Jennifer Taylor - Gina's Little Secret

Gina took a deep breath as the lift came to a halt. Whatever she and Marco had had was over. What she needed to focus on now was Lily—the one good thing to have come out of the whole terrible experience. So long as Lily was safe and happy, nothing else mattered.

If he had hoped that talking to Gina would set his mind at rest, Marco was disappointed. He spent the night thinking about what he had learned or, more importantly, what he hadn’t. He sensed that Gina was keeping something from him and had no idea how he could find out what it was. Maybe he should wait until his memory returned of its own accord and go from there?

He sighed. He had no idea how long it would be before he could remember everything that had happened and he wasn’t sure if he could wait. It was obvious that Gina wasn’t going to tell him anything else, so if he was to find out what she was keeping from him then he would have to start digging for the information himself. And to do that, he needed to get out of here. When Steven Pierce arrived shortly after eight a.m. Marco could barely contain his impatience.

‘Good morning, Dr Andretti. How are you feeling today?’ Steven enquired as he lifted Marco’s chart off the end of the bed. The night staff had gone off duty by then and there was another nurse with him who introduced herself as Sister Thomas. Marco found himself wishing that it was Gina standing there, Gina with her soothing voice, her gentle manner, her beautiful smile. The world always seemed a much nicer place when Gina was around.

The thought slid into his head and he knew that it had occurred to him before. There was a familiarity about it that resonated deep inside him. Marco took a quick breath, feeling little waves of panic rippling along his veins. Gina had meant something to him in the past, something more than he would have expected if they’d had a casual affair. And the fact that any woman could have had this effect on him after Francesca stunned him.

‘Dr Andretti?’

‘Scusi.’ Marco hurriedly marshalled his thoughts when he realised that Steven was waiting for him to answer. ‘I am feeling a lot better this morning, thank you.’

‘Good. That’s what we like to hear, isn’t it, Sister?’

‘Indeed, Doctor.’

Marco tried not to wince when the woman spoke. She had a particularly irritating voice, rather nasal and high-pitched, completely different from Gina’s low, sweet tones … He stamped down hard on that thought, forcing himself to concentrate as Steven asked him a series of questions aimed, Marco suspected, at checking how much of his memory had returned.

‘That’s excellent,’ the registrar concluded. ‘You obviously recall a lot more today than you did yesterday. Most people suffering from retrograde amnesia find that the gap in their memory continues to shrink over a period of time. I’m hoping that is what will happen with you.’

‘Do you have any idea how long it will be before I remember everything?’ Marco demanded. Maybe he would feel easier if he knew that in a week’s time, say, he would remember all about him and Gina. What was so frustrating was the fact that he had no idea when the details of their relationship would come back to him.

‘Sadly, that’s a question I can’t answer. It could be hours or it could be months.’ Steven’s tone was sombre. ‘To be perfectly frank, Dr Andretti, your memory might never come back completely. It’s one of the hardest things anyone who has suffered from amnesia has to live with, the feeling that there may be something he or she can’t remember. All I can advise you to do is to take it one step at a time and see what happens.’

Marco knew that it was good advice, advice he, himself, would have given a patient. However, it was very different being on the receiving end. ‘Surely there is something you can do to speed up the process!’

‘I’m afraid not.’ Steven looked a little taken aback by his vehemence. ‘Rest and relaxation are what will help most at the moment. That’s why I’ve arranged for you to be transferred to a private room. You should find it more peaceful there.’

‘No.’ Marco shook his head. ‘I have no intention of remaining here. I feel perfectly fine, quite well enough to leave.’

‘Oh, I really don’t think that is a good idea,’ Steven began, but Marco held up his hand.

‘I have made my decision. Physically, I am fit enough to leave, do you agree?’

‘Well, yes,’ Steven conceded.

‘ Bene . So the only problem I have is my inability to remember everything that has happened in the past and as you have just told me, Dr Pierce, there is no knowing how long it will be before that issue resolves itself.’ He shrugged. ‘I cannot remain here indefinitely.’

‘I appreciate that, Dr Andretti. However, a couple more days could make a huge difference,’ Steven insisted. ‘With rest and relaxation, maybe some counselling, we could achieve a real breakthrough.’

‘I can rest at my hotel,’ Marco assured him, knowing the younger man had his best interests at heart. That thought reminded him of what Gina had said and he knew that no matter what else happened, he had to get to the bottom of this mystery. If he and Gina had been more than simply lovers, he needed to know!

The thought sent a rush of heat coursing through him and he cleared his throat, stunned by the speed of his response. Although Gina was a beautiful woman, he had met other equally beautiful women over the past few years and had never reacted this strongly. What was it about her that seemed to touch him on so many levels? he wondered. He had no idea but he couldn’t deny that she affected him deeply.

‘I appreciate your concern, Dr Pierce, but I assure you that I know what I’m doing,’ he said, forcing himself to focus on the issue at hand. ‘I shall leave this morning and go to my hotel.’

‘Do you remember where you’re staying?’ Steven put in quickly.

Marco named the hotel and smiled wryly. ‘I stay there whenever I’m in London, as I recall.’

‘I see.’ Steven looked resigned. ‘Obviously, I can’t keep you here against your will, but I do hope you’ll be sensible, Dr Andretti. If you experience any problems, please get in touch with us immediately.’

‘I shall.’ Marco smiled as he held out his hand. ‘Thank you for everything. You have been extremely kind.’

‘Just doing my job,’ Steven assured him, shaking hands.

Marco didn’t waste a single moment after the other man left. He drew the curtains around the bed and got dressed. His clothes looked decidedly worse for wear but as he didn’t have anything else, he put them on. He had no idea what had happened to his luggage. It was probably still in the back of the hire car, but that was the least of his worries. How long would it be before he remembered what had happened between him and Gina? A day? A week? A month? A year?

He shook his head. He couldn’t wait that long. He had to persuade her to tell him the truth, but it wasn’t going to be easy. All he could do was try to gain her trust—if he could. Something warned him that getting Gina to trust him was going to be an uphill struggle.

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