A Royal Amnesia Scandal(17)

“There’s no set date,” she told him.

That was weird. Once they’d announced their engagement, wouldn’t the proper protocol have been to set a date? “Why not?” he asked. “With my birthday approaching, the throne in question and being a member of a royal family, I’m shocked we don’t have something set.”

Biting on her lip, Kate shrugged. “We can discuss the details in a bit. Can we finalize this schedule first? I’d like to make some calls later, if the cell service is working, to confirm your visit. I also need to let my dad know, so security can be arranged.”

She was dodging his question for a reason. Did she simply not want to discuss things because of his memory loss, or was there something more to it? She’d admitted they’d argued before his fall. Had they been arguing over the wedding? Had they been arguing over...what? Damn it.

Smacking his palm on the table hard enough to make it rattle, Luc cursed, then balled his hands into fists. Kate jumped, taking a step back.

Kate started to step forward, but he held up a hand.

“No,” he ordered. “Don’t say anything. There’s nothing you can do unless you want to tell me everything, which goes against the doctor’s orders.”

The hurt look on her face had him cursing. She was just as much a victim in this as he was.

“Kate, I didn’t mean to lash out at you.”

She shook her head, waving a hand. “It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not.” Closing the gap between them, he pulled her into his arms. “You’ve been here for me, you’ve done so much and I’m taking out my anger and frustrations on you when you’re only trying to protect me.”

Kate wrapped her arms around his waist. “I can handle it, Luc. It’s partially my fault you’re in this position, anyway. If we hadn’t been arguing, if I hadn’t made you so angry you went down to that wet dock, none of this would be happening.”

Luc eased back. “None of this is your fault. At least pieces of my life are finally revealing themselves, and I’m sure it won’t be long before the rest of the puzzle is filled in.”

Kate had sacrificed so much for him. Yet he hadn’t heard her tell him once that she loved him. Luc eased back, looking her in the eyes.

“Why are you marrying me?” he asked, stroking her jawline with his thumbs.

Her body tensed against his as her eyes widened. “What do you mean?”

“Do you love me?” he asked, tipping his head down a touch to hold her gaze.

Instantly, her eyes filled. Kate’s hands came up, framed his face. “More than you’ll ever know,” she whispered.

Relief coursed through him. He didn’t know why, but it was imperative to know her true feelings.

“I want to do something for you.” She placed a light, simple kiss on his lips. “Tonight I’m going to make your favorite dinner. We’re going to have a romantic evening and there will be no talk of the amnesia, the wedding, the work. Tonight will just be about Kate and Luc.”

Wasn’t that the whole point of this getaway? She cleverly circled them back around to the purpose of this trip. One of the many reasons he assumed he’d fallen in love with her. She kept him grounded, kept him on track.

Tugging her closer to him, he nuzzled her neck. “Then I expect one hell of a dessert,” he growled into her ear.





Eleven

She had to tell him. There was no more stalling. The anguish, the rage that was brewing deep within Luc was more than she could bear. No matter what the doctor said, she had to come clean, because Luc getting so torn up had to be more damaging than just learning the truth.

And the truth beyond this whole messed-up situation was that she loved him. She hadn’t lied when he’d asked. Kate had fallen completely in love with Luc and to keep this secret another day just wasn’t acceptable.

She put on her favorite strapless green dress and her gold sandals. With her hair piled atop her head, she added a pair of gold-and-amethyst earrings.

A glance down at her hand had her heart clenching. He’d given her a ring. She wore a ring from a man she loved, yet he truly had no idea who she was.

At this point, she didn’t recognize herself. She’d never been a liar or a manipulator. Yet here she was, doing a bang-up job of both.

Even with the patio doors open, the house smelled amazing with their dinner of fish and veggies baking in the oven. No matter how the evening ended, Kate wanted one last perfect moment with Luc.

Her mother would be relieved that Kate was finally telling the truth. What would Luc’s parents say? Would they insist she be fired? Would they dismiss her parents from their duties as well, as she’d feared all along?

No matter the ramifications, Kate had to do the right thing here.

She headed to the kitchen to check the progress of dinner. When she glanced out toward the ocean, she noticed the darkening skies. Another storm rolling in. How apropos. Hadn’t this entire nightmare started with a storm? For once in her life she wasn’t looking forward to the added turmoil from Mother Nature.

Luc stood on the patio with his phone. Kate had no idea who he was talking to, but whoever it was, their call would be cut off soon due to this crazy weather.

Nerves settled deep in Kate’s stomach. She wanted nothing more than to go back in time and have a redo of the night Luc fell. First of all, she never would’ve argued with him. If he didn’t want to do the orphanage visit, fine. She’d been beating her head against that proverbial wall for nearly a year and he’d never given in. Why had she assumed he’d grow a heart all of a sudden and go?

Of course, now that he was drawing a blank on certain aspects of his life, he seemed to have forgotten how cold he used to be. Kate truly wished this Luc, the one she’d spent the past few days with, the one who had made love to her as if he truly loved her, was the Luc who would emerge after all the dust settled.

The worry eating at her would not help her be strong when she most needed to be. Everything that Luc threw at her would be justified, and right now she just needed to figure out the best way to come clean, because she truly didn’t want to harm him any more than she had to.

After checking the dinner, she pulled the pan from the oven. Once she had their plates made, she started to call him, but realized he was still on the phone. The electricity flickered as rumbles of thunder resounded outside. Kate quickly searched for candles, because inevitably the lights were going to go. Perfect. It seemed Mother Nature was on her side. With the lights off, Kate wouldn’t have to see the hatred on Luc’s face when she told him that everything he knew about her, about them, was a lie.

* * *

“Darling, did you hear what I said?”

Luc concentrated on his mother’s voice, the words she was saying, but something still didn’t fit.

“You said Alana contacted you because she wants to see me,” he repeated slowly, still trying to process all this.

Kate had told him Alana was an ex, but why would she be contacting him if he was engaged to Kate?

“Yes,” his mother confirmed. “She’s called me twice and she’s very adamant that she wants to see you. I’m not going to stick my nose in this—you can respond however you want—but I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

Luc’s eyes locked onto the orange horizon. This view alone was reason enough to buy this property, no matter how many upgrades he wished to have inside. But right now, his head was pounding as if memories were rushing to the surface, waiting to get out all at once.

“Why would she contact you at all?” he asked. Resting one hand on the rail, he clutched the phone with his other, struggling to hear through the static. “Alana is in my past.”

“So you remember her? Good. Then you don’t need me to say how ridiculous this notion is that she can just come back into our lives after the entire baby scandal...”

His mother’s voice cut out, but in the midst of her talking Luc did catch the word baby.

He rubbed his forehead. A flash of a diamond ring, a snippet of Alana in tears saying something about a pregnancy...

“To think she could trick you into marriage simply by saying she’s pregnant was absurd,” his mother went on, oblivious to his inner turmoil. “The timing of you purchasing this getaway house was perfect. Alana has no idea where you are.”

The timing?

Luc spun around, glancing in through the open doors. Beyond the living area was the kitchen, where Kate stood preparing dinner. Instantly, he saw it all. His mother’s single, damning word timing had triggered an avalanche of memories.

Kate was his assistant. No doubt about that, but they weren’t engaged. They were strictly employee-employer, and that had been the extent of their relationship...until just a few days ago.

He felt sick to his stomach as he reached out, seeking the edge of a wrought-iron chair. He needed support, and right now all he could call upon was an inanimate object.

“Alana has no place in this family, Lucas.”

Luc swallowed, his eyes remaining locked on Kate. Obviously, he’d been played by two women in his life—two women he’d trusted and let in intimately—on so many levels.

No wonder she was always so hesitant to let him in on his past. Kate’s silence probably had little to do with the doctor’s warnings and everything to do with her own agenda.