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“We need you to come home.”
That was mighty rich, considering our argument about him putting his new family over business had sent me packing, literally, when we couldn’t see eye to eye.
“Can’t.” I didn’t bother asking what urgent business had prompted this emergency need for me to come home. I kept tabs on things. That made me think theemergencywas my mother haranguing him.
“Come now. It’s a piddling lifeguard job.”
“Tell that to the people I save from drowning.” Maybe, it was lack of sleep or the early hour, but I was a moment from disconnecting the call.
I shivered as I stepped outside into the cool, damp early morning air. I hoped it warmed up before the picnic later. It would, even if I felt as if I needed a jacket right now.
My car lights flashed as I aimed my fob at the vehicle. I sighed heavily when I sagged into the seat a few moments later. Another yawn dragged from me. Good thing I wouldn’t need to rescue anybody today. This was karma for teasing Logan after his late night.
“So now, you have a superhero complex?” my brother asked to needle me.
“Nope.” I started my car. Time to swallow my pride and wait for him to crow over his perceived victory. I’d temper it with some bad news, something I’d been considering since before I met Sariah. Her sudden, meteoric impact on me had solidified the decision. “I’m not coming home. I met someone, and her family lives here.”
“My wife’s family lives in the States,” he countered.
“It’s a different situation.” Yes, my sister-in-law’s grandparents lived in Florida, but they’d raised her. She’d had them for her whole life. “I’m not dragging my woman away from them.”
I purposely didn’t leak Sariah’s name. If I did, Zayn would initiate a full background search on her before we even ended this call, which wouldn’t last much longer if I had my way.
“So…” he said, and I heard the righteous amusement in that single, drawn-out syllable. “Little brother went and fell in love. How the mighty have fallen.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I grumbled though I heard my own laugh. “You were right. I was wrong. And don’t you tell Mom or Taara.”
My mother and my twin sister had been on a matchmaking mission for me and Zayn since Taara got married. Zayn had run away to Sizzle Beach to avoid it, then fallen in love. And look what happened to me.
I couldn’t help the rueful shake of my head. The thought of my twin sister brought a smile to my face. I hadn’t even thought to tell Sariah about this similarity between us. I understood her connection to Marcia better than most men would. The twin link. Truly, I was surprised Taara hadn’t called to investigate the “change in my vibration” as she’d call it.
“None of this changes that we need you home,” he iterated, ignoring my demand.
I pulled into my parking spot and stared blindly at my apartment building. I needed to look into buying a house. Someplace for Sariah to settle with me, for us to raise our kids. Yeah, my head was going there already. My parents and my siblings were proof: when you knew you knew. She was my one. Iknew itto my bones.
“That’s not happening,” I said after a silence that likely lasted too long. “I’m staying here. I’ll draft my resignation letter and send it over to you later today.”
“And do what? Be a lifeguard? Don’t you think that’s a step down?”
“Don’t be so classist. It doesn’t look good on you,” I snapped. I could tell him a thing or ten about the men I worked with. Things that would make my brother, the CEO of our company, look like a slacker. “As for what I’ll do? Maybe, I will keep working for Ocean Rescue. You and I both know, I can do whatever I damn well want, including sit in an easy chair and channel surf, for the rest of my life, and I’ll still live like a king.”
“Tarek,” Zayn sighed. “Do you really want to do this? You’ve worked hard to advance to your position in the company.”
“Nepotism.”
“Bullshit and you know it. You’ve got an advanced finance degree. You’ve worked just as hard as I have to build this company.”
There was a lot to be proud of, but Sariah changed everything. I wanted to build a future with her, have adventures with her. Here in Sizzle Beach. We could visit my family as often as we wanted, but from now on, this was home.
“It’s time for a new era,” I replied. I’d often heard love changes everything. I just never thought it would be so absolute.
Chapter Nine
~ Tarek ~
Since the call with Zayn, I’d put my morning to good use. I’d set up appointments to see several houses, one of them on a bluff overlooking the ocean. That one was highest on my list. Sariah’s opinion on it would be the deciding factor.
A wide grin split my face at that. Who would have thought? Now, I had someone else in my life to share decision making. Hopefully, she’d be on the same page as me with our status—or I’d get her there soon.
