H
i. Are we going to be neighbors?” He smiled shyly with his hands in his jean pockets.

“Hi. Y
eah, I guess so.”

I felt like an idiot and didn’t know what else to say.
I had to think quickly.

“A
re you buying some furniture for your place?”

He smiled and my heart fluttered. Ok
ay, this is not right; my heart shouldn’t be fluttering. He took his hands out of his pocket.

“Y
eah, I bought this table and chair set over here,” he said as he motioned for me to follow him.

I
nodded my head as I ran my hand across the wood. “Nice set. Good taste.” I smiled.

“I take it you’re furniture shopping as well?”

“Yeah, I just moved here, and I don’t have one piece of furniture.”

I
prayed he wouldn’t ask me where I had moved from. He didn’t. Rose walked up and handed him his credit card, receipt, and shook his hand. He smiled politely and thanked her for her help. I could tell she was smitten with him, the way she kept eyeing him up and down.

“Good bye
, neighbor. If you need anything, you know where I live.” He laughed lightly.

“Bye.
” I smiled as I gave him a small wave.

Rose
lightly touched my arm. “Do you know him?”

“Nope.
I rented the apartment across the hall from him, but I haven’t moved in yet.”

“He’s so freaking hot an
d it seemed like he was into me. I have his number on the sales receipt. Maybe I’ll call him and ask him out.”

She was acting like a
schoolgirl with a crush and she had to be at least ten years older than he was. I needed her to focus her attention on me and the furniture I wanted to purchase. I bit my bottom lip and was ready to break the poor woman’s heart. “Umm, Rose? He’s gay.”

“Ugh, seriously?” she asked as she slouched her shoulders.

“Yeah. The manager of the building I’m moving into told me.”

She looked
like I had just killed her cat or something, but I thought the amount of money I was going to spend and the commission she’d make off it would cheer her up. I picked out everything I needed: the dining set, TV, living room set, bedroom set, and a few lamps. I was right; Rose was very pleased at her sale. As I was about to walk out of the store, I pulled my phone from my purse and saw I had a new voicemail message. I typed in my password and listened to it.

“Clai
re, it’s Zoey. Mom told me what you did, and I can’t believe you would just take off like that without any consideration for your family. Things never change, do they? Mom and Dad are really upset, and you need to call them. At least do that. Talk to you later.”

I rolled my eyes as I walked out the
doors of the furniture store.
What the hell did she mean ‘things never change’?
I stopped as soon as my feet hit the sidewalk, for there was my new neighbor leaning up against his car with his arms folded.

“Umm, hi,” I said shyly.

He gave me that shy smile and looked down. “Hi. I promise you I’m not a stalker.”

Something inside told me he was harmless, but a girl can never be too careful.

“Okay, now that we’ve established you’re not a stalker, may I ask why you’re waiting out here?” I asked as I bit down on my bottom lip.

He sh
ifted his body against the car. “When I left my apartment, I saw a cab at the curb and figured it was for you, so when I saw you here, and no cab, I thought I could maybe save you some money and give you a ride, since we’re going to be neighbors and all.”

Not only was he sexy to look at, but he was even sexier when he talked. There was
a shyness about him that I found appealing.
Oh my God, what is wrong with me?
I’d only been in Seattle a few hours and some guy was already offering to give me a ride.

“It’s ok
ay. I’ll just call a cab.”

“I understand. N
ew city, strange guy offering you a ride. I get it and, to be honest, I’m glad you said no because that means you’re cautious and you should be.”

Something about the way he
said that was very sweet and comforting.

“I’ll see you
around the building,” he said as he walked around to the driver’s side and opened the door.

I didn’t want him to leave.
Shit. What the fuck is the matter with me?

“Hey, if you don’t mind
, I could use a ride to my hotel.” The words escaped my lips and he smiled.

He walked over to the
passenger’s side and opened the door, motioning for me to get in.
Oh God, what was I doing?
His black Volvo was almost as sexy as he was. He got into the car, fastened his seatbelt, and held out his hand.

“I’m Sam.
Sam Snow.”

I ex
tended my hand until it met his. “I’m Claire Montgomery, and it’s nice to meet you, Sam Snow.” I smiled.

Instantly
, when our hands touched, a flash of light went off in my head. I pulled my hand away and held my head with both hands, looking down and breathing heavy. The pain was unbearable. My mind was flashing images of me shaking someone’s hand in a car. I couldn’t see their face, only their hand.

“Claire, are you ok
ay?” Sam yelled.