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Becca nodded slowly. Grace knew she wouldn't be at all interested in the finer points of hotel design.
"I know Qazim," Becca said. "Once he gets an idea into his mind, nothing will stop him."
Now what did that mean?
Grace peered at Becca, wondering if she was really talking hotels, or something entirely different.
"He's a fairly strong-minded person," Grace admitted.
Becca snorted. "That's putting it mildly," she said. "Zaheer almost gave up on Qazim before now."
Grace's interest perked up. "Really. Why?"
Becca shook her head. "Nothing too dramatic. It's just that all the Al Shirah men know they have to settle down. There's usually pressure on them to take a wife when they get to be around thirty or so." Becca rolled her eyes. "The marrying age for guys around here," she added with a grin.
Grace nodded. "He's the only one of the family who isn't married, yet," Grace said. Immediately she regretted her choice of words. Had she really had to say the word, "yet"?
Thankfully, Becca hadn't seemed to notice. "Riaz was the latest to get hitched," Becca explained. Grace laughed and Becca raised her brows. "What?"
"It's funny thinking about sheikhs getting hitched, as you say. It just doesn't sound right."
Becca cocked her head to one side. "Don't forget, Grace. We American gals need to stick together. But, I suppose you're right. I sometimes wonder how Eva, his wife, can live in the desert with Riaz."
"Can you imagine what that must be like?" Grace said incredulously.
Becca nodded. "Those two just seem like they can't get enough of desert living," she said. "Not my cup of cocoa, at all" she added. "I can't imagine anything worse than living in a tent in that heat all the time. But, they seem to be happy. I guess love conquers all, as they say."
Grace glanced at Becca, but Becca's gaze was pointed steadily out across the cityscape.
"They're a really happy couple. I love them dearly." Becca said softly.
Becca paused a long moment, lost in thought, or waiting to say something she had planned all along, Grace told herself.
Becca peered at Grace. "You could meet them, if you like," she said. The offer had just come right out of the blue.
"What?"
Becca smiled at Grace. "Why don't you come over to the palace. Riaz and Eva are visiting. They haven't visited in a while. Qazim will be there, too."
Was that supposed to tempt Grace? Right now, the last person she wanted to speak to was Qazim.
Grace shook her head. "I couldn't possibly..."she started to say but Becca interrupted her.
"Of course you can," she stated enthusiastically.
"I have a plane to catch tomorrow," Grace said.
She saw Becca's brows rise. Was that skepticism?
"I have a ton of packing to do," Grace continued adding yet another feeble sounding excuse.
Becca leaned a hand on Grace's arm. "It'll only be ashort visit. Maybe an hour or two. The car is waiting downstairs. Of course, if you're still feeling a little unwell, then maybe it's a bad idea."
There.
Becca had finally let it slip.
Grace knew for sure, now.
