Love By The Book by Dara England Read Free Book Online

company.
    “Miss Hurst, I’m glad you’ve returned. I was afraid you wouldn’t.” The faint irony in his tone suggested he knew full well what had driven me away in such a hurry.
    “I said I’d be back, didn’t I?” Nervousness made me defensive. What was wrong with me?
    “I really just dropped by to apologize for yesterday,” I continued stiffly. “I realized after I left maybe I was a little rushed on my way out. And I was worried I might have come off as kind of skeptical about your, um, problem.” I still couldn’t quite bring myself to acknowledge his amnesia story. “Anyway, I hope I wasn’t too rude and that I didn’t offend you or anything.”
    “I assure you I wasn’t in the least offended, Miss Hurst,” he said, surprising me with a self-deprecating smile. “The truth is, I completely understand how you might find my condition difficult to believe. It’s an unlikely situation.”
    Although he spoke about himself, I couldn’t help but be aware of the way he flicked his gaze up and down me. I felt instantly self-conscious, wishing I had given more care to dressing this morning. My khaki colored cropped ankle pants and slender black belt were cute enough, but my beige ruffled tank was last year’s style. It was also a little humid outdoors and I could imagine what that had done to my makeup. Not to mention the wind outside had probably wreaked havoc on my loose hair.
    But if he noted these details, his opinion wasn’t evident. He stepped back and made a welcoming gesture. “Please, step inside. I’d like a chance to speak with you again.”
    I shook my head. “I don’t want to bother you, so I should probably be going.”
    “You won’t be bothering me in the least.” He sounded as if it were all decided. “I’d like some company. And besides you’ve left your packages inside.”
    “It doesn’t matter. It’s nothing important. Just some coffee and doughnuts. I know how foul this hospital food is and I thought you might like a decent breakfast.”
    “That’s perfect then. We’ll have breakfast together.”
    He opened the door wider, and I had no choice but to step inside or look impolite. Anyway, truth to tell, I wasn’t entirely reluctant to spend a little more time in Mystery Man’s company. Whether he was a fraud or the real deal, he fascinated me. And besides, hadn’t I been dying to get some answers about his real identity? Maybe I’d find a chance over breakfast to trip up his amnesia story, if indeed it was false.
    Once I entered the room, he appeared suddenly awkward, the first time I had seen his self-assurance falter. “I apologize for this,” he said abruptly, indicating his outfit. “I don’t usually receive female visitors in this fashion, but the clothing I arrived in seems to have been confiscated by the staff. I haven’t been able to find out what’s become of my things.”
    I swallowed a smile. It must be uncomfortable hosting breakfast with a stranger in what was basically an ugly nightgown and robe. Good. Maybe his embarrassment would put us on a more equal footing.
    “Never mind,” I said, gaining confidence. “You look fine. Let’s just eat.”
    I spotted my packages still resting untouched on the rickety table by the door. The nutty scent of the cappuccino called to me and my stomach began clamoring for some of those blueberry and cream doughnuts.
    “I’ll set things out, okay?” I said, “Where do want to eat?”
    “Out there actually. I’d like a bit of fresh air.”
    “Out where?” I followed his gesture to the room’s single window. It overlooked a pebble-paved courtyard below, with a couple of benches standing beneath some scrawny shade trees.
    “Um,” I said doubtfully. “Are you sure you should be going out? Maybe it’s not allowed.” After all, you were flattened by a car day before yesterday. Shouldn’t you be bedridden or something?
    The eyebrow he arched at me suggested he wasn’t accustomed to debating his decisions,