Nasser set his jaw, counting to five before responding. He didn’t need to get curt with Calla over this. Not when Fatim would have a stern look waiting for him. “That’s…out of the question.”
“That’s a great idea!” Vanessa said, excitement shining on her face. Both women had abandoned the feeding of their babies and turned entirely toward the table.
“It’s not,” Nasser reminded them. “She’s my ex for a reason. That doesn’t mean get married anyway.”
“But you need to be getting married soon,” Calla said, almost taunting him. The four of them were so proud of the ancient dictate that had brought them together. Well good for them. Nasser refused to get on the Forever After train.
“Not soon at all,” Nasser said, ripping at flatbread without eating any. “I still have four years until I’m thirty.”
“It goes by in the blink of an eye,” Fatim said sagely.
Nasser drew a fortifying breath, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. “Well, I have plenty of blinks left to find a more suitable wife. Which I will. Just not yet.”
“But don’t you see?” Calla bubbled over now, her eyes practically shooting stars. “This ancient law has helped your brothers find true love. And now it will help you.”
Nasser sighed, shaking his head. “The story sounds good. It really does. But I assure you—that is not the case here. I asked Willow to choose me two years ago after graduation, and she walked away. I can’t do it a second time.”
Calla’s excitement dimmed only slightly as she turned to scoop mashed peas into her daughter’s mouth.
“Darling, why don’t you and Vanessa go take the girls for an after-dinner walk?” Fatim suggested, sending a bright smile to his wife.
Her face fell immediately. She had to know the subtext there.
“Fine. We’ll leave. But seriously, Nasser, think about it!” Calla urged as she stood and scooped her baby into her arms. Vanessa did the same, both of them perching babies on their hips as they headed out of the dining room. “The timing is uncanny, and you need to get married!”
Calla swept the heavy dining room doors shut behind her, leaving the three brothers in expectant silence.
“Your wife’s opinion is very clear,” Nasser said, working his jaw back and forth.
“Extremely.” Fatim looked like he was fighting a grin. “You know she’s right, though.”
Nasser didn’t mask the exasperated groan in the slightest. “Oh, come on!”
“Fine, fine.” Fatim held up his palms in surrender. “I was joking. Let’s talk practically. This international school is a great idea, but if it falls through because of her visa issue, it’s not the end of the world.”
“You can always take a different leadership position elsewhere,” Amad added. “I can take you under my wing, groom you for international investments.”
Nasser sent his brother a stern look. “That won’t be happening.”
“Or maybe I’ll just create a position for you,” Fatim said. “The head of education in the tribe? You can effect great change that way. And it won’t be entirely unrelated to this project.”
The ideas were just getting worse, and Nasser’s patience was shot. “I thank you both for the ideas…but no. Definitely no, to both of them. Head of Education has a ring to it, but it sounds far too long term for me. I don’t want to be attached to a role for years and years. I just want to make an impact and move on to the next thing.”
Amad smirked, and his two elder brothers shared a look.
“What was that look for?” Nasser demanded.
Nobody said anything at first, then Amad snickered. “It’s just that…well…how can I put it?”
“Your outlook will change once you get married, brother,” Fatim said diplomatically.
Nasser shook his head. He was tired of all the coded Married Club talk. If he had his way, he’d never get married. And when the time came, he’d pick some flavor of the week, fulfill the ancient law, and divorce her before he was thirty and three days. Piece of cake.
He didn’t need to be tied to anyone for the rest of his life. He’d given it one shot, and it hadn’t worked out. So why continue trying?
“You guys got weird once you got married,” Nasser said, tossing a piece of flatbread at Amad and then at Fatim. “And I’ll have you both know that’s not going to happen to me. Don’t either of you miss the bachelor life?”
Neither brother even blinked.