Adriana nestled her cheek against the warmth and sighed. The touch felt so right and the caress so comforting.
“Come back to me. Please?” a voice said, full of love.
She leaned into the sound and tried not to mind the hot seat against her legs or the stuffy scent of plastic and exhaust. She was uncomfortable, but the warm hand against her cheek felt so nice.
“Adriana. Are you awake?”
She opened her eyes. A man knelt on the sidewalk outside the car where she sat. The fog clouding her mind cleared.
“Michael?” She touched his face. “Is this really you?”
He chuckled with relief. “Last I checked.”
A sob escaped, catching her by surprise. “I can’t believe it.”
She spread her fingers across his brows, cheeks, and jaw, verifying the contours of his face then pulled him in for a kiss. Like cool water down a parched throat, she drank him in.
“Adriana,” he whispered and pulled away.
“Hmm?”
“What’s going on?”
She shook her head and pulled him in for another kiss.
He stopped her with his hand. “I’m serious. I saw how you were with your husband. And how you were with me in the store, treating me like a stranger, as if nothing…” He shook his head in frustration. “And now this? Help me understand, Adriana. Tell me what the hell is going on.”
She recoiled, shaken by his vehemence.
He took a steadying breath. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you, but I really need to know.”
She fought back the tears. Of course he needed to know, so did she, but Adriana had no idea what was going on. She looked around the strange little car and back out the open door to Michael.
“It’s like a dream. Or a nightmare. I’m not sure which. But it hasn’t felt real, you know?” She squeezed his hand. “Not like this.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I know. I’m not making sense.” Did she really have to say the words? “I forgot.” She kissed his hand. “I don’t know how, but I forgot all about you.”
She held her breath and waited for him to forgive her, to say he understood, that everything would be okay.
He pulled his hand out of hers. “So that’s it then.”
“No. That’s not what I meant. I love you, more than I can even explain.”
He stood. “You’re killing me.”
She got up out of the car. “Michael, please.”
“What, Adriana? What do you want from me? You think I didn’t try to forget you too? Because I did. Believe me, I tried. And guess what? It didn’t work.”
“But you were home, not here in Brazil.”
“What difference does that make?”
“Things happen here.” She cupped his face in her hands. “I don’t know why I forgot you. But I know, with all my heart, I didn’t want to.”
He slid her fingers off his face, clasped her hands together, and let them go. “I’m sorry, Adriana. That’s not good enough for me.”
He handed her the garment bag and closed the passenger side door. Then he walked into the street, slid into his car, and drove away.