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She smiled as she put a Band-aid on a little boy who had accepted his malaria vaccine with a tough grin. “You’re as brave as an island facing a storm,” she told him, though he didn’t understand her language. She loved saying things like that, things like Steffan had said to her.
Standing to stretch, she smiled at the next small girl in line.
Her eyes lifted at an unfamiliar sight. Standing behind the child was a very large man. A very handsome man. A very princely man. The man she’d been thinking about and missing for the past two weeks.
“Steffan?” she whispered.
He grinned. His blue eyes swept over her. “There’s my brave, independent, and irresistibly beautiful Hattie.”
He looked irresistible in a short-sleeved white shirt and gray chinos. His dark skin and hair were a great contrast to the light material. His face was handsome as ever, but it was his blue, blue eyes she’d really missed.
Hattie pushed her ponytail over her shoulder and pulled off her gloves, pressing the back of her hand to her shiny, sweaty forehead.
She looked a mess. She’d looked a mess every time she’d seen him. He was a handsome prince and he’d never seen her dolled up like a princess as she could easily be. He didn’t even seem to care.
“Sadie,” she squeaked. “I need to go on break.”
“Everything all right?” Sadie laughed as she came around the partition. Her eyes widened. “Prince Steffan.”
“Shh.” He put a finger to his lips. “Trying to stay incognito.”
It was impossible for him to stay incognito. He was too regally beautiful.
“Luckily, none of these people speak English,” Sadie said. “Or have TikTok.”
“It’s wonderful to meet you, Sadie,” Steffan said. “I’d shake your hand, but I know how it is to have to wash up again. I met your husband Wolf. Fabulous guy.” He gestured back to the sign-in table of sorts. Wolf lifted a hand, grinning. “He said you might have need of a doctor’s assistance.”
“Steffan?” Hattie whispered. She was going to faint.
As if sensing her need for him and for some support, he hurried to her and wrapped her up in his arms. “We’ll be back.” He tilted his head toward the forest and some privacy.
“Take your time. We’ll be here,” Sadie called.
Hattie didn’t care where Steffan took her. It turned out working with Sadie and helping people was more satisfying than visiting the seven wonders of the world, but here in Steffan’s arms was the home she’d longed and searched for, even before meeting him. They walked slowly to the forest. When they were alone, he turned to her.
“There’s so much I need to say, but …” He bent and kissed her.
Hattie flung her arms around his neck and kissed him back with gusto. When they had to draw in oxygen, she stared into his blue eyes. “You look so good.”
“You look amazing. I loved watching you interact with the children. They adore you.”
“How long have you been watching?”
“A while.”
“A metric while or standard while?” she teased.
“Metric, of course. We Europeans are civilized, after all. I could have watched for a kilo-while, as you’re not very observant.”
“Obviously. I’ve been framed for murder twice now.”
That took some of the happiness from the moment.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“Well, Curt and Aliya called me out. She said I looked like crap warmed over in a microwave, not even an oven.” He grinned, and she couldn’t have cared less that she was a murderer twice over and dead as well. He was here. “Interestingly enough, I called Curt out before he went to declare his love to Aliya in Georgia.”
“I remember that story.”
