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Steffan, Steffan, Steffan, her mind cried out happily as his lips took possession of her heart, body, and soul. This kiss was eye-opening and life-changing. She’d found her home and it was this man’s arms, not a location. All she knew was she never, ever wanted to leave.
The front door banged open.
Hattie yanked away, looking at the man and woman staring at them from the doorframe. A tall, handsome prince, obviously Steffan’s brother, and a beautiful dark-haired lady with warm, brown eyes.
“What in the Sam Hill is happening here?” the woman demanded, delight filling her eyes and her Southern accent strong. “Y’all are eating my delicious leftovers, making a mess of my kitchen, and then smooching against my countertop?”
Hattie tried to pull away, but Steffan hadn’t even looked around at his brother and sister-in-law. He was fully focused on her. “This is to be continued,” he said softly, his blue eyes sincere.
Hattie wanted to continue kissing and being close and falling for him.
But reality crashed into her. Hard.
Steffan wasn’t her home. He wasn’t hers at all. After they finally met Franz at four a.m., she’d go on her way. A different direction than she’d been going, but it didn’t include Augustine. How would they ‘continue’ anything?
She didn’t have the heart to admit that right now.
“Happily,” she told him.
A slow grin spread over his face. He straightened away from her, turned, and put his arm around her waist.
She was sunk.
“Curt, Aliya, allow me to introduce Hattie Ballard, the most incredible woman I’ve ever met.” He focused on her. “She was in a paragliding accident and then a man stole her money, passport, even her clothing, and she has never once given up or even complained. She simply keeps dealing with everything with a positive attitude while putting a smile on my face.” The adoring gaze he bestowed on her said he meant every word. “Hattie, this is my brother and sister-in-law. We’re interrupting their honeymoon, but they’ll forgive us once they get to know you.”
Hattie’s heart rate picked up. Was he for real? He saw more in her than anybody except her own parents had.
“Whoo-ee,” Aliya said, fanning her face and winking at her princely husband, who looked amused. “That is the sweetest introduction I have ever heard. Well, stop keeping her all to yourself. If you’re going to interrupt our honeymoon, let us get to know this beautiful and incredible lady.”
Hattie smiled, but her heart raced. She always did well in social situations, but she had an odd fear of letting Steffan and his brother and sister-in-law down. She wanted to be as incredible as he claimed and continue to make him smile. To be a woman who would make her parents proud, worthy of a man like him. She wanted to never leave his side, but the fact was she wasn’t an equal to him or worthy of him.
Like an old farmer from home used to say, “You can wish in one hand and crap in the other and see which one fills up first.”
She had to learn how to deal with leaving Steffan, because wishing for a different future than she already knew was set in stone wouldn’t change anything. All she’d end up with was a crap-load of heartache—and she’d already had enough heartache to last a lifetime.
Chapter Ten
Steffan had known Hattie and Aliya would hit it off. Hattie’s southern accent started manifesting itself stronger the longer the two women chatted. He appreciated seeing that side of her. He’d happily view any side of this intriguing and beautiful woman. He’d been far too transparent today and had hardly thought about the hospital and the responsibilities that were usually his focus. Hattie consumed his attention. He had never seen himself as the type of guy who could fall hard and fast in an extreme situation, but he’d never been in an extreme situation with the likes of Hattie Ballard.
Even if he hadn’t known Hattie was a billionaire heiress, it was obvious she came from an insane amount of money. But she didn’t ‘put on airs,’ as Aliya would say.
The money barrier didn’t bother either of the women. Hattie and Aliya chatted while Curt and Aliya ate fajitas, and then they all cleaned up lunch. They chatted as the four of them played one of Aliya’s made-up card games, Baseball. They chatted as they all went to see what Curt was building in the shop and on a short hike to Aliya’s favorite waterfall, where they all rappelled down with Curt taking care of all the details. They chatted as they all made a pasta dinner, ate, cleaned up, and played a different card game.
Soon Aliya and Curt knew everything about Hattie almost dying in a paraglider, Franz and his weird demands, and some of Hattie’s intriguing travel stories. Whenever Hattie tried to turn the conversation back on Aliya and Curt, which she attempted often, Aliya would give a brief answer and then exclaim, “No, ma’am. Don’t try to be a good conversationalist. We are not talking about us boring old married folk. We want to hear all about you!”
Steffan agreed. He didn’t know if he’d ever hear enough about Hattie or tire of being around her. She couldn’t really leave him once they dealt with Franz. Could she?
That was the only thing Aliya could not understand—why Hattie would have to leave the country. When Hattie told her it was a story she couldn’t share, Aliya took that in stride and moved on. His vivacious sister-in-law finally told Hattie about the ‘terrifying but romantic tale’ of how she and Curt met, then she surprised Steffan by confiding in Hattie all about their nation’s ‘curse’ and how she and Curt searched often for the elusive and fabled cure, both hoping it wasn’t a far-fetched tale.
Curt did give Steffan a look when Hattie refused to share about why she had to leave the country, but Steffan couldn’t share Hattie’s secrets. If only he could prove that Treven had killed Jane in cold blood and Hattie was being framed. Maybe he and Jensen could. What good was being royalty if you couldn’t keep your dream woman in your country?
They went on another walk after dinner, a slow meander along some trails. Steffan enjoyed being outside in the cool mountain air, holding Hattie’s hand, and listening to the two women talk and talk and talk. They flowed from one subject to another so quickly it was almost comical, and then one of them would say, ‘Oh, and I had another thought on …’ and they’d return to that topic or story or discussion. It made him laugh, and he could see Curt was enjoying it as well. They both tried to include him and Curt in the conversation, but neither of the brothers minded listening. With only one sister, Steffan had never really glimpsed this kind of female interaction.
He wouldn’t mind getting Hattie alone again, but she and Aliya becoming ‘faster friends than a one-legged man in a butt-kicking competition’ made him as happy as Aliya’s strange sayings that rarely made sense.
He was only slightly concerned about how everyone was doing at the hospital, which shocked him. Normally on a day away, he’d call to check in several times. He didn’t have service on his phone, but he could use Curt’s satellite phone. He easily pushed that idea away. Tomorrow would be soon enough to check in, and the staff was more than competent. He and his brothers liked to tease Ray that ‘the wheels of Augustine don’t rotate without the General’s permission,’ but he understood Ray’s obsession with protecting everyone as it was similar to his obsession to make certain his hospital offered the best healthcare available.
Tonight, he could take a break and be here for Hattie. Barring a national crisis or fast-spreading pandemic, he wouldn’t let himself get distracted. He only had so many hours to focus on Hattie, and they were winding down faster than Aliya’s quick tongue.
