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“General Ray has relaxed?”
“A bit. There’s good security at my hospital. Ray can’t control Derek in America doing Ninja Warrior or Malik wandering all over Europe dating beautiful women and accumulating degrees he’ll never use. Though they both have bodyguards following them.”
Prince Malik. She’d seen him at parties but had kept her distance knowing he was an Augustine prince. Now here she was, not wanting this Augustine prince to leave. “So you and all of your brothers are these accomplished phenoms, except for Malik?”
“I don’t know about accomplished phenoms.”
“Don’t discount my compliment.”
He laughed, then moved past it. “Malik’s impressive in his own way. None of us know what makes him tick, but he’s smart and well-rounded.” His voice quieted. “He’s struggled a lot since Mum died.”
“It sounds like you all have.”
“Yeah.”
The car got too quiet. Hattie could relate to struggling a lot. She was also relieved he wasn’t questioning her ‘unfulfilled life.’ She was not a fan of introspection, and being in Augustine, thinking about Jane and all the guilt and angst of Jensen helping her again was pushing her over the edge.
They pulled into the mountainous village of Bad Ragaz, lights twinkling in the dark, and drove up to the spectacular Grand Resort within minutes. Steffan slid his sunglasses back on, even though it was dark.
“Home sweet home,” he teased, smiling at her.
She wondered what his home was like, and she suddenly missed her own home in Texas. It was often difficult to stay there, surrounded by memories of her parents, but she loved the memories. Now Jensen’s warning sounded in her head. Her nomad lifestyle may have protected her from the Rindlesbachers tracking her down.
“The Grand Resort is a few square feet smaller than my home in Texas.”
He chuckled and waved off the valet who rushed up to his door. “I’ll have to come visit you in Texas sometime.”
Her eyes widened and her stomach did a happy dance. “You’d be welcome. Just check if I’m around before you make the trek.”
“I imagine you’re rarely there.”
“You imagine right.”
His gaze was on hers. Dang those glasses. She wanted to see his blue eyes. “I have a hard time being at the castle often,” he said. “Too many memories of my mum around every corner.”
He did understand.
Silence ticked by. She was loath to leave him, but it was probably time. She reached for her door handle. “Well, I guess …”
“This isn’t goodbye.” Steffan put his hand over hers.
Hattie’s heart ceased remembering how to function. This wasn’t goodbye? He didn’t want to leave her? Heat flushed her body, and her heart took off at a gallop.
“I can’t strut into the lobby and have somebody recognize me,” Steffan continued, “but why don’t you go finagle a key to the penthouse and ask them for a garage key too? Tell them you don’t like the valet messing with your luxury car. Come back out and we’ll park in the garage. I’ll walk you to your suite and make sure everything is okay before I leave. I am your doctor and responsible for your care, after all.”
He gave her a winning smile, but she deflated. He was being a gentleman and a health care professional, not telling her ‘it wasn’t goodbye’ because he’d fallen hard and fast for her and maybe wanted to be her adventure partner for a few months and see if something developed between them.
Silly. She didn’t need some prince whose country had revoked her visitation rights to be falling for her, and she didn’t need to be falling for him. She had plenty of friends and handsome men interested in traveling with her.
Because you foot the bill, a voice said in her mind.
That wasn’t true. It was because she was fun and adventurous.
“Perfect. Thank you.” She climbed out, and the valet hurried around as if confused. “My boyfriend is waiting here for me,” she told him.
“Wonderful, ma’am. Wonderful.” His voice was heavily accented, but it was impressive how well the Europeans spoke English. He shut the door behind her and escorted her around the car.
Boyfriend. She’d just called Prince Steffan August her boyfriend. It was just a cover, but it made her heart swell with an odd connection she hadn’t known she was missing. Hattie didn’t have boyfriends. She didn’t do relationships. She had fun and only rarely kissed or hugged a man she might think was impressive.
