Page 110 of Hired Husband

“Allowing David to propose was a favor to an old, struggling friend,” he said quietly, sighing as he shook his head. “David’s father has done a great deal for me over the years. No more than I have done for him in return, but at one time, he was like family to me.”

He blew out a heavy breath through his nostrils, shaking his head again before he pushed away from the railing. Striding toward a little table nearby, he picked up a crystal decanter he must’ve had the crew bring out for him, pouring a healthy amount of amber liquid into two glasses.

Once he’d replaced the stopper, he picked up one of the glasses and held it out to me. I took it, wrapping my fingers loosely around the glass but not taking a sip just yet. It seemed like a good thing that he wanted to share a drink, but honestly, he could’ve poisoned the whiskey.

Basel lowered himself into one of the chairs bolted down next to the table and leaned back, taking a long sip from his own glass. “The truth is that I allowed David to ask for Jasmine’s hand because I owed his father a favor. There is honor in remembering those who stood beside you before you made something of yourself. I thought that perhaps helping his family one last time would help me to stop feeling responsible for their struggles.”

He swirled his drink, his expression thoughtful before he turned to look out at the dark water. “I gave David’s father so much advice that he never took. If he had…” Trailing off, he took another sip of his drink and swallowed, finally giving his head another shake and clearing his throat. “Well, let’s just say that I am not responsible for their struggles, and that afternoon when David was sitting across from me. I realized it wasn’t fair for Jasmine to bear the burden of my misplaced guilt.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means I was going to say no.” He looked up at me again, grinning. “You ensured that I didn’t have to do that and it saved me a lot of shame. I will not forget that, Isaac. I know you didn’t do it for me, but even so, David’s family as well as my own would’ve been terribly embarrassed, so I owe you a debt of gratitude for interrupting before I had to humiliate an old friend.”

My eyebrows shot up, my ears suddenly ringing. “You’re grateful?”

He laughed. “God, yes. I have never been so pleased about an interruption in my entire life. I know it was probably an unintended consequence on your part, but you allowed the Mahers to save face as well. They may never thank you for it, so I will do it on their behalf.”

My knees were suddenly feeling a little unreliable as shock reverberated through my entire body. I lowered myself into the chair across from his. “I honestly don’t know what to say to that.”

“Oh, I think you’ve said quite enough.” He smiled and lifted his glass toward me. “Thank you, Isaac.”

“I proposed to Jasmine tonight,” I said, half blurting it out and half consciously deciding to just rip off the band-aid. “It was a little spur of the moment. I planned on talking to you about it first, but the opportunity presented itself, and after everything that happened, I didn’t want to let it pass me by.”

His eyebrows swept up. “Did she accept?”

“Yes.”

He grinned. “I thought she would.”

“You did?”

He chuckled. “I have suspected for a fair amount of time that you are the one she has been waiting for, and when I saw the way you were looking at her in Sharm, I knew it was only a matter of time before you asked.”

“So you’re not angry?”

He blinked a couple times, surprise flickering across his features. “Why would I be angry?”

“Well, I didn’t ask your permission, for starters.”

He sighed and let out another chuckle. “You care about her in a way none of those other men ever have. You care about her opinion.”

“Deeply,” I agreed, then just came out with it. “I’m not wealthy in comparison to you. I hope you’re not too disappointed that I’m who she has said yes to.”

His eyes flared wide open. “Disappointed? Not at all.”

“Even if I’m never going to be able to give her everything you have?”

He shot me a soft smile. “You’re making the same mistake you made yesterday, Isaac.”

“I’m sorry?”

“You keep comparing yourself to my balance sheet, but those numbers are not wealth. Your wealth lies in your creativity and your love for my daughter. It’s in your passion for the world at large and how happy you make her. Money allows us to exist comfortably, but those are the things that will allow you and Jasmine to truly live.”

“So you approve?”

He let out a bark of incredulous laughter. “Of course, I approve. She has always needed someone who sees the world the way she does, full of wonder, magic, and adventure. Someone who will explore with her and who will stop to admire things no one else even notices. She’ll never be happy with anyone but you, Isaac. Now that she’s found someone who shares her enthusiasm for life and the way she takes it by the horns, she will not settle. I see that very clearly.”

The certainty in his voice just about the knocked the wind out of me. “Do you really believe that?”