The Sheikh's Virgin Bride(68)
“Could they really have changed so much?” she asked in a whisper.
He nodded.
“After my brother—the third eldest—ran off and never came back, they realized they would have to make some changes if they ever wanted their kids to be in their lives. Unfortunately, it only hit home when he died in an avalanche, while skiing. My parents were the last to find out.”
“I’m so sorry,” Kaye said, wanting to reach back out to him.
It was too late for that. He had already distanced himself from her, even as he brought her into his own story a little more.
“It’s nothing for you to be sorry about. We all learned our lessons. My point is, I know that life, work, and things that matter take sacrifice, and today you made one in an attempt to make this project all it could be. I appreciate what you did there, and everything you’ve done until now. I just want you to know that.”
“Thank you,” she replied softly.
They sat in silence for a moment before Amir excused himself, and Kaye watched him go with mixed feelings. While there was a part of her that wanted him to be in her life in a very romantic capacity, another part wondered at his motives. Could she trust Amir, when his lust for self-promotion was the reason she had gotten into that mess in the first place?
Yes, sacrifice was necessary for any job, but he had seen how uncomfortable she was about bringing her parents into the picture, and he had ignored it in favor of good television. The image of him talking to her parents after she walked away flashed in her mind, and she wondered once again what he had said to them on her childhood steps.
Would could he have possibly said to make it any better?
The plane began its descent into LAX, and Kaye’s ears popped as she stared out at the ocean on the horizon. She inhaled, the cabin air stale and faintly scented of burned coffee. She couldn’t wait to get outside and get back to her life.
The feeling seemed to be mutual, because everyone vacated the plane as soon as possible, making short work of finding rental cars to get home. Amir approached Kaye as she pulled her suitcase to the curb.
“You can come with me, if you’d like.”
“Where are we going?” Kaye asked.
He looked confused.
“Home,” he said simply.
She remembered then that her own bed would continue to remain vacant. She would be headed back to Amir’s guest house, on duty, even in the off hours.
“Right,” she said.
“Unless you don’t want to?” he asked gently.
She thought about telling him to stuff it. To take the reality show and all the money in her contract and put it where the sun don’t shine, as they said back home. Then, she remembered stale crackers and canned soup, and she swallowed her pride.
“Of course. Let’s go home.”
He nodded, and as he did, a sleek black car pulled up. It was certainly a step up from the cars they’d had in Indiana, though as Kaye slid in with Amir behind her, she was anything but comfortable.
She had no idea how to feel, so she simply went numb.
Chapter Seventeen
Weeks passed by, with Kaye and Amir working long days to get enough footage for a six-month season. Before she knew it, Jen was walking in with her wedding gown.
Kaye swallowed at the sight of the garment bag.
“It’s beautiful, I promise,” Jen soothed, as though she were comforting a real jittery bride.
Kaye grinned.
“I’m sure it is. Did Merle pick it out especially?”
“You know he doesn’t have time for such things,” Jen scoffed, flipping back her hair in an ‘I’m too good for you’ gesture.
“I certainly do. Let’s take a look, shall we?”
“We’re going to do more than that. Today, we’re filming the wedding.”
“What?” Kaye asked, stunned.
Jen lifted an eyebrow at her.
“You didn’t know? Man, they are so bad at communication around here. That’s probably why Merle gave me this.”
She handed Kaye a packet of papers, and when she opened it, she saw a set of scripted vows with a lengthy description of how the ceremony was planned to take place. Looking up, she did her best to remain professional.
“I suppose it’s time to go over some lines.”
Jen nodded.
“You can do that while I give you the most beautiful hair and makeup of the century, before we slide you into that gown.”
Kaye sat, reading over the emotional speech that someone had written for her. She felt a pang of sadness, knowing that her first marriage was a sham, a desperate, last-ditch attempt to launch her career. Had she really sunk so low?
As she read, the doors burst open, and a camera followed behind Amalia. Kaye’s eyes lit up when she saw Amir’s mother, and she made sure to quickly hide her script.
“Your Highness! It’s so good to see you!”
She jumped up, and Jen did a great job of looking like a grumpy hairstylist behind her as she wrapped Amalia in a warm embrace.
“They didn’t tell me we were filming this today,” she whispered in Amalia’s ear.
“Of course they didn’t. Just play along my dear; that’s what we all do.”
“I am happy to see you as well,” Amalia said louder, stroking a strand of one of Kaye’s silky brown curls as she admired it. “I’m sorry to interrupt your preparation; I just wanted to see you. Now, where are your parents, so I can meet them?”