He was just finishing up with a patient when his phone rang. Looking down at the screen, he excused himself and went into his office to take the call.
"Hey, Caleb, how's it going, man?"
"I'm good, Ty. I think I've found the perfect horse for you. Do you have some time to come look?"
"Yeah, I can meet you at the rodeo grounds in, say, an hour, if that works for you." Ty hung up the phone and smiled to himself. He was looking forward to seeing his old friend again.
Amy was sitting at the breakfast table when Grandpa came in.
"Morning, Amy. How're you doing this morning?" He poured himself a cup of coffee.
"I'm good, Grandpa. Looking forward to our ride this morning."
Jack smiled; he and Amy were going to ride up to the high country to check on the herd. They headed out to the barn, tacking up the horses and getting ready to ride out when Lisa called from the house. Jack rode over to meet his wife, who was standing in the driveway. She handed him a sack and thermos and patted his knee, telling him to be careful.
Amy smiled at the two of them. They made such a cute pair. She was happy for her Grandpa. He'd been alone for many years after her grandma's death, and it was nice to see him happy again. Lisa was good for him; being much younger than Jack, she kept him young.
Sighing, she hoped she would find someone to spend her life with. The accident had taken away a lot of her memories of the past several years. She couldn't remember if there was someone special in her life at one time. If there had been, he must not have been the one, deserting her when the going got tough.
Her mind wandered to the picture hidden in her room. Who was this Dr. Ty Borden, and why did she have a picture of him? Jack's voice brought her back to the present.
"I'm ready, Grandpa, if you are." She kicked Spartan into an easy trot and headed for the hills. They rode in silence, just enjoying the scenery and the sunshine. They reached the river and Jack let Buddy stop for a drink. Amy loosened her reins, letting Spartan follow suit.
"Should be up to the high pasture in another hour," Jack said, looking at the sun and its position in the sky. "We can eat lunch then, if that's okay with you?" He looked over at his granddaughter.
"Sounds good to me, Grandpa." She pulled Spartan's head up and started off again.
When they reached the high country, it was just after noon. Finding some trees for shade, they dismounted and ate the lunch Lisa had packed for them.
Sitting quietly, Amy turned toward Jack. "Grandpa, has Dr. Borden been to Heartland before?"
Jack took a swallow, thinking how he should respond to her question without lying. "Yes, he has Amy. Why do you ask?" He watched her face.
"Oh, no reason. He just seems familiar, like I should know him."
"You did, before the accident. You don't remember him?" He didn't want to push her.
"No, not really. It's just that there's something about him." Amy looked up to see Grandpa watching her intently. "What? It's not like that, Grandpa." She blushed, knowing what he was thinking.
Jack just smiled, not saying anymore. One thing was for sure: he wanted Ty and Amy happy again.
They finished their lunch and rode out to check the herd, counting all the cows and new calves and checking to make sure there were no injuries. The sun was getting low in the sky as they made their way back to Heartland.
As they untacked the horses, Jack thanked Amy for going with him. He'd enjoyed their time together and was optimistic about the conversation they'd had. Maybe Ty's idea was going to work after all.
….
Ty sat watching Caleb unload the horse from his trailer. He was a nice dark bay. Wait—he knew this horse.
Walking over to him, the horse nuzzled his head into Ty's chest. "Harley! How're you doing, old buddy?"
Caleb smiled as his best friend and his horse reconnected. "Nice to see the two of you still remember each other." He grinned from ear to ear.
"How did you know where he was, Caleb?"
"I never let him go. I figured you'd want him back at some point, so I kept him. Besides, he's a good horse and I didn't want to see him go to just anyone."
Ty shook Caleb's hand. "Thanks, man; I really appreciate that."
"Hey, no problem. I'm just glad you're back, and by the looks of it, so is Harley."
They both laughed as Harley nuzzled Ty, looking for the treats he knew Ty had hidden on him.
Ty and Caleb talked for a while about when they could move forward with his plan. He had a day off coming, so they decided that would be the best time to put phase two in action.
The bar was packed, the music loud and the smoke thick. It brought back memories of younger days, when he and Caleb would drink and play pool. They grabbed a couple of beers and found a table, catching up on each other's lives.
Back at the hotel, Ty had a tough time sleeping that night. Seeing Caleb and Harley again brought back so many memories: the time he'd spent at Heartland, spending time with Amy and learning how to break a horse. Those were his memories now; Amy had lost them. But maybe, just maybe, he could help her get them back.
Amy's night was no better. His green eyes plagued her dreams. What was it about Dr. Ty Borden and his green eyes that unsettled her?
The morning sun shone through the bedroom window way too early for her. The lack of sleep made her want to hide beneath the covers. But there were chores to do and horses to feed, so she gave in and got up.
Making her way out to the barn, she noticed a truck sitting in the driveway. It wasn't one that she recognized.
"Hey, who are you and what are you doing with our horses?" Amy yelled.
"Ah, morning, Amy." He looked at her bewildered face. "Sorry, I thought I would help you out with the chores, but I can stop." His big smile was teasing.
"Who the hell are you, and why would you help with the chores?" She didn't give him time to answer. "I think you should leave before I call the RCMP." Her tone was stern and threatening.
Jack came into the barn just then. "What's the problem? Why are you going to call the police?" He looked around. "Hey, Caleb, what are you doing here?"
Caleb let out a sigh; at least someone recognized him. "Hey, Jack; good to see you. I was in the area, so I thought I would stop and say hi." He looked a bit confused.
Jack turned to Amy. "This is Caleb; he used to be our ranch hand years ago. He travels the rodeo circuit and owns his own stock business. Remember?"
Amy gave him a strange look. "No, but you do look kind of familiar. There are still pieces of the puzzle that haven't come back yet. Sorry, Caleb, is it?" She rubbed her temples.
"No problem, Amy. It's amazing to see you're awake and recovering. I'm really glad you're back." He smiled at her.
She laughed. "Thanks. It's been difficult, but I'm managing." She wondered how Caleb fit into her past.
Amy walked into the office to check her schedule for the day, and Caleb followed her.
"Is there something you need, Caleb?" She looked up at him.
"Well, yeah, I was wondering if you had some time to go with me to check out a couple horses."
She shook her head. "I don't know; I don't even know you." She looked at Grandpa for guidance.
"Amy, it's okay. I know you don't remember him, but I trust Caleb to take care of you and bring you home safe. Besides, it'll give you two some time to talk and get reacquainted. Maybe it'll even help you put some of the pieces of your puzzle, as you call it, back together."
"Okay, I guess it can't hurt, as long as you're okay with it."
Jack smiled, hugging his granddaughter. "It'll be fine, Amy. Go have some fun."
As they made their way to the sale, Amy's mind wandered. She liked Caleb, but she didn't get the idea that they were anything more than friends. She wanted to ask but didn't know how to put it to him. Finally, thinking that honesty was the best policy, she just flat-out asked. "Caleb, were we just friends, or was there more to our relationship?"
He laughed, making Amy feel foolish for asking. "Sorry, Amy; I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. We are friends. Yes, we dated for a short time, but I didn't stand a chance against—" He let the sentence drop, remembering he wasn't supposed to mention Ty's name.
Amy picked up on his hesitation. "Chance against who?" She looked at him with raised eyebrows.
"Ok, we're here. Wow, it looks like a big sale. We'd better get a move on, or I won't have the opportunity to bid—that is, of course, if you approve of the horses I have my eye on." His smile was a little unnerving.
Amy got out of the truck, walking to the front and looking around. She had a feeling she'd been to a horse sale before; maybe Mom had taken her when she was young. Not sure what to expect, she stayed close to Caleb's side.
They walked down the aisles of pens, stopping to stare at a few prospects. She wasn't too impressed with any of the ones Caleb pointed out until they came to a pen with a bay. He was a nice-looking horse; he was muscled out and had a really nice disposition.
She stood looking him over when he walked up behind her. "Nice horse, isn't he?" he asked, looking at the horse and not her. Amy turned to see Dr. Borden standing beside her.
"Hi," she said, a slight smile on her face, feeling somewhat relieved that there was another person there she sort of knew.
He turned his gaze to her, his green eyes focusing in on hers. "Hi, Amy; nice to see you again. What brings you here today?" His smile showed his dimples.
Amy couldn't speak, her mind flashing back to another sale, when she was much younger. She had the overwhelming sensation that he'd been at that very sale with her. She was a little unsteady on her feet, grabbing his arm to steady herself, but the bolt of electricity that shot through her almost put her on the ground.
"Whoa! Are you okay?" Ty asked, his arms wrapping around her waist to hold her steady while his eyes filled with concern.
Amy closed her eyes, breaking the connection. She took a couple of deep breaths to regain her composure. What the hell just happened?
"Ah, yeah. Thank you," she said, not looking directly at him but feeling the effects of his body so close to hers. His hands were still holding her waist.
His smile returned as he released his hold on her but watched her closely. Turning his eyes back to the horse in the pen, he made the comment that he'd brought the horse, and his name was Harley.
Amy staggered again as the memory of so long ago forced its way back into her mind. Ty grabbed her again, half carrying her over to a chair. He helped her sit and motioned for someone to get a bottle of water.
Amy's head was spinning. She tried hard to understand the flash of memories that had her lightheaded and dizzy. She couldn't place them—only that they were when she was much younger, and her beloved Spartan was involved. Why did she have the feeling that Ty—Dr. Borden—was there? Had she known him when they were kids?
Caleb came sprinting over, kneeling to hand her a bottle of water. "Amy, you okay?" He looked at Ty with a questioning stare.
She turned to look at Caleb, not sure of who he was either. Her brain couldn't clear the fog and make a connection to either man. What was wrong with her? Suddenly things started to fade to black.
Ty caught her as her body slumped over. He held her tight, worried that he'd been the cause of this. Maybe he had pushed too hard; she was obviously unable to cope with the memories that were flooding her mind.
Ty picked her up, carrying her outside, hoping maybe the fresh air would revive her. Caleb followed close behind. They spread a blanket out in the back of his truck, Ty laying her limp body down carefully. His eyes were moist and full of concern. What had he done?
"Amy! Amy. Please wake up. I'm so sorry." He held her hand as Caleb reached for his phone.
Jack met them at the hospital, telling them to take her there. The doctor came out to the waiting room, sitting down to talk with Jack and Ty.
"Amy's traumatic brain injury can and probably will result in problems with many skills, including memory, learning, speed of processing information, judgment, and attention or concentration. From what I understand and have been told by you, Amy has no memory of Ty. Correct?"
Both shook their heads. Ty looked down at his hands. "This was my idea, doctor. I was hoping I could help her recover some of those memories she lost, but it appears as though I've made it worst."
"Ty, don't blame yourself for this. It was bound to happen at some point. Something would have caused her to remember, and the reaction would be basically the same. Her brain just needs time to process information, and for whatever reason, it was a bit over whelming for her."
"So, what does that mean, doctor?" Jack asked.
"Amy should be fine. The MRI looks good, no signs of any trauma. However, you need to be honest with her. She needs to know that the memory's she is recalling are real. Help her sort them out."
Ty looked up. "When can we see her?" His eyes full of concern.
"You can see her now. She is awake and has been asking for you, Ty."
His heart leaped to his throat, did she remember him? His legs shook as he stood and followed the doctor back to see her.
Thank you for all the reviews, I really appreciate them. FYI: This will be the last chapter update until after Christmas. I hope you all enjoy the holidays.