“I’ll make it up to you.”
“How?”
He grinned. “I’ll let you curate a collection for our wedding?”
Winding her arms around his neck, she grinned. “I’ll hold you to it.”
Epilogue
Everyone joked that Shekinah’s sneaking in a few fertility statues to the romance collection that Katie curated for the week-long wedding celebration was the reason that she got her first grandchild, but Liyah informed everyone that she was already pregnant by the time Katie and Khalid’s wedding took place. The whole family was ecstatic.
After the worst of the morning sickness waned, Liyah insisted on resuming her library work and travels, and Asad stuck to her like glue. In fact, he surprised everyone when he let his sister take over some of his duties. He joked that it kept her out of trouble since she had no one left to practice her matchmaking on, and it did seem to make her happy. She proved to be just as skilled at business as she was at meddling in love.
The gallery was prospering and growing and kept Katie so busy that she was surprised to see Liyah return from their latest trip, complaining of having swallowed a watermelon. Whole. Where had the time gone?
When Liyah went into labor, Asad refused to stay on the sidelines. Much to everyone’s surprise, he demanded to be in the room. Of course, when he got to be too controlling, Shekinah and Amira kicked him out. Temporarily. There was no way they’d have been able to keep him away.
After four hours of labor, Liyah gave birth to a beautiful and healthy boy. Exhausted, Katie and Mila headed back to the waiting room where Rashid and Khalid were waiting.
Khalid immediately wrapped his arms around Katie and pulled her close. “You’re amazing,” he whispered as he kissed the top of her head.
Chuckling, she pulled back and propped her head against his chest. “Me? I’m not the one who just pushed out a baby! Are you excited to be an uncle?”
“I’ve already got a set of paintbrushes to give him,” he admitted.
“Paintbrushes?” Rashid scoffed. “He’s going to be a world-class football player!”
Mila rolled her eyes. “Maybe he’ll be a football-playing painter?”
“A painting football player? What nonsense are you two cooking up?” Asad boomed as he threw open the doors. “My son is going to be a brilliant man of business!” Pride was written all over his face as he crooked his finger and beckoned to them. “Come and see!”
Khalid kept his hands firmly around Katie’s waist as they filed down the hallway. The past eight months had been surreal for her. The gallery had expanded, and it was so popular with the public that it almost ran on ticket sales alone, but the donations hadn’t dropped off, either. They were able to fund scholarships for young artists in Dubai and blend local color with historical masterpieces. Other galleries were following suit.
Katie worked as the head curator, but she also oversaw two other curators in the gallery. Khalid took more of a backseat to continue his own love for painting, but they still butted heads when it came to business. Still, no matter how much they argued at work, they never brought it home with them.
He was an amazing husband. In fact, her whole new family was overwhelmingly supportive.
When her father hadn’t show up to the wedding, Sahaar had walked her down the aisle and given her away, and for the first time ever, she felt like she belonged.
Entering Liyah’s room, the sudden hush of the others’ babble brought Katie’s thoughts back to the present moment. She felt an absurd urge to tiptoe as she approached the bed.
Liyah was beautiful as she held her baby, and Asad was immediately at her side. Their eyes were glued to the bundle in her arms.
Khalid stood close behind her, and his hands crept to her stomach. “I want one of those someday,” he murmured in her ear.
“Me, too,” she admitted as she covered his hand with hers. In that moment, safe in her husband’s arms and surrounded by the people who loved her, she’d never felt happier.
End of The Sheikh’s Stubborn Assistant