Sheikh's One-Night Stand (The Sheikh's Wedding Series Book 2) by Leslie North

Author:Leslie North [North, Leslie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-01-05T16:00:00+00:00

9

“I’ve never eaten here before.” Tatiana did a slow turn, taking in the formal dining room with its long, polished table and stiff, high-backed chairs. The red evening sun slanted in from the garden, casting shadows in the corners and across the high ceiling. It gave Tatiana a bad feeling, a sense of foreboding. Ilyas seemed to sense it, and he took her hand.

“This is a good thing,” he said. “You’ll see. They’ll be thrilled.”

Tatiana smiled at him, but she wasn’t so sure. She’d been through Hajra’s files, Ilyas’s matches past and present. Every one of their family trees glittered with status and wealth. How would she measure up, a middle-class American and the daughter of a disgraced diplomat?

“It’s just…I don’t really know them.” Tatiana glanced past the table, down the long, sunlit hall. “I met them once back in high school, and then as employers. Am I Tatiana Templeton, or am I the help?”

“The help?” Ilyas laughed aloud. “My mother loves you. She even used to say to me, ‘Why can’t you find a nice girl like you had back in high school?’ And Grandfather sings your praises every chance he gets. To hear him talk, you’ve made a man out of me. And to know we’re expecting his first great-grandchild?” He grasped both her hands and pressed his forehead to hers. “This is what he wants for me. He’ll be over the moon.”

Tatiana looked up, surprised. Ilyas was shaking, his eyes shining brightly. He looked happy, she realized, not just content but bubbling over with joy. She wanted to share his confidence, to join him in the moment.

“How will we break the news?”

“Oh, I hired a marching band.” Ilyas grinned, wide and wicked. “They’ll swarm in over appetizers and trumpet the news.”

“Tell me you’re joking.”

“Of course I am.” He leaned down and kissed her, a graze of the lips. “We’ll sit them down and we’ll—”

“What on earth are you doing?”

Tatiana jumped back, barely muffling a squawk. Alima stood framed in the doorway, Cemal at her side. She’d gone tense with shock, or maybe anger. Cemal’s face was stony, his eyes dark as flint. He rounded on Ilyas, hands on his hips.

“What’s going on in here?”

“Isn’t it obvious? We’re engaged.” Ilyas’s tone was light, but he clasped her hand tighter as he raised it up.

“I see.” Cemal shuffled forward, his gait slow and stiff. He planted himself in front of Tatiana and peered at her hand. “She’s not wearing a ring,” he said. “There’s been no announcement. We can still set this right.”

“Excuse me?” Ilyas dropped her hand. “If you’re saying what I think you’re saying—”

“I’m saying she’s fired, and don’t ask us for a reference.” He scowled at Tatiana. “I hired you to coach him, not snag him for yourself.”

Tatiana’s ears were ringing. She felt faint, sick with shock. She glanced at Alima and saw she hadn’t moved. She was still in the doorway, her lips a tight line, staring at Ilyas as if he’d grown horns.

“Mother?” Ilyas turned to her, but Alima shook her head.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.