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Even when they entered the emergency department he couldn’t be himself. He walked around, pointing to equipment, suggesting upgrades, suggesting rearranging the trauma room. Several of the members of staff shot him strange looks. Uncomfortable looks. No one questioned him about making suggestions. They all just nodded meekly.
For a few minutes he wished he were back in the clinic in Temur Sapora.
Somewhere he was no longer a prince.
It was different here. Even walking through a department seemed to cause an ‘atmosphere’. Something Philippe was becoming more and more aware of.
‘What’s wrong?’ Arissa was in front of him, her wide brown eyes showing a hint of concern. ‘Are you okay?’
He gave himself a shake, trying to smooth out the edges he knew he was exposing. ‘I’m fine. Just...there’s a lot to think about. A lot I’ll need to change.’
She nodded. ‘This is a huge job, Philippe.’ She gave him a soft smile. ‘But remember, you’ve got a lifetime to change all this. Start small. Start manageable.’
He ran his hands through his hair. ‘Like we talked about?’
She nodded. ‘You know you want to start with maternity services. Look at your minimum care standards. Look at your population. How many births do you have? Think about numbers. How can you make this realistic? Recruit obstetricians. Recruit midwives. Recruit lab staff for the extra blood work, sonographers for the baby scans. It ties in with the implementation of the safe haven project.’
He knew it all made sense. But he couldn’t help but say something else. He’d seen how much she’d thrived in this environment today. ‘What about paediatrics? We don’t have any specialists like you. We don’t have anyone who specialises in paediatric haematology.’ Enthusiasm was brimming over in him.
She tilted her head to the side. ‘No. But you can include something like that in plans for the future. Tackle maternity services. Then, in a few years, think about children’s services.’
He lowered his voice. ‘But if I started with paediatrics instead, I could offer you a job. I could get you to stay.’
She blinked. Shock written all over her face. It was clear he had blindsided her.
It was selfish. It was entirely selfish. It was ridiculous. But he couldn’t shake the horrible dark cloud at the back of his head that kept whispering to him that soon she would be gone.
But Arissa stepped right up to him, looking him straight in the face with those big brown eyes. It was almost as if she could read his mind sometimes.
‘Philippe,’ she said quietly, with the hint of a smile on her lips. ‘I love that you’re thinking about me—in amongst the world of things you already have to do.’
She shook her head. ‘But we both know how important it is that you get this right. You need to take a bit of time to consider everything. Probably write up a business plan. Discuss it with the other members of your committee and decide what is actually feasible.’ She licked her lips and gave him a soft smile. ‘And not let yourself be influenced by a girl who kissed you in a dark maze at night.’
Darn it. He wanted to kiss her again. She was right—and she was sensible enough to know that, even though he’d said the words out loud, it had only been a flash of an idea. Not anything tangible. At least not right now.
He hated that part.
She held up her hands. ‘Maybe, in a few years—’ she winked ‘—we can talk again. You could consider children’s services in Corinez.’
She wasn’t saying no. His heart gave a leap in his chest.
He slid his hand into hers as pieces in his brain slotted into place. She gave the briefest start of surprise, looking down at their joined hands. Maybe she hadn’t expected him to show his affection in public. Before, they’d really been at arm’s length while outside the palace. But he couldn’t pretend that he wanted to be at arm’s length from Arissa.
He could also see the way that everyone who’d come into contact with them had reacted to her.
After a few minutes in her company and listening to her intelligent conversation, the staff and directors of the hospital had looked at her with interest and respect. She seemed to be able to bring out the best in people. She knew how to engage. She knew how to act. And she knew how to listen—one of the biggest skills of a doctor.
Her manner was calm but enthusiastic. She was certainly at home within a hospital environment; it was almost like watching her bloom and grow. Whoever the hospital was in London that had let her slip through their fingers—they were clearly fools.
By the time they’d made their way back to the main entrance of the hospital the sky was beginning to grow dark and they’d stayed there more than three hours longer than originally had been planned.
Philippe gave a grateful smile to the staff that had accompanied them. Not one of them had complained. His own personal secretary had only made a few occasional glances at his watch and disappeared at one point to make a call to obviously reschedule something or another. It was as if everyone was as enthusiastic as he was. Most were full of some sort of ideas—even if they didn’t really know where to start.
It seemed that most of the people who worked within the healthcare system in Corinez were ready for change. More than that—they were embracing it. If he could capture what was in the air right now and bottle it things might actually change. And Arissa was a big part of this. She made him stop to consider ways to make it bite-sized and manageable. That was what he needed right now. It was as if she knew him better than he knew himself.
As they slid into the car that had pulled up outside for them he turned to face her.
But before he even had a chance to say a word she leaned across the car and put her head on his shoulder. ‘Oh, my goodness, I’m exhausted. It feels like being at the end of a twenty-four-hour shift.’ Her hand moved and rested against his chest. Her fingers gave a few anxious drums against his chest wall. ‘What do you think? Will you be able to make some plans?’
He stared down at the dark curls directly under his nose as the aroma from her orange shampoo drifted up around him. He couldn’t help but inhale. So much of today had been good. So much of the last couple of weeks had made his brain spin.
But the one thing that seemed entirely certain was the warmth and weight of the woman currently lying halfway across him. Their breaths were rising and falling in unison. He liked that. He liked that they seemed so in sync.
Last night it had seemed as if she was trying to take a step back. A step away from him and the life that he was designated to live. Now, he felt in perfect harmony.
‘Oh, yes,’ he said quietly. ‘I hope to be able to make some plans.’
He breathed in slowly. ‘Arissa?’ He asked the question quietly, conscious that she already had her eyes half closed.
‘Hmm?’ She raised her head, her eyelids still mainly closed.
‘There’s something I’d like to ask you to do.’
This time her eyes opened a bit further. ‘What?’ she asked sleepily.
He smiled. ‘There’s something on at the palace in a few days. A ball—of sorts.’
She sat up with a confused expression on her face. ‘But...’
He held up his hands. ‘This isn’t a normal royal ball. This one has no publicity, no press. It’s just for my mother’s oldest friends and family. We can go together and dance, and have fun. Nothing to worry about. You can...’ he touched her cheek ‘...keep your head below the parapet.’ He spoke carefully. ‘Would you come with me, Arissa?’
She sat a little straighter. ‘No press. No publicity. Only your mother’s friends?’
He nodded. ‘I have to admit my mother has a few friends. There will be a few other members of royal families across Europe.’
‘But no press?’ she asked again.
He smiled at her. ‘No press. You get to have the fun of attending a ball with free-f
lowing champagne, a small orchestra, and a world of canapés.’
She wrinkled her nose and looked down at her black suit. ‘I didn’t exactly bring any kind of ball gown with me. In fact, I don’t own any kind of ball gown.’
