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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.”
“I’m not blaming you. He’s the ‘doctor prince,’ right?”
“Yeah. He’s so humble, too. He doesn’t like anybody to draw attention to his princely status, though everybody knows who he is.”
“He was very kind.”
“He is that, too.” She sighed longingly again. “All right, let’s get you through this CT scan, Angelica.”
Angelica. Why had she let him settle on that? Despite those old hidden desires, she was so far from an angel it was a joke to think about. Even her parents and her cousin Sadie, who adored her, would tell anybody Hattie was spicy and feisty and the only thing angelic about her was her loyalty to family and friends and her generosity with her vast financial means.
“Yes, let’s do it,” she told the nurse. “The quicker I can get off this hard board, the better.”
The nurse laughed and wheeled her out of the room.
