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As Laurel had left the plane Nasser had said, “It has been a great honor to know you, Your Highness.”
She’d kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you, Nasser, for being a friend.”
He’d nodded and she’d gone down the steps, leaving what little remained of Zentar behind her forever.
* * *
Just as she had done all those years before, she turned to her sister for a shoulder to cry on. She stayed on through the night. Laurel told her about how Tariq had tricked her into taking the job and about their pretend marriage.
“You married him?” Sharon squealed. “You are a princess. I can’t believe that my sister is a princess.”
“I won’t be for long. He will send the divorce papers soon.” That thought made Laurel even sadder.
“Did you live in the palace?”
“Yes.”
Sharon leaned toward her. “Was it fabulous?”
Laurel had been happy there. Far more than she had been in her apartment. “It was.”
“What are you not telling me?” Her sister put her hand over hers.
“Nothing.”
“I know you too well to believe that. Give.”
“I fell in love.” It made it much more painful to admit it out loud.
Sharon brought her into a hug. “Oh, honey. I’m sorry.”
Laurel returned the embrace.
“Did you tell him?”
“No.” Laurel sniffled.
“Then it was his loss. He isn’t a good guy anyway.” Sharon patted Laurel’s back.
She pulled away. “Yes, he is! He loves his country and family. Because of him I rode a horse, slept in a tent. I took time off to discover a market, swim in the sea. I learned to live, not just exist.”
“It sounds like you changed a lot in a few weeks.”
“Being with Tariq changed me,” Laurel said softly. Far more than she had realized or imagined possible.
Sharon shook her. “But he still didn’t treat you right.”
“No, but he did that for unselfish reasons. To help others.”
“You do realize you have been defending the man you ran away from, don’t you?”
Her sister was right, but it didn’t matter. What had been between Tariq and her wouldn’t have lasted. It would have had to end sooner or later anyway. It was just as well that it had happened when it had.
* * *
Over the next few weeks Laurel worked to stay busy. The less time she had to think about Tariq the better. When her mother called and invited her to an impromptu family dinner, she readily agreed, not wanting to spend any more time alone than necessary.
As she arrived at her parents’ house she saw none of the vehicles of other members of her family. There was one unknown car sitting across the street. A shiny red sports car that made her think of Tariq. She refused to let her sadness ruin her time with her family.
Putting a smile on her face, she stepped up on her parents’ porch. There was laughter coming from inside. She knocked on the door then entered. “Hey, I’m here. Who robbed a bank and bought that nice car?”
All went quiet. There was no one in the living room so she continued toward the dining room.
Tariq stepped into the doorway. Heat flashed through Laurel and her heart did a tap dance. He was dressed in a collared shirt, jeans and loafers and he had never looked better. Her mouth went dry and her heart raced. She grabbed the back of a chair to steady herself. “It’s your car. What’re you doing here?”
“Actually, it is your car, if you want it.” Tariq’s eyes didn’t leave her.
“You came all this way to give me a car?”
“And I needed to speak to your parents, but more than that I missed you.”
Did she dare get her hopes up? Could she live through heartache like that again? “You do? I’m surprised that a Prince of Zentar would stoop to making house calls.” Her words were harsher than she’d intended, especially when all she really wanted to do was run into his arms. “I’m sorry, Tariq. That was just plain mean.”
He winced. “I deserved it. And more.”
Her mother appeared behind Tariq. He stepped out of the way and she came to Laurel, giving her a hug.
Her father joined them and did the same thing. “Hi, sweetheart.”
She watched Tariq. His gaze didn’t waver. What was he thinking?
“Why don’t you two go out back and talk?” her mother suggested.
Her father nodded.
She looked from one parent to the other. Seeing no help there, she resigned herself to spend time alone with Tariq.
“Please, Laurel?” Tariq was asking. That was a rare occurrence.
“Come this way.” Laurel led the way through the dining room into the kitchen and out the back door. She stopped in the center of the fenced yard and turned to face him. “Why are you here, Tariq? And involving my parents?”
“I did not think you would let me come to your apartment so I asked your parents to help me talk to you.”
“What do you want to say that hasn’t already been said?”
“That I apologize for the way I treated you, manipulated you. It was wrong. I will never do that to you or anyone else ever again. You were right. I have let guilt rule my life and actions. It turns out that my brothers never blamed me. It was only me blaming myself. I will continue to make finding a cure for hemophilia a priority but not over living my own life. I am even considering children.”
What a wonderful father he would make. This strong, self-assured man had humbled himself, admitted his weakness. “I’m glad to hear that and I forgive you. I owe you an apology as well.”
“There is a great deal of that going around today.”
“I guess there is. When you can’t face who you have become, that’s what happens. You were right. I’ve spent years hiding behind, first, books, then what happened in college, then my work in the lab. Because of you and going to Zentar I have started really living. I have set work hours and found a clinic that needs my help. If it hadn’t been for your highhandedness, that would probably never have happened. I will always be grateful to you for that.”
“Thank you for telling me. I was afraid you would hate me forever.”
“I could never hate you.” If she wasn’t careful she’d be telling him things she should keep to herself. “I still don’t understand why we’re having this conversation in my parents’ backyard.”
“I wished to meet them. To explain what happened and mostly to apologize for my dishonesty. They deserve to know why you came to Zentar and that you marrying me behind their backs was my doing, not yours.”
She stepped toward him. How could he? “You told them we married?”
“I had to if I wanted to ask for their blessing.”
Laurel looked at him in disbelief. “What are you talking about?”
He took her hand. “That I love you and want you to be my wife, habibti. Always.”
Surely this was a dream. “Tariq, are you sure you’re not just doing this to be honorable?”
He chuckled. “How like you to question someone telling you that they love you.” Tariq pulled something out of his pocket and went down on one knee.
Her breath caught. The ring was beautiful.
“It was my mother’s. I failed to give this to you when you agreed to marry me, but I want you to have it now. Laurel, will you remain my Princess?”
She threw herself into his open arms. “Forever.”
* * *
