Chapter 45

Goldie had thought that things would be different when she got back to town. A part of her had imagined her parents, she had imagined them together, quietly handling their grief and trying to live their lives without her in it. But the thought that her parents were getting a divorce made her even more worse than she had felt, and the weight of that revelation hung heavily upon her heart.

She didn't see the specialist, she had made up an excuse to Remy when she got back to the hotel. She told him that her appointment was canceled. She didn't know if he saw through her lie or not, but Remy, being the supportive partner that he was, suggested a dinner date to lighten her spirits before they left the town. She had hesitated at first, bringing excuses that she didn't pack anything good to wear but the idea of some distraction and good company sounded appealing. Remy gave her his credit card and told her to go buy something that she could wear. She wanted to refuse, but he knew her too well, the thought of shopping alone was enough to convince her.

So before their dinner date, Goldie decided to go dress shopping. She hoped that finding the perfect outfit would boost her mood, because shopping was always one of the only things that helped improve her mood. She entered a boutique in the Oak Creek mall, browsing through racks of dresses in search of something that would make her feel special. As she carefully examined each dress, her mind drifted back to the heart-wrenching news of her parents' impending divorce. Where did it all go eying?!

She wondered how her mother would be feeling, even worse, she wondered how Nana would be taking her death. She wished that they would recognize her when she saw them, so they would know that she was alive, that they didn't need to mourn her anymore.

Just as she was about to pick a dress, she noticed a mysterious woman nearby, her face hidden behind a rack of dresses. The woman's gaze was fixed on her, and she looked shocked, as if she had seen a ghost. She approached her hesitantly and called out, "Valentina Combe?"

Goldie was taken aback. This was the first time someone had approached her and called her Valentina and from her understanding, Valentina didn't live in Oak Creek, so how would anybody in Oak Creek possibly know Valentina?

Confused, she replied, "Hello, do I know you from somewhere or anything?"

The mysterious woman's eyes widened, she looked at her in confusion and she stammered, "You Valentina you don't remember me?"

Before Goldie could inquire further or ask the woman who she was, the woman ran off, disappearing into the bustling crowd of the mall.

Goldie stood there, bewildered and intrigued. Who was Valentina to this woman and why had this woman look so shocked to see her? The encounter left her with more questions than answers. She quickly purchased the dress she had chosen and hurried back to meet Remy, her mind still racing with curiosity.

......

Goldie dressed up for dinner. It was a black dress, small and simple. She had managed to do a little bit of makeup too, Remy was waiting for her at the hotel lobby when she was done dressing up.

"That is a beautiful dress." Remy commented as she walked towards him. Goldie smiled coyly as she did a little twirl for him.

Remy couldn't take his eyes off her.

"You look stunning." he breathed and she smiled again, enjoying his compliments.

"And I'm glad that you ditched the T-shirts this time."

She said as she looked at him, not missing how fitted his clothes looked on him.

He had also dressed up, he looked like a man right out of a GQ magazine, he wore dark grey pants and a blue long sleeved shirt that was tucked neatly into his pants. Even his hair was perfect, it was shiny and lustrous and Goldie noticed that it looked like he might have gotten a trim recently.

"So, where exactly are we going?" She asked and he shrugged.

"I can't remember the name, but they make really good Italian food and they're one of the best restaurants in town, so let's give it a try."

She nodded.

"I like pasta, so I hope the food will be good."

"It will, I looked up their reviews. I'm sure we'll have a swell time."

He smiled warmly at her as they walked hand in hand to the car and drove to the restaurant .

The restaurant was warm, cozy and it had a really dark ambiance. It's soft lighting and great music made the atmosphere perfect for a memorable night. Goldie already felt instantly at ease in the restaurant, her stress slowly ebbing away as she beheld the restaurant and her nostrils got filled with the smell of good food.

As they sat across from each other, sipping the wine given to them as they looked at their menu , Remy couldn't help but steal glances at her, his heart pounding widely in his chest. He took a deep breath and finally found the courage to speak the words that he had been struggling to say all day.

"Valentina," he began, his voice trembling slightly. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you."

Goldie looked into Remy's eyes, her curiosity piqued. "What is it, Remy?"

"These last few day I spend with you, it's been the happiest i've been with you in a long time and I cannot deny how much I've come to care about you."

He continued, "I think in a way, you losing your memories has brought us closer than we've ever been, it made me feel the mating bond between us strongly and I think I'm falling for you, Valentina. Your smile, your laughter, everything about you and I just can't stop thinking about you, even when you do stupid things like running away."

Goldie felt a mixture of emotions flood over her, she couldn't help but hide her surprise at Remy's words. She shifted nervously in her seat. She couldn't deny that she cared deeply for Remy, but there was a lot that she hadn't shared with him. There was a lot she wasn't telling him and she wondered how he would feel if he ever found out about them. If he would ever even be able to look at her if he knew she was someone else. She sighed, her gaze dropping to her wine.

"Remy, I need to tell you something, something that bothers me a lot."

Remy's brow furrowed in concern. "What is it, Valentina?"

Taking a deep breath, she looked up. "I know I'm a different person ever since I lost my memories, all everybody has done is point it out. And while I desperately want to get them back to grasp who I truly am, I am scared that when they come back, I might be back to my former self."

"And I wouldn't want to hurt you when I'm back to that, I wouldn't want to do anything to make you sad."

Remy reached across the table and gently took her hand in his. "I know I've thought about that every day. How it scares me to think about what would happen when you finally recover your memories."

"But I want you to know that you're not alone in this. We'll face whatever comes together. And as for your memories, when they come back, we'll deal with that. We'll deal with all of that together."

Tears welled up in her eyes. She felt guilty, she felt dishonest. She shouldn't lie to him, but she had no other option. "Thank you, Remy."

Remy leaned closer, his heart pounding as he whispered, "Let's not worry about the past or the future right now. Let's just cherish the moment and enjoy the time we have together."

Goldie nodded.

Yes. That was what she would do.

While the thought of Valentina lingered in her mind, she would push it back in the meantime and enjoy her time with Remy.

She liked Remy.

She liked him a lot and she couldn't deny it to herself.

Whatever time they had together, she would cherish it. She would spend it with him.

And more importantly, she would give him a chance.

Maybe this was life's way of giving her a second chance. A second chance at love.

A chance to finally experience love with someone she liked and she was falling for.

She would take the chance.

Remington Albrecht was worth it.

Dinner ended an hour later, the two of them made way back to their hotel. They had a good time. Not good, they had a swell time. It had done well to lift her moods, despite everything else still lingering in the back of her mind.

"Thank you for a good time tonight. It means more to me than you know."

She murmured as she stood in front of their hotel room.

Remy smirked.

"And I'll thank you for the wonderful company. Did I tell you that you looked absolutely gorgeous tonight?"

Goldie rolled her eyes.

"Many times."

She murmured as she looked away, his eyes were on her face and she felt hot all over. The way he was looking at her with those seductive amber eyes, she couldn't take it.

Their faces drew nearer, and without hesitation

Goldie's breath hitched, Remy's eyes lingered on her lips. Goldie bit her lips nervously and that was his undoing.