and they both ordered lasagna. After they began eating, she asked, “How was your day?”
“Busy. A fifty-year-old male patient of mine had his gall bladder removed this morning. His surgeon didn’t want to release him until tomorrow. Though he should do well, I need to know if there are any complications before I go home.”
“Where would our world be without doctors like you? I know my father relies on his. We’re all indebted to him.”
Nico blinked. “What’s wrong with him?”
“A bad heart. These days my brother-in-law Prince Stefano is helping him more and more with the load.”
“I’m sorry he’s not well.”
She sighed. “I am too and shouldn’t have said anything. No one outside the family knows.”
“Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me.”
Fausta finished her coffee. “I believe you.” She’d lost her trust in men four years ago, but somehow she felt she could trust this doctor who took her breath away and had a bedside manner that instilled confidence in his patients.
One dark brow lifted. “Did you find any new benefactors this morning?”
She welcomed the change of subject. “Not today. Maybe tomorrow. Fund-raising takes time, but I had such a wonderful afternoon with the children, I can’t complain about anything.”
“Nor I.”
Suddenly his phone rang and he answered. When he hung up, he said, “I was afraid of this and need to check on my patient now. Tell me something. How do you get home at night?”
“Don’t worry about me. I call for the limo. The driver will pick me up here.”
“I’m sorry I have to go.” He got to his feet and picked up the dog. “Do you work tomorrow?”
Her pulse picked up speed. “Yes. Tuesday through Friday.”
“Unfortunately I have a two day seminar that will prevent me from meeting you. If you’re free Sunday evening, I’d like to see you again.”
“I want that too.” Her swift response thrilled him. “When you come to the palace, drive around to the left entrance and I’ll be there waiting for you. Just name the time.”
“Six thirty?”
“That sounds perfect. Thank you for dinner this evening.”
“I’m the one wanting to thank you for coming with me.” After reaching for the dog, he glanced at her. “I don’t want to leave, but work calls.”
“Don’t apologize. I bet your patient can’t wait to see you walk in his room. I know that’s how I would feel.”
If she didn’t miss her guess, she sensed he would rather stay with her. Heaven help her but she hated that the evening had to end so fast. Sunday sounded so far away.
“I’ll see you soon, Princess. And I’ll make certain Tommaso receives his gift when he comes in for his checkup.”
“Grazie. A presto, dottore.”
NICO LAY AWAKE half the night. He kept seeing the princess’s incredible light blue eyes staring into his, holding him spellbound. The words that she wanted to be with him too haunted him throughout the two days of meetings. But his insecurity over not knowing who his parents were made him feel less worthy of her interest. It was hard for him to believe she wanted to be with him.
The women he dated on occasion didn’t come close to her kind of compassion or understanding, let alone her beauty. She was unique in ways that made him hunger to know her better. Much better.
On Sunday evening he drove to the fifteenth century palace and followed her instructions that led him to the side entrance. She stood outside the doors next to a guard waiting for him, dressed in a wispy blouse and skirt in a heavenly shade of hyacinth.
Her flowery fragrance filled the interior of his car as he helped her inside. Within seconds he drove his car out of the parking area and the estate onto the street.
“Fasten your seat belt, Princess.”
“I will if you’ll do me a favor and start calling me Fausta.”
“You’re sure?”
She let out a gentle laugh he loved hearing. “Since we’re going to be seeing each other more often from now on at the hospital, it sounds too formal. Do you mind if I call you Nico?”
“Do you have to ask?” It didn’t seem possible that they were on a first name basis. Excitement shouldn’t have rippled through him.
“What do you ask the patients to call you? That is if they don’t recognize you.”
“Even if they do, I introduce myself as Fausta, as I did with Tommaso. My full name is Vittoria Eugenia Fausta Rossiano, but I prefer Fausta.”
He filed that information away for future reference and turned onto another boulevard, but the traffic was heavy everywhere. “With your many responsibilities as a princess and fund-raiser, how do you have time to volunteer too?”
She turned to him. “Mamma has always said that charity never fails. By balancing my priorities raising funds for the homeless shelters Lanza is in charge of, I have time to volunteer. I envy my friend Mia for working at the hospital. When she mentioned a new volunteer program being started a few months ago, I jumped at the opportunity to indulge myself if there was an opening.”
“Indulge?” he asked, full of admiration for her willingness to serve.
“Yes. You don’t know how much fun it is to listen to older people talk about their past or read stories to the children when they’re too sick to do anything else but listen. Lanza has an adorable baby boy, Ridolfo. He’s eight months now and I already read to him. As you know, she married Prince Stefano of the Kingdom of Umbriano. Luckily they live here.
“As for my eldest sister, Donetta, she’s married to King Enrico of the country of Vallefiore and is expecting. I’m excited about another niece or nephew coming along.”
He smiled. “I remember reading in the news about their marriages.”
She nodded. “Maybe they’ll have a cute little girl or a boy like Ridolfo or Tommaso.”
“You made his day. I listened while you finished reading to him.”
“I’m the one who loved it. He asked a lot of questions about Pompeii, especially when I told him I’d been there and described some of the things I’d seen. He said he wanted to go there. He’s a bright boy.”
“I agree. In the beginning, did he recognize you as Princess Fausta?”
“If he did, he never let on. Children are wonderful. They don’t set up boundaries.”
Like you have, Barsotti. The fact that he’d even asked the question revealed his amazement that she continued to want to be with him. “I think most every adult has that problem who meets a royal like you.”
“It shouldn’t be that way. From the first time I realized I was born a royal, I fought against it and wanted to be a commoner. Though I can’t change my heritage, I live my life like an ordinary person as much as possible.”
That revelation came as a surprise to him. “Why do you feel that way?”
“You don’t know how difficult it is to grow up not having your father around when you need to talk to him. It’s not natural to have to make appointments to see him. If you want to know the truth, I wouldn’t wish my royal life on anyone.”
“I