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‘We’re so sorry we’re late. Thank goodness you hadn’t given away our rooms.’
Emily looked up at the couple. ‘Well, um, the thing is, when I spoke with you on the phone, you said a single room was fine.’
‘Yes.’ Freya paused. ‘Oh, crumbs, I get it. You think we’re a couple. We’re not. This is a business trip. There should be two rooms.’
‘But you only booked one – a single.’
‘That’s right.’ She was still smiling. ‘Tarek, my colleague here, booked the other room.’
‘I did?’ He looked at her, surprised.
‘You knew we were going on this trip.’
‘You asked me to come, Freya, so I thought you’d taken care of everything.’
‘I didn’t book you a room. I thought you were booking your own room.’
Emily looked from one to the other. She could see this was going to be awkward. ‘I’m afraid all we have is the single room you booked.’
‘Really – this time of year?’
Emily nodded at the young woman. ‘I’m afraid so. We’re not normally this busy …’ she said apologetically, trailing off.
‘Actually, that’s okay. I can share with my father.’ He turned to Emily. ‘Do the doubles have couches?’
‘Well, yes.’ Emily frowned. ‘What do you mean, you’ll share with your father?’
‘He’s here, in the hotel. The name is Omar Youssef.’
Emily stared at him. This was about to get really awkward. It was obvious that Omar’s son had no idea his father was here with a woman. ‘Look, I don’t think you can share with him.’
‘Why not?’ asked Freya. ‘You can’t have any objections to him using the couch – surely?’
‘I’ll still pay a room rate,’ Tarek added.
‘Um, it’s not either of those things. You see, the thing is, he has company.’
‘Company – in his room?’
‘Yes, a lady friend.’
Tarek stared at her. ‘A what?’
‘A friend. A woman.’
‘Pardon me? That can’t be right.’
Emily pursed her lips. ‘Sorry, but I saw them go up together.’
‘I can sleep on that, if you want.’
‘No. It’s fine.’
Freya had tried to get to sleep on the single bed, but all she could hear was thecreak, creakof Tarek’s folding bed as he tossed and turned. She sat up and gazed at him. ‘I don’t mind, really I don’t.’
‘I said it’s fine!’ Tarek turned over with his back to her.
Freya decided to leave him to think. Since he’d found out that his father was not there alone, Tarek hadn’t exactly been talkative. In fact, he’d been sullen and withdrawn and had clearly found it hard to believe that his father had met someone. For Tarek, it must have almost felt like a betrayal.
