Page 42 of The Sheikh's Fake Bride Scheme

“I’m sorry I hurt your feelings,” he told her. “I didn’t intend to do that.”

“I know you didn’t. You felt as if it was the only way. Now that I know more about what you were doing and why, I understand that. You could have been honest with me, but I understand why you felt as if you couldn’t. I’m sorry it was like that for you, Kareem.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t place more trust in you,” he said.

“I understand why you didn’t. And I’m not telling you this because I hoped to hear you apologize for what happened. What’s done is done. I want to tell you, though, that I still don’t think you’re being completely forthcoming about things.”

“I am,” Kareem said, surprised. “I’m not keeping any more secrets, Mother. You know the whole truth now.”

“Perhaps it’s yourself you aren’t being honest with,” his mother said. “Do you think I can’t see the way you looked at her?And how different you’ve been since she left? I think you have yourself convinced that your marriage wasn’t real — but I think that if you were honest with yourself, you would have to admit that there wassomethingreal in it. Something more than just your desire to put on a race for the people of Qalmar.”

The shiver that went down Kareem’s spine reminded him of a feeling he had often had in his youth, when his mother had seemed to know things she shouldn’t have been able to know about what he was doing. It had seemed to him in those days as if she had a sixth sense for the behavior of her children, and it felt the same way now. How could she possibly know with such accuracy what he had been thinking and feeling since Keira had gone home?

“Am I right?” she asked him. “You care for her, don’t you?”

Kareem wanted to deny it, but he felt tired of trying to keep his feelings under wraps. It all seemed too difficult all of a sudden.

“It doesn’t matter how I feel,” he told his mother.

She stopped walking and turned to face him head-on. “Never say that, Kareem,” she said firmly. “Of course the way you feel matters.”

“I don’t mean it doesn’tmatter,” Kareem amended. “I just mean it doesn’t change anything.”

“But you do feel something for her?” his mother pressed.

“That wasn’t the agreement between the two of us. This wasn’t an arrangement that was supposed to leave room for any feelings.”

“Kareem, answer the question.”

“Of course I feel something!” The words seemed to explode out of him. “She’s beautiful, she’s smart, she has the same passions I do — how could I not feel something? The only surprising thing is that I didn’t see it coming. I should have known something like this would happen if I spent too much time in her company. I should have known better than to let her get close.”

“Oh, Kareem,” his mother sighed. “It saddens me that your response to finding love is to say that you should have known better than to get close to the person you feel it for.”

“I never said love.”

“You didn’t have to. I’ve been in love myself,” she said. “I recognize it when I see it. You’ve been different since Keira left. You’ve been hurting. I can see how difficult it’s been for you.”

Kareem raked a hand through his hair. “None of this was the plan. None of this was supposed to happen.”

“Life doesn’t always follow your plans,” his mother told him gently.

“It did for you,” Kareem pointed out. “You and Father made an arrangement to marry, and you followed through on it. I would have thought that if anyone would appreciate the importance of sticking to a plan, it would be you.”

“That’s what you took away from my story?” His mother laughed. “That was never the point of the story I told you about my marriage, Kareem. It’s not a story about good planning. It’s about how love can surprise you. How it can find you even when you’re not expecting it. Yes, your father and I had an arranged marriage, but we came to truly love one another. That could be true for you as well. You might find love in your marriage, even though you and Keira didn’t come together for that reason. Youshouldn’t rule it out as a possibility. And if you’ve discovered that you have feelings for her, I think that’s something you need to follow through on. You need to give yourself the chance to find out what those feelings might lead to.”

“It can’t happen,” Kareem said. “Father sent her back to America. If I wanted any sort of future with her, even something casual, I would have to leave the country. And no matter what I might feel for her, I’m not sure I can just leave Qalmar behind forever.”

“I’m not suggesting that,” his mother said patiently. “But I do think you should bring her back here for the race. If nothing else, Keira deserves to experience the fruits of her labor, doesn’t she? You both worked hard to make this event a reality. I’m sure it must matter to her as much as it does to you.” His mother’s voice carried a slight tone of recrimination, and Kareem realized with a pang that she was disappointed him.

It hurt. “I wanted her to stay,” he defended himself. “It was Father who said she had to go. And if he was an ordinary father, I might have defied him, but he’s the king. He could make trouble for her if she tried to stay here against his wishes.”

“You let me worry about your father,” the queen said firmly. “The only question for you to answer is, do youwantto see her again?”

“Of course I do,” Kareem said quietly. It wasn’t even a question.

“Then I’ll speak to your father.”

“He won’t agree.”

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