So, after dessert, Lauren bid Hakim’s parents good night. Tarana hugged her and kissed her cheek. “Come back again, my dear. We’d love to see you another time.”
Musheer shook her hand. “Lauren, it was a real pleasure. Promise to visit again, and encourage our son to come home more often, too.”
He laughed heartily as Lauren smiled and promised, and then Hakim all but dragged her away from his parents. Breathless and laughing, Lauren pulled him to a stop when they reached the garden.
“Your parents are wonderful,” she said.
Hakim shook his head, but smiled fondly. “They are, even if they’re a bit much sometimes.”
Lauren put her hand on his chest to get him to pay attention to what she was saying. “Hakim, your parents are really wonderful. Thank you for insisting I be here tonight. I wouldn’t trade meeting them for anything.”
Hakim covered her hand with his, and Lauren was startled by the shock of electricity that went through her at his touch. “Thank you, for being here. It meant a lot to me, you meeting them.”
Lauren held his gaze; she was looking for something that would give her a clue to where they stood. He hadn’t wanted her in Al Asaab to work for him; he’d wanted her there to be with him. And she wanted it too, in spite of everything. So, where did that leave them?
She saw the second he decided not to pursue the moment any further, instead taking her hand in his and pulling away.
“You wanted to see the gardens, right? Come on, let me show you.”
Lauren let herself be pulled along as he narrated a tour of the truly spectacular gardens. Hakim told her about how he and Sadira used to put on their own plays in one of the hidden alcoves that formed a natural stage, and how his mother cultivated jasmine and roses. How his father sat reading out loud to all of them as they ate picnics on the lush grass.
It was a window into his life and she held it as the special gift it was. Lauren had no idea how he’d turned from this man into the cold businessman he was back in California, but she liked this Hakim even better.
After spending an hour or so in the garden, Hakim reluctantly checked his watch. “We should go. We have an early flight tomorrow.”
Lauren shook her head. “Not yet, please? Can’t we stay just a few more minutes?”
Hakim laughed once, almost to himself. “How can I say no to that request?”
She picked out an ornately carved wooden bench and sat down, then pointed up. “Look at how bright the moon is tonight.”
“It’s lovely.”
Something in his tone made Lauren look back at him to see that he wasn’t looking skyward at all. Hakim sat on the bench, as close to her as he could get without touching her. Lauren felt the urge to lean back into his arms, but she held herself still.
The garden was quiet except for the splashing of a nearby fountain and a slight breeze stirring the leaves on the trees. Lauren didn’t want to break the spell of the moonlit moment because once she did, she would have to go back to her reality. This night was their last together and even though she understood more about him now, she didn’t think it was enough to change anything about their situation.
Finally, Hakim stood and held out his hand. Lauren took it and intertwined her fingers with his. They walked in silence to the car and didn’t speak all the way back to his house.
Lauren cast about for something to say when they walked inside, but it was late and he seemed to be just as lost as she was. All she could think of was to say goodnight.
She took a deep breath. “Thank you, Hakim. For this trip, and for this week.”
Hakim stood a few steps away, quiet for a long time.
“Thank you, Lauren. I wish… Well, I wish a lot of things were different.”
Lauren nodded. “Me, too. I’ll see you in the morning?”
Hakim took a step forward and for a second, Lauren thought he might kiss her. But instead, he simply brushed his hand over her arm and stepped away.
“Goodnight, Lauren.”
She got ready for bed, feeling torn. Part of her was happy to be going back to her regular life—as interesting as this week had been, it had also been stressful. But the other part of her was going to miss seeing Hakim every day.
She didn’t expect to sleep much, so it was a bit of a surprise when she woke up to the same bright sunshine as the day before, and this time knew exactly where she was. But the only thing she felt was sadness.
Chapter 14
Hakim
Hakim got up early, wanting to run up to the hospital for another quick visit with his sister and niece before flying out, just in case it was a while before he was able to make it home again.
When he got back home, he found Lauren sitting in the kitchen, staring out the window, her breakfast in front of her. She held her coffee cup, but didn’t look like she’d touched her food.