“Why do you have anything next door?” he asked.
“I was working there earlier.” Still not a lie. “Give me five minutes. I’ll be right back.”
She escaped out the back door, unable to look at the confusion on his face any longer. If she got too far into the truth as to why she had things at the cottage, she’d have to come clean and produce the information his mind wasn’t ready for.
As quickly as she could, she threw a change of clothes into her bag, adding a few essential toiletries. Everything else she’d have to smuggle over a little at a time, provided she stayed at the main house for longer than a few days.
Her biggest concern now was the fact she hadn’t packed pajamas, assuming she’d be living alone. She stared at her pile of silky chemises in various colors. There was no getting around this. She didn’t even have an old T-shirt to throw on for a sleep shirt.
With no other choice, she grabbed the pink one and shoved it in her bag before heading back to the main house. There was no way she could let Luc see her in this chemise, but how could she dodge a man who thought they were engaged? Most likely he assume
d they slept together, too.
Kate froze on the path back to the main house. There was no way she could sleep with Luc. None. If they shared the same bed, she’d be tempted to give in to his advances.
As the moonlight lit her way back, Kate was resigned to the fact that things were about to skyrocket to a whole new level of awkward.
Four
Kate glanced over her shoulder, making sure she was alone as she slipped back out onto the patio to call her mother. There were times in a woman’s life she just needed some motherly advice, and for Kate, that time was now.
“Darling!” Her mother answered on the second ring. “I was just thinking of you.”
“Hey, Mama.” Kate leaned against the rail on the edge of the patio, facing the doorway to make sure Luc didn’t come up behind her and overhear things he shouldn’t. “Are you busy?”
“Never for you. You sound funny. Everything all right?”
Not even close. Kate sighed, shoving her hair behind her ear. “I’m in a bit of a bind and I need your advice.”
“What’s wrong, Katelyn?”
Her mother’s worried tone slid through the line. Kate swallowed back her emotions, because tears wouldn’t fix this problem and they would only get her a snotty nose and red eyes. Not a good look when one was shacking up with one’s sexy boss.
“Luc fell earlier.”
“Oh, honey. Is he okay?”
“Well...he has a good-sized goose egg on his head. And he has temporary amnesia.”
“Amnesia?” her mother repeated, her voice rising an octave. “Katelyn, are you guys coming back to the palace? Do his parents know?”
“I actually called them before I called you. Dr. Couchot was just here and he’s assured us that Luc is okay, no concussion or anything. He isn’t sure when Luc will regain his memory, but he’s confident it’s a short-term condition.”
“I can’t even imagine how scary this must be,” her mother commented. “What can I do to help?”
“Right now Luc and I are staying here as planned,” Kate stated, her eyes darting to the patio doors on the far side of the house. Luc stood there for a moment, looking out at the ocean, before he turned and disappeared. “The doctor said keeping him relaxed and calm is best for now. Luc had wanted to get away, so staying here is still our best option.”
“I agree. So what else has you upset? If the doctor has assured you this is temporary, and you’re staying there as planned, what’s wrong?”
Pulling in a deep breath, Kate blurted out, “He thinks we’re engaged.”
Silence settled over the line. Kate pulled her cell away from her ear to make sure the connection hadn’t been cut.
“Mom?”
“I’m here. I just need to process this,” her mother stated. “Why does he think you’re engaged?”
“He’s only lost the past few months. He knew I was familiar, but at first he couldn’t place me. When I told him my name, he assumed we were engaged. I was worried and didn’t say anything, because I wanted the doctor to look him over. Dr. Couchot said not to feed Luc any information, because giving him pieces of his recent past could mess up his memory even further.”