Chapter 7
Shala was not ready for tonight, not by a long shot. She’d been home for two full days, back to her old job for one and slowly her life was getting back on track. She sat in her car, waiting in line to enter the palace. The one time she didn’t want to be a part of the extended circle of royal friends, she was invited to the palace for a special dinner celebration. She hadn’t wanted to attend, but her parents had insisted she show her support to their close friends and her bosses.
Shala couldn’t argue with that, so she’d bought a new dress and shoes so she wouldn’t look as awful as she felt. Several fortifying breaths later, she stepped from the open door the valet held open for her and shot him a grateful smile. She’d chosen a wine colored dress that cupped her breasts and fell in silky waves to the floor. It was a pretty dress and she felt as good one would expect.
Her parents had left for the party hours ago to chat with the Alzari family before the dinner began so Shala stood in the front entrance with about two dozen other guests, waiting patiently. The hall and the staircases were decorated in white and gold. It was all very coordinated, and she suspected this was more than the regular dinner party at the palace.
She hadn’t wanted to come at all so the longer she had to wait to get this thing started, the better it was for her. The loud buzz of the crowd died down and Shala looked up to see what had caught everyone’s attention.
“Excuse me, everyone.”
Zadir. She looked at him, looking like he’d stepped right off the pages of a fashion magazine. Why did he have to look so good in that modern, Western tux? She didn’t need to be reminded of his handsome face, that effortless charm or how well his hard body felt under her delicate touch. The only thing she needed to think about was that he didn’t like her and had quickly recovered from the bout of lust that had gripped him in Spain.
“It looks like dinner is going to be postponed by about an hour,” he looked at his watch and flicked his gaze back out to the crowd. “Apparently this friends and family dinner is going to be a reception.” The crowd clapped and the hum picked back up. “But first, you all are invited to the wedding. It will be held in the Petite Ballroom, so follow me.”
Shala lost herself in the crowd, hoping to avoid any personal interaction with Zadir. She took a seat near the back, between two older couples. She shot them each a polite smile and focused her attention on returning emails until she heard the traditional Jovanbar wedding march begin.
Sabrina looked beautiful in her simple lace dress that was a perfect complement to her dark features and pale skin. Her smile was bright and engaging as she stared up into Rashid’s eyes, and the way he looked at her made Shala choke on the tears she tried in vain to suppress. Rashid looked like Sabrina was the best thing that had ever happened to him. Tears trickled down her cheek at the beauty of this special, private moment.
As soon as the bride and groom, and their small wedding party, exited the ballroom, Shala slipped out and went in the opposite direction in search of the valet. If she could get out now, while they were transitioning from wedding ceremony glee to post-ceremony party mode, it would be a clean break. She would get them something nice as a wedding gift since Sabrina was American, mostly, and send her apologies later.
She’d given her ticket to the valet and waited. Come on, come on, come on! She willed the valet to come back before anyone noticed her.
“Leaving so soon?”
She gasped at the sound of Zadir’s deep voice behind her and whirled on him. Her hand covered her thundering heart. “Shouldn’t you be inside, performing best man duties?”
“It will be some time before Rashid and Sabrina are ready for the reception. We have time.”
She nodded and turned. “I don’t. I have to get going.” She walked a few feet away, looking in the distance for her car.
“Running again?”
With an exasperated sigh she spoke. “No, I’m just trying to mitigate disaster at the workplace.”
He scoffed. “Is that really what you think, Shala?”
She shrugged. “I think it doesn’t matter what I think.” He hadn’t cared when he shouted that he didn’t like her and he didn’t give a damn that she’d seen him after he’d had sex with another woman. He didn’t care about her or what she thought.
He came closer, suppressing his anger that she wouldn’t look at him. “You know that isn’t true.”
Her stiff posture weakened and her shoulders slumped. “What do you want Zadir? We have nothing to talk about.”
Grasping her upper arm he spun her around. “We have plenty to talk about. You left Italy without a word.”
“Of course I did!” Her teeth clenched and she balled her fists as anger rolled off her in waves.
“You are an employee of Alzari Holdings,” he began with that smarmy smile that he used when he needed to get his way. “And as such,”
She cut him off. “Fine, Zadir, I quit. Have a nice life!” She yanked out of his grasp and walked around her car—finally!—and slid in.
Zadir grabbed the door handle. “I don’t think so, Shala. It’s time we had that talk.” He ducked low to look her in her eyes. “So either come back inside or I’m coming in.”
Shala rolled her eyes. “I’m not going back inside. If you want to talk, meet me at the edge of the driveway or don’t. I don’t care.” She put the car in gear and drove to the end of the long drive, hoping he’d decided she wasn’t worth it and rejoined the party.
Her hopes were soon dashed. “Shala, I’m sorry, okay?”
She nodded, squeezing her teeth against a small strip of skin inside her mouth to keep from responding. “Okay, apology accepted.”
“Is that it?” Fingers tunneled through his hair in anger and frustration and defeat.
“What would you like me to say? I’ve accepted your apology, do I need to massage your ego too?”
“Unbelievable! I guess you really don’t care.” He crossed his arms over his chest and frowned down at her.
“I guess that makes two of us.” Her head tilted defiantly.
“I don’t believe this!” He began to pace just a few feet in front of her. “Here I am, thinking we were on the same page and you…you!” He was speechless.
“I heard you.” He continued to rant and Shala’s anger was starting to show. “I heard you,” she said again, this time with more force until she got his attention. “I heard you say you didn’t even like me, and a day later you slept with someone else.” She turned and stepped into the car. “Goodbye, Zadir.”
“I didn’t sleep with her.” Shala’s look was incredulous. “I didn’t. She tried to…we almost…but I couldn’t. Shala, I couldn’t.”
“Is that supposed to impress me? Why are you making this into something it isn’t? You got what you wanted, sex while you were away from home and your company back. Congratulations.”
“I love you.”
She slammed on her brakes and looked up at him with watery eyes. “What?”
“I love you, Shala.”
“No, you don’t.”
“I do. That’s why I left the morning after we first made love, because I didn’t know what it meant to you or if I could fulfill your expectations. I don’t know if you know this, but that’s not exactly my strong suit.” He knelt down inside her door so they were eye to eye. “I do love you, though Shala. Your smile, those killer curves and your crazy sense of humor. You drive me crazy and you’re the first person I want to tell when something good happens.”
She didn’t know what to say. The sincerity shining in his sparkling green eyes touched her in a way she couldn’t describe. Her heart opened like a flower in bloom and it began to warm. “You mean that?”
“I do. Please put me out of my misery and tell me that you love me to.”
She smiled. “I love you too, Zadir.”
His body visibly relaxed and he laid his head in her lap, arms banded tight around her. “I’m so glad to hear that.” He leaned forward and kissed her mouth long and hard, until they both leaned across the front seats, his body pressed tightly against hers. “Oh, Shala, I love you so damn much. I can’t wait to make you my wife.”
That smile was so sweet, she cupped his face and kissed him again. “I love you too Zadir. I have in one way or another since I was about thirteen years old and those girls bullied me.”
He smiled. “I remember.” He kissed her forehead. “That was a really good burn.” He chuckled at the memory.
“It was,” she smiled and pushed him off her until they both stood outside the car. “As I was saying. I’m so in love with you and when you ask, I’ll happily accept the proposal to be your wife.”
He frowned. “I did just ask.”
“No, you said you can’t wait.” She smiled at his confounded expression.
“Okay,” he groaned. “One day soon I’ll ask you for real.”
“And I promise I’ll say yes to forever with you.”
“Forever,” he smiled, “I like the sound of that.”
THE END