Page 27 of The Sheikh's Matchmaker Bride

"That's just how Shahid works," Nadyah replied.

"Works?" Aliyah asked, lowering her voice and looking at Nadyah with puzzlement.

Nadyah dug an elbow into Aliyah's side. "You know what I mean," she said.

Aliyah shook her head. "I don't think I do," she replied. Aliyah glanced around and then at Nadyah. "Keep your voice down," she said.

"What? Worried someone will find out?" Nadyah asked.

"Find out what?"

Nadyah rolled her eyes. "It was pretty obvious yesterday, Aliyah. Despite the act you two tried to put on."

"We didn't put on any act. We've been friends for years. And we still are."

Nadyah's eyes widened.

"Just friends," Aliyah said emphatically, leaning right up into Nadyah's face.

They walked on a bit further. Finally, Nadyah said: "Anyway, Shahid called me last night."

"He did?" Aliyah asked trying to mask her burning curiosity to know what Shahid had said.

Nadyah nodded her head and paused. Aliyah frowned, wondering if her best friend was trying to torment her. She concluded that Nadyah probably was determined to drive Aliyah crazy. After all, she'd been doing just that ever since they'd been childhood friends. Aliyah knew that once Nadyah got on the case, there was virtually no way to stop her.

"What did he say?" Aliyah asked, at last, seeing a smile of satisfaction on Nadyah's face.

"I didn't think you'd want to know," Nadyah teased. "Especially since there's nothing between you and Shahid. Or so you'd have us all believe."

"What did he say?" Aliyah said again, this time more insistently.

"Just that he enjoyed the drive home with you. He said you both had a nice time. That you took a detour along the coastal road." Nadyah shrugged. "He wouldn't elaborate when I asked if he stopped at the beach. I know how much you love the beach, Aliyah. Seems like it would have been too tempting to refuse that. Especially with Shahid in tow."

"In tow?" Aliyah retorted, feeling scandalized. "Who said I had Shahid in tow?"

"Or maybe I misheard." Nadyah rolled her eyes. Maybe he actually said you kept him on his toes," Nadyah replied. "I'm not sure," she added smiling.

"No-one leads Shahid around," Aliyah replied. "Especially not a woman."

"You might be right about that," Nadyah agreed, a tone of reluctance in her voice.

"Although, maybe he's not quite as arrogant as he used to be," Aliyah admitted.

Nadyah smiled. "So you've noticed," she said.

Aliyah furrowed her brows inquiringly at Nadyah.

"Shahid's a changed man," Nadyah continued. "I know my brother pretty well, and I can safely say he's not the same old Shahid," Nadyah said shaking her head. "Not by a long shot. Haven't you noticed the change in him, Aliyah?"

She shook her head, determined not to take the bait Nadyah was offering.

"He's just the same as usual, as far as I can see," Aliyah said.

"Haven't you seen the starry look in his eye?" Nadyah said with a grin. "He didn't like it when I pointed it out to him on the phone last night. In fact, he got a bit annoyed. Claimed he was in a hurry. That he didn't have time to talk because he was going out. He didn't say where."

In spite of herself, Aliyah couldn't contain her surprise at that revelation. Shahid had gone out last night? That flew in the face of what he'd said to her yesterday. The sweet words he'd murmured to her now seemed hollow, even a little insincere. What Nadyah had just told Aliyah contradicted every impression he'd given her the day before, every look, every touch.

"Did he say where he was going?" Aliyah asked, not sure if she wanted to really know the answer.

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