Losing the Ice (Ice Series #2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

be okay for you to play a little.” I pointed my thumb at the baby grand. “You’ve been getting a lot of rest. You could play something easy like… I don’t know… ‘Over the Rainbow?’”
    I gave him a coy smile. It was tradition that Josh played the song, one of my favorites, every Thursday night.
    “Why would I play that?” His brow furrowed.
    A cold chill raced down my spine. Oh my God. He doesn’t remember.
    “You… you don’t…” I sputtered quietly.
    His face cracked into a sly grin. “You thought I had amnesia.”
    I gaped at him and shoved his leg with my foot under the table. “Don’t joke about stuff like that!”
    “Sorry, sorry.” He held up his hands.
    I supposed I should be thankful he was joking around. Maybe that meant he was feeling more like himself. Playing the piano would only help that even more.
    “Now that you’re done scaring the crap out of me, are you gonna play my song or what?” I said.
    He wiped his mouth on his napkin and pushed back his chair. I followed him over to the piano and stood beside it as he sat on the bench. He cracked his knuckles and gazed at the keys for a minute before setting his fingers on them. But he still didn’t play. He picked up his hands and shifted them, continuing to stare at the keys. A tiny vee had formed above his nose.
    Is he messing with me again?
    He pulled his hands back but kept his eyes on the piano. “I can’t… I can’t remember it.”
    The dazed look on his face told me he wasn’t kidding. Was this normal after a concussion? I’d read about short-term memory issues, but Josh hadn’t shown signs of any type of memory loss so far.
    “Maybe you just need help getting started. The sheet music is in the bench—”
    “I don’t need the sheet music,” he barked. “I’ve played this song fifty thousand times.”
    I took a step back from the piano. Josh never raised his voice to me. He never raised his voice to anyone except his mom and sister when they were being ugly to me. I didn’t know how to respond, so I went with a calm approach, which I thought might help.
    “Do you want to try another song?” I asked.
    He raked his fingers roughly through his hair. “I’m looking at the keys, and I don’t even know where to start.”
    My heart rate had become elevated with worry, but I didn’t want Josh to know this was freaking me out, too. I had to be the voice of reason because he was in full-blown panic mode.
    “You probably just need a little more time. You’re still recovering.” I tentatively approached him and put my hand on his arm. “Let’s go finish our dinner.”
    “I’ve lost my appetite,” he said.
    If I’d thought he looked down before, it was nothing compared to how glum he looked now. I moved behind him and circled my arms around his shoulders, giving him a warm hug, and I leaned over so we were cheek to cheek.
    “This is just temporary,” I said softly.
    It has to be, right?
    He didn’t appear to be getting up from his spot, so I slowly pulled away and went back to the table to clear our dishes. I’d lost my appetite, too.
    When I returned from the kitchen, Josh had taken his usual seat at the long bar. At least one thing had gone back to normal. I tied a black apron over my black pants and got to work behind the bar, preparing it for the dinner crowd.
    I kept a close eye on Josh as I worked. He still looked pretty dazed as he sipped his water. I was glad when the doors opened for business and Mrs. Cassar arrived shortly after. Her sense of humor could bring anyone out of a funk.
    She left her umbrella by the door and perched on the stool next to Josh’s. I snatched the bottle of merlot and had Mrs. Cassar’s glass filled before she got settled.
    “Thank you, Dear,” she said and gave Josh a long look. “Are you feeling okay? You look pale.”
    He rested his arms on the bar and pinched the bridge of his nose. “My brain’s not feeling so hot.”
    Mrs. Cassar’s gray eyes swung to me with