Max flips the phone shut and places it on the kitchen island. It’s almost exactly forty-eight hours since the accident and the hospital have agreed that Hudson is fit enough to return to the resort.

“What’s the plan, then?” I ask Max. He looks exhausted. He spent most of the first twenty-four hours with Hudson at the hospital, then swapped places with Bryce last night. I had wanted to go with Bryce, but Max insisted it was better I stayed here. Although he didn’t say it, I know it was because Hudson hadn’t wanted me there. I am a stranger to him now, after all.

He downs the rest of his coffee and looks at me apologetically. “Bryce is travelling back with Hudson now.”

“He’s been discharged?”

“Yes. They’re confident he’ll be okay.”

“Thank God for that.”

Catching my eye, Max sighs. “Louisa, we’ve decided to head home early. We’ve got a flight booked direct from Krabi to Heathrow early tomorrow morning. We’ve bought you a ticket too, but if you want to stay behind with Nisha and Calum for the next two weeks, you’re more than welcome to. This was supposed to be your holiday… I’m sorry,” he says, resting his hands against the worksurface and dropping his head.

I step down from the stool and put my arm around his shoulders. “There’s no way I’m staying here. Of course I’m coming home with you.”

He lifts his head and gives me a shaky smile. “We just want to get Hudson checked out by our own doctor. They said he’s safe to fly, that the physical side is okay. It’s just the other stuff…”

Max straightens up and looks at me. He’s trying to hide it, but I know he’s worried Hudson’s memories won’t come back.

“By other stuff, you mean his memory loss. There’s been no change then?”

Max shakes his head. “Bryce said he still can’t remember the last few months. I’m sorry, Louisa.”

I swallow down the nausea I feel and grit my teeth. “I thought that would be the case. It’s okay, I’ll deal with it.”

Max grips my hand. “We’ll deal with it together.”

I nod tightly. “I’m going to pack, then take a walk to the shore. Will you come get me when they arrive?”

“Sure thing, Icy,” he says, letting my hand slip from his.

I head into my bedroom and start to pack, feeling like my world is spinning away from me. Even though it’s beautiful here there is absolutely no way I am staying behind. Something tells me that not returning home with them would be a mistake. It doesn’t take me long to fold everything away in my suitcase. I zip it up and place it on the floor, then head out onto the sand. The sky is turning a beautiful dusky pink as the sun lowers towards the horizon. I appreciate the way mother nature has the ability to paint her own landscape. No man-made colours are more stunning or alive than what I see before me, yet this beautiful place will forever be tainted now with the crimson shade of Hudson’s blood and the lacklustre colour of his eyes when he had no clue who I was.

The sea water is still lukewarm, the heat of the day lingering in the surf. The humidity of the day is gone and it’s now a comfortable temperature. There are people further along the beach making the most of what has been a gorgeous day. I hear their laughter and I want to scream at them to shut up. Why should they be happy when my world has been turned on its fucking axis.

Standing at the edge of the shore, the sand wet beneath my feet, I contemplate the past couple of days. Four months ago, I was still living with my mum and dealing with the daily abuse she gave me. I’d been a shell of a person. Then I’d met the Freed brothers, and everything had changed. I’d found love, family, a home. Now that was in danger of being ripped out from beneath me. Well, fuck that. Memories or not, Hudson will not push me away. If he thinks for one second that I’m just going to walk away from him, then he doesn’t know me at all. I laugh at the ridiculousness of that, but I suppose that’s the irony, he really doesn’t know me.

“Hey, Icy,” Max says from behind. I circle round, giving him a half smile as he stands beside me, entwining his hand in mine.

“It’s a beautiful sunset, don’t you think,” I say, knowing that there is a conversation about to start, knowing I’m not ready to have it.

“Louisa…” he begins.

I can’t look at him. The tone of his voice tells me he’s about to say something I don’t want to hear. He’s so on edge.

“What is it, Max?” I say eventually.

“There’s something you should know. I couldn’t sleep last night worrying about how I was going to tell you.”

“Tell me what, Max?”

“Hudson is different…”

“I know that. He’s lost his memories,” I say, not wanting to hear what the difference is, knowing I am going to hate finding out what it is.

“It’s not just that. Somehow, the bang to his head has built up those walls around his heart again. I can’t explain it. He’s still the same man, but he’s just less… open. Less warm, I suppose. You brought out the best in him and, somehow, that softer side, it’s gone. The hard edges are back and they fucking hurt when they cut.”

Max looks at me helplessly. He’s worried for me, for Hudson, for what we have together. I can see it written all over his face. I feel that worry too.

“Yesterday, a nurse came in to administer some painkillers. She was… attractive,” Max stalls. I know what’s coming and it makes me feel sick, but I don’t ask Max to stop. Instead, I wait for him to finish.

“He was full on flirting with her. He was behaving how he used to before you came along. It made me fucking mad. I’ve never wanted to hit Hud, but yesterday I was pretty close to doing it. Which is ridiculous, given what’s happened to him. He was such an arsehole, Louisa. It’s like he’s been reset to the person who was intent on hurting himself and others, only ten times worse now. I’ve always loved him, Louisa, but I never realised how much I hated that side of him until I saw it in action again yesterday. I just…” Max looks at me, at the hurt he sees, and pulls me into his arms. “I just don’t want him to hurt you. I don’t want him to push you away. I don’t want to lose you, lose what we have.”

For a moment I can’t respond. I need a second to gather my thoughts. Even though I feel sick inside at the thought of Hudson behaving that way, I know I won’t let it break me, break us. Leaning into Max, I let him hold me as the sea water laps at our feet.

“Say something, Louisa.”

Leaning back, I take Max’s face in my hands and press a kiss against his lips.

“Max, I am going to fight for us, for our family. No matter what it takes, I will get Hudson to remember. I will not run.”

Max kisses me hard, and we stand wrapped in each other’s arms until the sound of someone clearing their throat behind us has us pulling apart.

“I’d like to have a word with my brother, please.”

Max steps back, releasing me from his arms, though he continues to hold my hand.

“Hudson, you’re back,” I say, stepping towards him, forgetting myself for a moment.

He frowns at me. “Bryce is inside with Calum and a woman called Nisha. She says she’s your friend.”

“Yes, she is. She is also Calum’s girlfriend. They’re having a baby together,” I say, knowing it will shock him.

“What the fuck?” Hudson says. “Are you joking?” He is shocked, and this time he doesn’t appear to be very happy about the news. Those must be the hard edges Max was referring to.

“No, I wouldn’t joke about something like that. They’re going to have a baby. Three nights ago, you were over the moon for them.”

Hudson shakes his head in disbelief. I’m not sure what he’s finding hard to grasp the most, the fact that Calum is going to be a father or the fact he had been so happy about it.

“Well, good luck to them, because they’re going to fucking need it.”

I flinch, his remark cutting me deep. Max tenses beside me. I feel his anger coiling, and if I can I’m pretty damn certain Hudson can too.

“They won’t need any luck. Those two adore each other. That baby will be loved… by all of us.”

“They want to talk to you,” Hudson says coolly, avoiding my retort. He crosses his arms against his chest. I can practically see the walls being built as we speak. Hudson isn’t going to make this easy for me, for any of us. Even Max is horrified by Hudson’s cold reaction.

“I don’t mean to be rude,” he begins, becoming a little impatient.

“Funny, that’s exactly how you’re coming across,” Max says. “Just because you’ve had a knock to the head, it doesn’t mean you have free rein to be an arsehole.”

“Max, it’s fine. I want to speak with Nisha anyway. I’ll leave you to it.” I look at Max and he pulls an apologetic face. “See you in a bit?”

“Of course, Icy.”

“Icy?” I hear Hudson mutter underneath his breath. He gives me a strange look.

“Something to say?” I ask.

I let go of Max’s hand and walk towards Hudson, stopping in front of him. He gives me an appraising look. Though his eyes are alight with interest, intrigue perhaps, Max was right, there’s no warmth there. Despite my better judgement, I open my mouth, the words coming out before I have the chance to stop them. “Icy is Max’s nickname for me. I call him Jester, I have for some time now,” I explain.

“Is that so?” he says, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, it is. There’s a reason for the nicknames. One day I hope you’ll remember why.”

“Do you have a nickname for Bryce?”

“Not one I’ve ever shared with him, or anyone else for that matter.”

“Humour me,” he says. I see the challenge in his eyes. I know he has a smart remark just waiting to be released. If he thinks I don’t know that, he’s sorely mistaken. I’ve got a few things I’d like to say myself.

“Man-mountain.”

“Man-mountain? You’ve got to be kidding me, right?” he mocks.

“No, I’m not. He’s well-stacked and I quite enjoy climbing him,” I say with a straight face. “At least there’s no danger I’ll knock myself out and lose my memories with him, though on most occasions I do end up seeing stars.”

Max snorts, covering his amusement with a cough.

“Is that so?” Hudson says, narrowing his eyes at me.

I laugh internally. Hudson may not know me, but I know him very well. In Alpe D’Huez I had started off as a challenge for him. He has pride, and the need to be wanted is still there. It may be an unfair fight, but I’m willing to use all the tools in my arsenal to get him to remember, to get him back.

“What does Bryce call you?” he asks after a moment. Not so interested in getting rid of me now, it would seem.

“Sweetheart, mainly.”

Hudson looks over my shoulder at Max incredulously, then returns his gaze to me. “That doesn’t sound like Bryce. He doesn’t call anyone sweetheart. Although, perhaps that’s an endearment he saves for when he’s fucking.”

“Hudson,” Max warns. “Don’t be a prick.”

Hudson ignores Max and in turn I ignore Hudson’s shitty remark. Talk about personality lobotomy.

He narrows his eyes at me. “Do you have one for me?”

“Actually, I don’t. At least, not yet anyway. I’ve only ever called you Hudson. Perhaps that needs to change? I must admit arsehole is beginning to suit you,” I say, swiping a strand of hair away from my face. His eyes narrow, but he doesn’t bite.

“I’ve been called a lot worse,” he says.

“Don’t you want to know what your nickname is for me?” I ask him.

“I don’t do nicknames or terms of endearment.”

“You sure about that?” I say, looking at him boldly. He’s not getting out of this unscathed. Tonight, I start as I mean to go on. He waits. “Butterfly…” I say, watching for any kind of reaction that might indicate recognition of some kind.

“Butterfly?” He frowns. Max has gone very quiet. Even the sea seems to have stilled. We wait, but nothing. So, I go in for the kill. He will remember, damn it.

“Yes, because of the way I make you feel in here…” I say quietly, pressing my palm against his chest. He stiffens under my touch, but I don’t remove my hand or look away. He studies me, a whole host of emotions passing over his face. None of them are the ones I want to see.

“You may have lost your memories, Hudson, you may have forgotten me, but know this, I am still in here,” I say, pressing my hand more firmly against him. “And I’m not about to give up on us. I am still your butterfly and I’m staying right in there, whether you like it or not.”

He looks at me in shock as I remove my hand and walk across the sand back to the bungalow.

“What the…” Hudson starts.

I hear Max chuckle behind me. “You’ve bitten off more than you can chew with Louisa. She’s quite the woman.”

I smile inwardly. Round one to me.