The Sheikh’s Instant Family (The Safar Sheikhs 2)

“What’s on your mind?” He dragged his forearm across his forehead as they headed for the doors. He picked up his T-shirt on the way and tugged it over his head.

Vanessa picked at a cuticle as they started their walk down the long hallway. Nervousness invaded her, and suddenly all of her imagined conversation starters disappeared entirely. She had no idea what to say.

“Well…” she began.

Amad slung his arm around her shoulders. “Let’s hear it.”

She swallowed a knot in her throat. She needed to just say it. “I have some news about Calla’s fashion line.”

“Oh, are you the messenger now?” he teased.

“No. It’s…uh…it’s something I’ve been working on.”

Amad straightened, his pace slowing slightly. “Okay.”

“What is the name of the client you would most like to snag in the fashion world?” she asked, her thoughts flowing a bit more freely now. She’d frame this as the incredible gift she’d imagined it, as long as she could lead him to the prize. “The department store you’ve been trying to get?”

“Le Suiz,” Amad said cautiously. He removed his arm from around her shoulders and stopped walking entirely. “Why?”

She turned to face him, unable to hide the excitement that had been brimming just beneath the surface since the phone call. “Why haven’t you been able to get ahold of them?”

Amad shrugged. “They’re one of the most famously selective department stores out there. It takes time and connections. What are you getting at, Vanessa?”

She gripped his arms. “What would you say if I told you I’ve got them on our side?”

Amad blinked. “I don’t follow.”

“I was able to make the connection with Le Suiz. With Marie Frechard.” She searched his face as she shared the big news, practically bursting as the words came out of her. “She’s seriously interested in the maternity line and is in the process of reviewing the clothing to bring Calla’s line on board.”

A stunned silence throbbed between them. Amad’s face had transitioned from blank to confused.

“Excuse me,” he said, “but how did you get Marie Frechard to review the clothes?”

Vanessa drew a fortifying breath, trying to calm the nerves skating through her. “I met her in Paris! She was there in the bar after the fashion show. We talked while you were out trying to make connections with other people. I really didn’t think anything would happen, so I didn’t bother telling you. But I reached out, and she was interested enough to request pictures…which led to samples.” She clapped her hands together, the grin straining at her face. “I can’t believe it, Amad! I had to tell you. She’s yours. I got her for you.”

Amad just blinked at her, face looking more like she’d told him that a surprise lunch of fresh lard and frog eggs awaited him. “And why didn’t you tell me this sooner?”

Something in his voice knocked her enthusiasm down a few notches. “Because it was so uncertain. I didn’t want to get your hopes up. I didn’t even know how important she was until after I’d talked to her, so…”

Amad turned on his heels and started walking down the hall. “Come on. I need to shower so I won’t be late to my next meeting.”

She scurried after him, still expecting the merriment and gratitude to come raining down on her. “Aren’t you excited?”

“What? Oh, yeah.” He sounded distracted again. The way he had the past few days. “This is great news. Good work, Vanessa.”

But she didn’t believe his words. Not even a little bit. His tone was better suited for a child who’d drawn a very terrible depiction of a house, not a capable woman of fashion who’d set up the deal of the century.

“I thought you might be more excited,” she finally said once they reached their bedroom. Amad pushed through

the heavy wooden door, heading straight for the bathroom.

“Oh, trust me, I am,” he said, not even looking at her. “Are you going to shower too?”

Showering was the last thing on her mind right now. But if it meant more chances to smooth this over, to understand why her husband was acting like this, then she’d take it.

She followed him into the bathroom, trepidation weighing heavily.

Amad could barely hide the scowl on his face, so he tried to just hide inside the stream of water in the shower.