by Holly Rayner
Alyssa’s face crumpled, and she sighed. “Of course I do. Why else would I have brought it up?”
Ali nodded. That had been a stupid question.
“We haven’t talked at all about your plan for when the babies are born,” Alyssa said. “Are you going to be home more?”
Finally, she turned to face him straight on. Her eyes pleaded for comfort.
Ali froze. With a blunt shock, he realized he had neglected to even think about his schedule two weeks in advance. And now, they knew exactly when the babies would arrive. After undergoing surgery, Alyssa would likely be in bed for a while.
They would need to hire a nurse. And there was still the matter of the night nanny. And now, they would need a second day nanny as well. If Alyssa were confined to bed, that would be bad news for Kinsley. The girl would not be able to handle Rashid plus two newborns on her own.
“Ali?” Alyssa asked. “What are you thinking?”
“Seeing as you will need to take some recovery time, we must hire more staff. At least two more nannies.” Ali pulled his phone from his pocket. “And perhaps a nurse.”
“A nurse?” Alyssa cried.
Ali nodded. “Yes. For you.”
Her eyebrows knitted together. “Why would I need a nurse?”
Ali gazed back at her. Another misunderstanding? So soon?
“To help you,” he said. Was it not obvious?
Alyssa shut her eyes, and Ali’s stomach twisted. Repressing a sigh, he put the phone away. The call would have to be made later—not that they had that much time. They were now counting down the days until the babies arrived. Somehow, in between meetings and calls, he had to find time to interview prospective nannies and nurses.
“Am I wrong?” Ali asked. “You don’t need more help?”
Alyssa opened her eyes, revealing tears swimming in them. “I need your help…” Her voice caught, and she swiftly turned her face away.
It felt as if Ali’s heart broke in two. “Alyssa. I’m right here for you. I always am.”
She sniffed and wiped at her eyes. Blinking fast, she looked back to him.
“It still seems as if work matters to you more than anything else.”
Ali bit the inside of his cheek. How could she say such a thing? Had she not noticed everything he’d done for her? The home he had purchased for them? The precautions he had taken to ensure she and Rashid were safe and comfortable?
“My job cares for you,” Ali said.
A disgruntled look crossed her face. “You had plenty of money when I met you, Ali, and you barely lifted a finger to help out the family businesses.”
Ali inclined his head. Hard as it was to admit, it was the truth.
“I can’t argue with any of that. But it’s no longer the case. I bring in far more to the family business than I ever spent.”
The words were not rhetoric. The bin Talid family had their hands in a number of industries, oil and hospitality among them. In New York, Ali had overseen the American restaurant and club interests, and upon his move to Baqar, he’d taken on a similar role. Since arriving in the country, he had made plans to open several new restaurants, and ground would be broken for the first one sometime in the next six months.
By his calculations, he was doing a good job. Of course, he could always do better. And why not strive to be greater? After years of sleepwalking through nearly every area of his life, Ali had finally woken up. He had met a wonderful woman and started a family. He had begun taking his work and his influence in the world seriously.
A lump pressed against the base of his throat. All he wanted was for his wife to be proud of him.
“We’re about to have twins, Ali,” Alyssa said. “Although it would be nice to have more nannies, that’s not what I’m talking about here. I want—I need—you.”
Deep emotion filled her last word, and Alyssa bowed her head. A wall he had not known was up broke in Ali, and he finally turned and wrapped his arms around his wife.
“I’m here,” he said into her hair. He ran his palm across her back.
Alyssa sniffled and drew back to smile at him. “Thank you.”
“I understand what you’re saying. We will spend more time together.” Ali trailed his palm down her cheek. “All of us. As a family.”
“That’s all I wanted to hear,” she whispered.
Catching her hand, he brought it to his lips for a kiss. “I am sorry,” he said. “I really am doing my best.”
She grinned wryly. “Thank you. I can’t really ask more of you than that, can I?”
Ali put her hand down as he started the engine and moved off, navigating out of the parking lot. “Next Friday.”
“Next Friday,” she intoned.
He gave her reassuring smile. “All will be well.”
Her shoulders rose with a long inhale. “I know. I’ll have you by my side.”
A wave of love rushed over Ali, and he took a hand from the steering wheel to briefly lay it against Alyssa’s belly. One of the babies kicked against his palm, and Ali smiled wider.
“What do you think?” he asked. “One boy, and one girl?”
“I dunno. I really have no clue. What if it’s two boys?”
Ali chuckled. “Three little boys all together. I can barely imagine such a scene.”
“I can.” Alyssa grinned. “And it’s chaos. Post-apocalyptic.”
“In that case, perhaps I should hire half a dozen nannies.”
“Nah,” Alyssa answered. “I got this.”
“You mean we do,” Ali said. “I meant what I said. I will be home more.”
“I know,” Alyssa said. From in her purse, her phone rang, and she pulled it out. “It’s my mom,” she announced, looking at the screen. “I told her I had an appointment today.”
Ali nodded, and Alyssa answered the phone and started giving her mother the update on the doctor’s appointment and the scheduled cesarean. Ali focused on driving and working to not let his thoughts distract him from the road.
He wanted to spend more time with Alyssa over the next week, as well as in the weeks following the twins’ birth. The trouble was, his schedule had already been made, and nearly every hour was booked.
What could he cut out? His family in the business would understand, but what about the multitude of unrelated associates?
Ali glanced at Alyssa. Her phone conversation appeared to be coming to an end. She’d timed it well, as they had just reached the front gate of their home. The guard, Malek, bowed to Ali, and the gate opened to allow them entrance.
“How is your mother?” Ali asked.
Alyssa put her phone away and hooked her purse over her shoulder. “She’s worried about me. She wants to fly over as soon as possible.”
Ali nodded. “I will send the jet whenever it is convenient for them.”
Alyssa gnawed on her bottom lip. “I wish Lucy could come too.”
“Can she not?”
She shrugged a shoulder. “It’s not for sure, yet. Work and all. Plus, she’s about to start her last leg of law school.”
This time, instead of parking in front of the house, Ali pulled into the six-car garage. He still had work to finish before the day was over, but he wouldn’t be leaving again.
Alyssa opened her door and paused with her fingers on the handle. “Back to the office?”
Ali hated to answer. “There are…some things…”
“I know.” Alyssa nodded and smiled, though it was a weak expression. “You left work early for the doctor’s appointment. I’m sure you have more stuff to do.”
“Precisely.” Ali unbuckled and came around the car to help her out. Hands locked, he helped her rise to standing.
Again, Alyssa paused. “I understand. You have to move some things around before we can spend more time together. At least we’re having dinner together tonight.”
Relief flooding him, Ali tenderly stroked Alyssa’s cheek. “I love you very much, Alyssa. Do you know that?”
Her long las
hes fluttered, and she looked up at him with a perplexed expression. “Of course I do. Did you think I doubted it?”
Ali chose his words carefully, though he feared he would put his foot in his mouth no matter what he said. “You are always foremost in my mind. You and our children.”
“But you didn’t answer my question.” Alyssa grinned, but there was fear in her eyes.
Cupping her chin in one hand, Ali set his other palm against her back. Her belly pressed between them, and there was a bump against his hip as one of the babies shifted.
“I hope you know I love you,” he said. “I don’t wish to take anything with you for granted. I am not a perfect man, and I know I must work to deserve you.” Ali swallowed as the words caught in his throat. “Each and every day.”
Alyssa’s eyes widened, and she placed her hands on either side of Ali’s face. “No one’s perfect, Ali. You don’t have to prove anything to me.”
He ran his thumb across the curve of her lips. Words were one thing, truth another. Alyssa had been so proud of him when he’d begun taking a more involved role in the family’s business matters. Though she wished for more time with him, if he were to stop putting effort into work, he knew what would occur. She would soon find herself dissatisfied with him and wondering where the man she used to know had gone.
How did he express any of this without causing another fight?
The answer was simple: for the time being, he needed to keep his thoughts to himself. He would work to create the balance in his life that Alyssa so longed for. And he would be mindful of everything he said and did.
Pressing his lips to Alyssa’s, he gave her a deep, lingering kiss. As they broke apart, she sighed against his mouth, and he ran his hands down her shoulders. The urge to kiss her again spiraled through Ali. But at the same time, his phone rang.
Ali looked down at where the phone was in his pocket and frowned.
“You get that.” Alyssa squeezed his hand. “I’ll go see what Kinsley and Rashid are up to. Dinner should be soon.”
Ali took the phone out and saw it was his father calling. “I’ll be right there.”
The door connecting the garage to the house closed, and Ali answered on the last ring.
“Hello, Father.”
“Ali,” came Fakhir’s smooth baritone. “How was the appointment?”
Ali raked his fingers through his hair and took a seat on one of the chairs by the bicycles, which he shot a quick glance at. He’d bought those upon moving to Baqar, and though there was a seat for Rashid on his, he had yet to take it for a spin. Another task to put on the list.
“It was…mostly good,” Ali answered. “The doctor is concerned about the babies’ position, and so we have scheduled a cesarean for Friday of next week.”
“The position?” Fakhir repeated, a bit of uncharacteristic alarm creeping into his voice.
“It’s nothing to be too concerned about,” Ali said, hoping his words were the full truth.
“I see.” Fakhir paused. “Does your mother know about this, yet?”
“No. We only just arrived home.”
“She will be over there within the hour, once she does find out.”
Ali looked at the closed door that led to the house. “That might not be a bad thing. Alyssa could use some more help. Especially after the birth.”
“You are hiring another nanny?” Fakhir asked.
“Perhaps two.”
“Good. Then you will not miss Lawson’s party tomorrow afternoon.”
Ali switched the phone to his other ear. “What was that? Which party?”
“Carl Lawson’s party, Ali. On his yacht.”
Ali closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I thought that was next month.”
Fakhir’s laughter was harsh. “Why would you think that? He is in town now. He returns to Texas in a few days.”
“I’m sure I wrote it in my planner,” Ali said.
“You are distracted. Much is happening at home.”
Ali grunted in agreement, but he did not feel that was an appropriate excuse.
“It’s tomorrow at noon,” Fakhir said. “We can take a helicopter together.”
Ali tapped his tongue against his front teeth. “How long will we be staying?”
The short silence crackled with his father’s irritation. “However long it requires. How will we strike a new deal with Lawson if we stay at his party for five minutes?”
Ali sighed. “Yes. I understand.”
The oil deal they hoped to secure was a big one, and as Ali primarily ran the family’s interests in hospitality, his father involving him in this new arena was important. It showed he valued Ali’s abilities.
Attending the party was not an option, but these lavish parties could go on for many hours. Sometimes, they began in the morning and stretched until well past midnight. Even if Ali went in the afternoon, how could he explain the need to be away for that long to Alyssa?
“I will see you at the helipad at noon. Give Alyssa my best.”
With that, Fakhir hung up.
Ali rubbed his tired eyes, thinking hard. There had to be a way to present this to Alyssa to minimize her annoyance. In the end, though, he had to admit that it might not be possible.
Chapter 4
Alyssa
“No!” Rashid grinned cheekily.
Alyssa pursed her lips and held the spoonful of eggs where they were. “You’ll like them, Rashid.”
“No.”
“Is he old enough to eat eggs?” Ali asked from across the breakfast table. He didn’t look up from whatever it was he was doing on his phone.
“He’s thirteen months,” Alyssa said matter-of-factly. “And he had them once before and liked them.”
“Rashid,” Ali said sternly. “Eat those eggs.”
“No,” Rashid giggled.
Ali snorted, and Alyssa gave him a sour look.
“Sorry,” Ali said with a half-smothered grin. “It’s not funny.”
“Well,” Alyssa said quietly. “It is a little, but we probably shouldn’t let him know that.”
Ali put his phone away, laced his hands on top of the table, and lowered his face so he was eye-level with Rashid. “Son, it is time we had a man-to-man talk.”
Alyssa did her best not to giggle. “Should I leave the room?”
“No, mothers can be privy to this,” Ali said, not breaking the serious act. “Rashid, you must eat a variety of foods to grow tall and strong. I’ve seen you with your grapes and bananas. That is not enough to sustain a growing man such as yourself.”
Alyssa couldn’t hold back her laughter any longer. “He doesn’t understand you!”
“Are you sure about that?” Ali asked.
Rashid furrowed his little brows and slapped his palm against his high chair. “Banana!”
“No banana,” Ali said.
“Banana!”
“No banana.”
“Banana!” Rashid yelled, taking the volume up a decibel.
Alyssa plugged her ears. “Okay. Enough.”
“Oh, look.” Ali stood and moseyed across the kitchen. “Look at all these bananas we have.” He stopped in front of the fruit bowl and plucked a banana from the bunch. “I bet I could eat all of these, they are so good.”
Rashid gasped. “No!”
“But I could if I wanted to. I finished my eggs.”
Rashid’s face turned red.
“He’s about to blow,” Alyssa announced.
Ali slowly peeled the banana. “Wow, this looks good.”
“My nanna!” Rashid shrieked.
“Eat your eggs,” Ali said calmly, “and then, you’ll get a banana.”
Alyssa rolled her eyes. She’d tried this tactic with Rashid months ago. It had only made him more petulant.
“Mama!” Rashid shrieked. “Eggs. Eggs.”
Alyssa’s eyebrows flew up. “Really?”
“Eggs.” Rashid wiggled his fingers at her.
“Okay.�
� Alyssa handed him the spoonful of eggs, which he ate up. She looked at Ali in amazement. “I thought he was too young to understand that if he ate the eggs, he’d get a banana.”
Ali took his place at the table, banana in hand. “So did I.”
Alyssa laughed in disbelief. “Then why did you…”
“I wanted to see. I had a hunch that maybe this little one is more intelligent than he sometimes lets on.”
“Hmm.” Alyssa narrowed her eyes at Ali. “You’re bad.”
Ali leaned back in his chair in satisfaction. “I think you knew that when you married me.”
“Maybe it’s one of the reasons I married you,” she flirted.
On the table, Ali’s phone buzzed. He looked at the screen and turned it over so it was face down.
“What’s going on?” Alyssa asked.
“Nothing.” Ali pressed his lips in the way that told her he had more to say but was considering how to put it.
“What?” Alyssa urged. “I know that look.”
Ali ran his thumb across his mouth. “What is your schedule today?”
“Um, sit on the couch. Play with Rashid. Walk in the backyard.” Alyssa sighed. “That’s it. You heard Dr. Latifi yesterday. I’m basically on bedrest.”
“You are not on bedrest,” Ali said.
Alyssa rolled her eyes. “Close to it. And then, after the birth, I really will be in bed for a while.”
Her heart sank, and she lowered her eyes. Cabin fever was the worst, and she prayed that having Rashid and the newborn twins around would make the seclusion better and not worse.
“Perhaps getting out for a bit would put you in a better mood,” Ali said.
Alyssa shook her head. “I can’t do that. Dr. Latifi said—”
“That it is all right for you to go out some,” Ali cut in. “She said for you to limit the amount of things you do. Nothing strenuous.”
Alyssa’s chest tightened. Ali watched for her reaction as Rashid happily ate his banana.
“I don’t know,” she said after a minute.
“You don’t want to be sitting around at home all day long. I know that much.”
Alyssa breathed out slowly. “Okay. So, we’ll do something. What did you have in mind?”
“Well…” Ali’s gaze cut to his phone. It buzzed again.
