Power and Passion by Kay Tejani

Author:Kay Tejani
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: love, friendship, adventure, family, contemporary, american, dubai, graduate, middleeast, diverse characters

Twelve

It was a lovely, breezy evening, the kind Sara liked the most. The humid air rising off the surface of the Gulf enveloped her in a warm embrace as she and Pierce strolled along the Marina Walk. Rows of moored boats bobbed in the tide, lining the edges of the inlet; the sun glowed orange and pink, just ready to fall beyond the horizon.

She rubbed her arms, the silky material of her blouse soft against her fingers. "So did you enjoy dinner?" she asked, glancing over at him as they continued to walk. He had been quiet since they had left the Indian restaurant, an overcast look on his face.

He turned to her, appearing startled, as if she had rustled him out of deep thought. "Oh, uh, yes. Yes, it was wonderful. Especially the chicken tikka masala. Never had anything quite like it."

Sara smiled at him. It was so obvious he had something on his mind. This was nothing new for her; Pierce was often distracted on their dates, usually thinking about what had happened at work that day or what he had to accomplish over the rest of the week, month, or year. Pierce was always thinking about work, Sara realized with a bit of a sinking feeling in her stomach, and not for the first time. In the last six months or so, he had been overly obsessed with his job, she thought, and, though she hated to admit it, just a little less obsessed with their relationship.

"Pierce, is there something you want to talk about?" she asked, her voice low, even a little timid. She did not like confrontations, and she knew such a question was likely to draw his ire or at least his annoyance. Pierce liked to keep up a good front, and any implication that something was wrong underneath seemed to irritate him. So she rarely asked what was wrong, always figuring that if he wanted to, he would tell her. But there was something in his gaze that night… well, she could just sense it. And she felt like she had to ask.

But she was surprised by his response. He simply looked at her, his hands clasped behind his back as they strolled. His black hair had grown a little long in the front and fell in wisps over his forehead, almost to the tops of his eyes. He tilted his head and slung it back from his brow. He seemed so calm, so unperturbed by her question. That, too, was unlike him.

"I'm fine," he replied with a tight grin. "Just enjoying our evening stroll. Tell me, how is your project going? With the gala and all?"

This brightened Sara's spirits a little bit. "Oh, it's going great," she said, putting a little spring in her step in her excitement. "I've been meeting with Joan Harrison—you remember her, right? I told you about her."

"Yes, I do," Pierce replied. "She heads up that cancer organization."

"Hearts and Minds," Sara said with a laugh. At least he had remembered that much.

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