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Hattie had no idea that Treven Rindlesbacher was going to murder Jane. He’d asked Hattie to set him up with her sweetheart of a friend, then he’d stabbed Jane and laughed and taunted Hattie about it. The scum had knocked her out, disappeared, and she’d been left holding the knife and the bloody corpse. She and Jane’s dream vacation to the incredible kingdom of Augustine had gone very wrong. Treven had been arrested as an accomplice to murder and was thankfully still in prison. But Jensen had acted like his family was every bit as evil.
She truly owed Detective Jensen everything. She’d be rotting in a prison cell wrongly accused if it wasn’t for his help. But she sure didn’t want to see him again.
“I, um …” She stared into those beautiful blue princely eyes and tried to think how to lie best. If she told him who she was, would Detective Jensen come running and would Treven’s family or friends find her? How had the policeman covered for her, why had he covered for her, and would he do it again? If she didn’t tell the doc who she was, how in the heck would she get out of here?
“I don’t remember my name,” she squeaked.
“You don’t remember your own name?” His brow squiggled, and he shook his head. “Amnesia. The Versed they gave you to sedate you earlier today could be contributing to that. We’ll let the medicine work its way out of your system and hopefully you get your memories back quickly. You are the second gorgeous female tourist with amnesia this month, and the last one married my brother Curt.” He grinned. “Crazy.”
Crazy was right. But he had called her gorgeous. That was a point in her favor.
Hattie, she berated herself.No flirting with or being attracted to the doctor prince. Get through his stupid scans and sneak out of this hospital as fast as possible!
Could she steal a phone to call Sadie and Wolf to come rescue her? What was Sadie’s phone number? Shoot! What about her lawyers or any of the many friends who owed her favors? She didn’t memorize anybody’s numbers. She just had them in her phone.
“I’m sorry.” His voice and look were so kind she almost felt bad for lying to him and even worse that she couldn’t flirt with him. “I’m sure it’s extremely frustrating to not remember, but you had an unfortunate meeting with a flock of pine trees while you were paragliding.”
“Oh,” she managed. She remembered that ‘flock of pine trees’ and that stupid paraglide. She’d never get in one of those contraptions again. She forced a smile. “That sounds unpleasant.”
“I’m sure it was. Maybe you’ll be glad you can’t remember the accident. A farmer saw you crash and got you help. Medevac got to you quick, but you fought them and they had to sedate you. You must be some fighter.”
“You have no idea, Doc.” She was feistier than most people she knew, but she didn’t want to fight with him. She did need to escape from him though. It was disappointing but necessary.
He chuckled. “Let’s get through the scan, rule out any spinal cord damage or brain injury, then we’ll get you comfortable and see if we can’t help your memory return. Okay?”
“Perfect. Thank you, Doc.” Thankfully he didn’t know her and had bought her lie of not remembering who she was. She wasn’t acting like herself; she was being far too nice. Accommodating, almost like she was Sadie. She would never dream of thanking a doctor for being in a hospital, strapped to an uncomfortable board, without her I.D., her credit cards, her status as a female billionaire, her favorite lip gloss, and in danger of Detective Jensen Allendale finding her again. The country of Augustine, had its own legal system and royals that were above reproach and insanely wealthy, or so she’d heard. She doubted any of them would take a bribe or bow to her superior money.
“Of course.” He looked up at the nurse who’d been waiting patiently. Hattie imagined most women would wait patiently for anything this doctor prince wanted. His accent alone was worth lying on this uncomfortable bed. “Mark her as Jane Doe until we figure out who she is.”
‘Figure out who she is’? Oh, no. No, no, no. Nobody was figuring out who she was. As soon as she got out of these straps and nobody was looking, she was out of here. She was resourceful—when she wasn’t half-sedated and strapped to a board. Usually she was rich, well-liked, generous, and powerful. Until she found Franz and her money and credit cards or a computer or phone so she could Google contact info for her personal bankers, financial advisors, and investment gurus, she’d have to rely on her charm and brain. She probably looked awful enough nobody would recognize her.
“Are you all right if we call you Jane?” Dr. Steffan turned those dang blue eyes on her again. She wanted to lick her lips and bat her eyelashes, but … Jane? No way. Her heart raced and her palms got clammy. Poor, poor Jane.
“No, please. Any other name.”
He smiled. “You’re right. Jane is too basic for you. How about Alexandria or Isabelle or Celestia or … Angelica? I like that one. You look like an angel to me.”
Hattie’s eyes widened. Was this handsome prince flirting with her, and while he was her doc? She had to look horrible. Maybe he was simply a benevolent and complimentary person.
“I’ve always wanted to be angelic, but I don’t think I am,” she admitted. Why had she just admitted that to him? She’d always been the ‘sassy one’ or the ‘feisty one’ where Sadie had been the kind, angelic, spiritual, inspiring, perfect… She could go on listing positive descriptors of her saintly cousin all day. She’d never been jealous of Sadie, and she’d always clung to her feisty nature and loads of money and power like a protective shield, but she had secretly wished she was like her beautiful sweetheart of a cousin and best friend.
“I’m sure you are. Angelic, but a little sassy as well.” He put his hand on her arm. Warmth and happiness traced through her from his simple touch and the way he perceived her. Maybe this amnesia idea wasn’t half bad. She could remake herself. Angelic and sassy? She liked it.
“Let’s go with Angelica then.” They exchanged … a look. Hattie felt a pull toward this man she’d never experienced before. She would’ve floated if she wasn’t strapped to the bed.
“Dr. Steffan?” the nurse questioned.
The connection between them broke, and he stood. “Thank you, Keri. Let me know when you finish the CT scan.”
“Of course, Dr. Steffan.”
Hattie had completely forgotten the nurse was standing there. In her defense, she was in a very weird position strapped to this bed and the woman was to the side of her head and hadn’t said much.
The doctor prince nodded to Hattie. He looked like he wanted to say something but seemed to catch himself. He turned and strode off.
Hattie watched him walk around the curtain, noting his regal bearing and hating that he had to leave. She heard a sigh and looked up. The nurse was scrutinizing his departing backside as well.
The nurse glanced down and gave her a guilty smile. “Sorry. He’s just so hot.”
