The Sheikh’s Sham Engagement (The Safar Sheikhs 3)

Calla raised a hand. “We’re in Luxury World here, honey. And I am going all out.” She sauntered closer to Willow and in a conspiratorial whisper added, “Besides, I promised Nasser I would. His request.”

This little detail sent heat flaming through her, and all she could do was bury her face in her hands. “Okay. Okay. Make it as lavish as you want. I know I’ll love whatever you come up with.”

“That’s the attitude I’m looking for.” Calla tutted, circling Willow a few times as she stood on the pedestal, different expressions crossing her face as she probably envisioned different designs. “I can’t turn Nasser down. I met him at his lowest. Right after the two of you broke up. So I saw him through the height of his partying and…all that.”

Willow’s chest tightened at her words. “Was he bad?”

Calla sighed. “Yes, a little. But he was lost. And he was so terribly wounded.” Meeting Willow’s gaze in the mirror, she added, “That’s not a jab at you. I know that you two had a difficult situation. And probably some of it was Nasser’s doing. But he was a lost puppy. It’s good to see him turn into the strong, confident man we all knew he could become.” Calla held up a swatch of fabric to Willow’s hips, her gaze fastened to the mirror as she assessed it. “And I’ll tell you something—he sure is stronger and more confident with you at his side.”

Calla’s words burned through Willow, even as conversation turned toward lighter things. The ladies laughed and joked as though they’d been friends for years instead of weeks. But even with all the lightheartedness, Willow couldn’t stop her mind from circling back to the past.

The question plagued her often—could I have done more to salvage the relationship? And now that she was seeing the softer side of Nasser again, remembering all the reasons that they’d been so good together, it was hard not to look back and feel like it was her fault.

Maybe these past two and a half years could have been spent in bliss. In the dreamy embrace of her one true love.

The truth resonated through her: Nasser is your true love. The thought made tears fill her eyes, and Calla, seemingly engrossed in hemming, looked up sharply with concern written on her face.

“Are you okay, honey?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” She wiped away a tear that spilled. “Sorry. Just got, like, really emotional for no reason.” She tried to laugh it off. The emotional surge was weird. Her period had to be coming soon.

“Is it the wedding and all that?”

“I guess.” She lobbed a sigh, feeling clarity return to her. “Sometimes I think back and wonder why things didn’t work out with Nasser. Why he didn’t wait for me. I just felt like my hands were tied, you know?” Emotions bubbled up again, and Calla came to her feet, gently holding the sides of Willow’s arms.

“What happened?”

“My sister got sick.” Willow swallowed hard, and she picked at a cuticle. “Cancer. I wanted to go home to be with her, which Nasser was supportive of at first. But then the time came to leave, and I don’t know. He got scared.” Willow drew a shaky breath as she recounted it. She hated reliving those last days in Amatbah. With all the stress and the sadness and the desperation. “He insisted I book a round-trip ticket, which I couldn’t, because I didn’t know when I’d be returning. I was basically moving home and had packed up everything. He was so upset with me. He said I couldn’t move home, because if I did, then I’d lose him.”

Calla frowned as she listened.

“I think he just took it personally. But I didn’t budge on it. I should have, I think. I mean, if I had budged, then I would have—”

Calla touched Willow’s wrist, shaking her head. “I don’t think you made the wrong choice at all.”

Willow deflated a little. “We’ve always been at odds. He’s so instant gratification, and I’m the long-term planner. Sometimes I think he can’t even see past next week. And knowing that about him, well…I should have just gotten the return ticket.”

Calla got back onto her knees to finish taking measurements. “What’s done is done,” Calla said. “And besides, maybe those two and a half years apart were good for both of you. Nasser has changed. For the better. And I think at this point, he can even see into next month.”

Willow smiled, watching in the mirror as Calla fiddled with the measuring tape. If nothing else, she was happy Nasser had grown a little. Because Willow had grown too. Even if they didn’t find their happily ever after together, maybe she should just be grateful that their love had happened at all. Because it had shaped them into the people they were today.

But Calla’s words burned in the back of her mind. He can even see into next month. And if that was the case, maybe they had a shot at a second chance.

Not one fudged for the visa.

A real second chance.

11

Nasser awoke the next morning with a start. Something had jolted him out of his dream. Something awful, like a retching noise.

It took him a few moments to place himself—the early sun streaming into the bedroom windows, the rumpled covers beside him. He blinked, pushing up onto his elbow. Willow was gone. That was weird.

And then came the puking noises.

He scrambled out of bed. Those noises hadn’t been in his dreams after all. He burst into the bathroom to find Willow hanging over the toilet, face flushed.

“What’s wrong?” he demanded.