The Sheikh's Virgin Bride(69)

Kaye’s face fell, and Amalia’s eyes grew sympathetic.

“They don’t approve?” she asked softly.

Kaye shook her head.

“Well, we won’t let that get to us.”

“Where’s my daughter?”

Kaye gaped at the open door as a man she had never seen before strolled in. When he saw her he stopped, placing a hand to his heart. He had to be in his mid-fifties, with a full head of salt-and-pepper hair and a face made to look more like hers with stage makeup. Before she could ask who he was, he embraced her, and she hugged him back.

When this was all said and done, Kaye mused that she could have an exceptional career in improv theater. The man stroked her cheek with a gentle thumb.

“You look stunning, my dear.”

“I’m not even ready,” she said, turning to show that she only had half of her hair and makeup done.

“It doesn’t matter. I know you’re not my daughter by birth, but it means the world to me that you asked me to walk you down the aisle.”

Aha, Kaye thought, finally in on the plan. Her eyes filled with tears, which made Jen look even more uncomfortable. She would have some patching to do.

“I appreciate you coming today…” she hesitated, unsure of what to call the man.

“Your Uncle John would never let you down. You’ll always be a second daughter to me,” he said, helping her out. He had noticed that she hadn’t been made privy to what was happening that day, and Kaye was grateful to the actor inside him for being willing to gently point her in the right direction.

“I know you wouldn’t, I just wish…” she trailed off, allowing a tear to fall.

Jen handed her a tissue, and she dabbed gently at her eyes.

“I know, honey. I wish they were here, too.”

“Maybe someday they’ll come around,” she sighed, staring out the window with a forlorn expression.

“They will. You’ll see. Now, I’ll let you keep getting ready. I’ll meet you at the aisle, okay?”

“Okay,” she replied, accepting a gentle kiss on her cheek.

Amalia grasped her hand with a supportive look before turning and leaving the room, the cameraman exiting behind her with a thumbs up for Kaye and Jen.

“The show must go on,” Kaye mused, and Jen nodded, getting back to work on pinning delicate curls atop her head.

“Always does, one way or the other.”

“You were great just then. Have you been on camera before?”

Jen shrugged.

“I’m just like anyone else around here, really. Tried to get my name in the lights and failed, but I was good at hair and makeup and made the right connections, which landed me this job. It’s something I enjoy, and I meet a lot of interesting people behind the scenes.”

Kaye nodded, completely understanding. She sat in silence, then, as Jen worked her magic, transforming her into a princess before helping her shimmy into her wedding gown. The dress was stunning. It had a princess waist with a small train, and long lace sleeves that pointed out at her wrists. Jen fixed a diamond tiara in her hair.

“This was given to me by Amir. He said it’s made of diamonds mined from his own country. Pretty cool, right?”

Kaye gazed at her reflection in the mirror, staring at the glittering diamonds in her hair. She was dressed like a future princess…or sheikha. That part hadn’t really occurred to her before. In a few moments, she would be royalty, if just for a moment.

Jen fixed a delicate white veil in Kaye’s hair and draped it down until it looked just right, before she looked her up and down one last time.

“I think you’re ready to be married, future Mrs. Al-Asfour.”

A chill went down Kaye’s spine. Would she even bother changing her name? Probably not. After all, the wedding had to be real, but anything else legal would just be extra work, wouldn’t it?

She brushed the thoughts aside as Jen opened the door and walked her toward the front courtyard. The massive front door was closed, and “Uncle John” was waiting for her at the portal. Cameras were set up all around, and she settled into her character of the excited bride.

“You ready, kiddo?” the actor portraying her father figure asked.

“Beyond ready,” she replied with a small giggle.

She placed her hand around his forearm and they faced the door. A butler dressed to the nines nodded, opening the portal for them, and when he did, Kaye nearly gasped.

The entire front courtyard had been transformed. There were colorful flowers hung on invisible strings above them, the shade from the trees above casting pockets of shadow among them, which gave the appearance of changing colors. On either side of her, there were rows of chairs filled with strangers that all looked as though they had loved Kaye her entire life.

In that moment, she felt a rush of shame.

Her thoughts darted to her parents, but even as they did, she realized that a plethora of gazes and cameras were on her, and she buried the sensation down deep for the sake of the job at hand. She looked up the length of the aisle, her eyes colliding with Amir’s dark gaze.

His expression was difficult to read as she stepped up the cobblestoned aisle, her eyes locked with his as she remembered that they were ‘in love’. There had been so many times over the past few weeks when she couldn’t tell when they were acting and what was real, but she had managed, somehow, to keep her emotions in check. Every night, she pulled out her contract and reread the parts where she would be forbidden to enter into any kind of romance with the Sheikh, as well as the situation for her salary.