by Holly Rayner
There was definitely a spark there, though, and Hakim found himself strangely reluctant to give up on it.
Chapter 10
Lauren
Lauren drove home to change clothes and pull herself together after waking up curled up against Hakim on his couch. She promised to be back at his house before he left for work, and he told her to forget wearing the maid’s uniform again.
As she took a quick shower and put on jeans and long-sleeved T-shirt, Lauren reflected on waking up in Hakim’s arms. It had been nice, a sort of cozy, protected feeling. At least until the inevitable question of what was going to happen next sunk in. There was something there, Lauren thought, something that had the potential to be amazing. But there was also the potential for the whole thing to blow up in her face when her mother found out.
Plus, it was just a weird situation. The auction, Hakim’s feud with her mother—could she get past the fact that the man she was so attracted to didn’t like her mother at all?
When she got back to Hakim’s house, he had coffee and breakfast ready again. Lauren couldn’t help but tease him about having the servant and master relationship all wrong.
“You know, I think I’m supposed to be the one doing that,” Lauren said when she walked into the kitchen and saw him cutting up fruit.
Hakim shrugged. “Technically, you worked overtime last night, so I thought I’d trade that time for breakfast this morning.”
“If you insist,” she said, not sure if his focus on breakfast was more about fair play or about feeling awkward that they woke up on the couch together.
Lauren helped carry the food to the table, where the coffee was already waiting. They sat and ate, not talking. If there was a place halfway between comfortable and awkward, Lauren decided that was where they were.
After breakfast, Lauren waved him off again. “Go. I’ll clean this up.”
Hakim hesitated, and Lauren thought he looked like he wanted to say something.
“Would you take Zeus to the park again today? Other than that, I don’t really need anything done.”
Lauren tilted her head and stared at him. “Hakim, are you telling me you don’t want me to work for you anymore?”
“No, I’m just… You’ve got work to do, too, right? I’m telling you to do that.”
“Seriously? No errands, nothing to pick up…”
“You demolished my to-do list the last two days, and then some. If it helps, I’ll have a whole new list for you tomorrow.”
She tapped a finger on the kitchen counter in thought. “Okay. But don’t be surprised if you come home and find your kitchen cabinets reorganized.”
Hakim laughed, and Lauren relaxed a bit. They were both feeling odd, but everything was okay.
“Will you be here when I get home?”
Lauren thought he sounded a bit cautious, and she hated to tell him no, especially with the reason why she couldn’t have dinner with him again that night.
“I have plans this evening, so I’ll head home around five,” she explained.
“Ah, well. I probably won’t be home by then.”
“It’s just… I have dinner with my mother tonight. It’s something we try to do every month, so that we have time to catch up.”
She couldn’t decipher the expression on Hakim’s face. It was part understanding, part something else. Just another sign that this thing between them wasn’t going to be easy.
“That’s good,” he said. “I’m glad you get to spend time with your mother.”
Before she could say anything else, Hakim whistled for Zeus, patted the dog goodbye, and then grabbed his suit jacket.
“I’ll see you tomorrow morning,” Lauren said, as he walked out the door. She felt like an idiot as she followed him to the garage and stood there awkwardly waving goodbye.
The rest of her day went by quickly. She took Zeus to the dog park, staying longer than the day before. She didn’t reorganize Hakim’s kitchen cabinets, but she did clean the kitchen, washing the dishes from their breakfast that morning. Kayla called with an update on their work issue, and to ask her to sign a few other things. Lauren checked her email and responded to what couldn’t wait.
By mid-afternoon she was restless, so she practiced her lines for the play, using Zeus as her scene partner. The dog was attentive, if not talkative, and when Lauren checked the clock again, it was time for her to go. She fed Zeus and made sure he had fresh water, then gave him a hug and laughed when she got a lick on the face in return.
Lauren hurried home and changed into an outfit more suitable for dinner with her mother. She drove to the restaurant, one of her mother’s favorites, where she was greeted by name at the host stand. Her mother was already at her regular table, a Manhattan sitting in front of her and another waiting for Lauren.
“Sorry I’m late, Mom. Traffic was insane.”
Patricia stood and kissed her daughter on the cheek. “I’m sure you’ve had a busy week, too.”
Lauren had no intention of telling her mother that she had been working for Hakim all week, so she simply said, “It has been a little crazy.”
“Of course. I’m sure that after the attention your party received, you’ve been working on landing new clients.”
Lauren shrugged internally. Sure, they could go with that.
“We did have several potential clients at the party, and all of them called this week to either sign contracts or get more information.”
Patricia patted Lauren’s hand. “I’m so proud of what you’ve done, sweetheart. It’s not easy work, but you’ve managed wonderfully.”
“Thanks, Mom.” Lauren knew her mother was proud, but it was nice to hear her say it every once in a while.
“And I’m terribly sorry I wasn’t able to make your party,” Patricia continued. “I know it was important to you, but we had a crisis at work.”
“What happened?” Lauren took a sip of her Manhattan and sat back.
“You remember the new client I was telling you about last month? Well, their social media manager managed to flame out in a rather spectacular fashion. Picked a fight with two competing brands at the same time using the company account, and posted several things with profanity.”
“Oh, I read about that. You’re not doing anything with their social media, are you?”
“No. They insisted they didn’t need the help.” Patricia gave her a look that told Lauren just how shortsighted she considered that fact.
“So, you’ve had a crazy week, too.”
“Indeed I have. I’ve barely been home this week.”
“Well, then, let’s have a relaxing dinner,” Lauren said.
She didn’t even need to study the menu, they ate here so often. After they ordered, Lauren tried to figure out a way to ask her mother about Hakim. Her curiosity had been piqued, and she wanted to know how their fight had gotten started, and why it continued. If she could understand that better, maybe she could figure out what the right thing to do would be.
“So, tell me about the party,” Patricia said.
“It was perfect. My whole team had fun, and the auction was a huge success. We raised quite a lot for the charity, too.
Patricia nodded approvingly. “Giving back to the community can open more than a few doors.”
Lauren saw an opening. “There was one interesting thing that happened, though. Hakim Khalif came.”
Patricia’s expression made it clear that she was not pleased by that bit of news. “What? You’re not doing work for him, are you?”
Lauren didn’t want to lie, but since she was sure Patricia meant “for him” in business terms, and Lauren had been clear about not doing any work for the Khalif Group, she figured it wasn’t exactly a lie.
“No, and frankly I couldn’t figure out why he would attend our party.”
Patricia thought for a moment. “He’s up to something.”
That was the truth, Lauren thought, and so she agreed with her mother out loud. “Can I ask why you don’t lik
e him? I know that you’re competitors, but I also know you don’t feel the same way about most of your competition.”
Patricia nodded. “It’s more than his just being a competitor. He’s not a good person.”
“Why? I mean, does he treat his employees badly? Or is he underhanded in negotiations?”
“I haven’t heard any complaints from his employees, but I imagine that’s because he pays them off if there are any issues.” Patricia considered her words carefully. “When he expanded his company over here, he assumed that he would automatically vault to the top of the heap. He acted like he had already moved ahead of everyone else, even those who have been in the business for years.”
“Oh, Mom, that describes ninety percent of the advertising industry. You all think you’re the best.”
Patricia actually smiled at that remark. “True. But he was trading on his name and his reputation, not on his skill. He plowed through a list of Hollywood starlets without any care for reputation, dating two every weekend and one or two more during the week. He threw wild parties—I’ve heard stories about those that make the ’80s look tame.”
“Are these stories fact or just gossip?” Lauren knew how the southern California rumor mill worked, especially in the industry. Her mother’s disapproval sounded more like a moral judgement than anything else, and after getting to know Hakim a little, Lauren wasn’t sure that judgement was based on actual events.
“Is there any difference in this town? Perception is reality, and Hakim Khalif has set himself up as a wealthy playboy only interested in style over substance.”
Lauren sighed silently. “Have you had any direct run-ins with him?”
“I have. We’ve competed on several contracts, most of which I’ve won. The ones he’s managed to succeed on have been because he dated the CEO’s daughter or the CEO herself.”
“Really?” Lauren tried not to sound too curious, but that didn’t seem like Hakim to her.
“He’s quite charming in person. It’s not surprising that he used a romantic connection to give him the upper hand in negotiations.”
Lauren wrinkled her forehead in confusion. “Did he date any of them for very long?”
Patricia laughed scornfully. “No. He sleeps with them, gets what he wants for his business, and then moves on. But he’s rich and attractive, so he gets away with it.”
“That doesn’t sound…”—realizing that she was about to reveal too much, Lauren frantically changed what she was going to say—“…very professional.”
Patricia gave Lauren a curious look. “Why are you so interested, honey?”
“You’ve never had anything good to say about him, and then he shows up at my party. Of course I’m interested. I’m trying to figure out if he was there for business or personal reasons.”
“With him, there’s no difference. He doesn’t have a personal life.”
“Well, that’s no different than you or me, really. And you said that he dated; that sounds like a personal life to me.”
“Oh, sweetheart. That’s not a personal life. He only dates people who can help him get ahead. I don’t know why he was at your party, but you should steer clear of any involvement with his company.”
Lauren played with her glass, not looking at her mother. “He just didn’t seem like a terrible guy at the party.”
She looked up and her mother was watching her closely, with a wary look.
“You should steer clear of him,” Patricia countered. “As charming as he is, he’s nothing but trouble.”
Lauren needed to change the subject. Her mother was too savvy to not pick up on why Lauren was asking questions, and she wasn’t ready for her mother to know about Hakim’s winning the auction. She needed something to distract her mother’s attention.
“Well, speaking of a personal life, I know you’ve been busy lately. All work or have you had the chance to get out and have some fun? Maybe even go on a date of your own?”
Lauren was mostly teasing. Patricia hadn’t dated anyone since divorcing her husband, Lauren’s father, fifteen years ago. She focused on work and Lauren, proclaiming frequently that she just didn’t have time for anything as frivolous as dating.
So Lauren was shocked when her mother actually blushed—barely, it was mostly hidden by Patricia’s flawless makeup—but it was definitely there.
“I have been seeing someone, actually. Only for a few weeks, but things are going rather well.”
Lauren leaned forward. “Who is he? Where did you meet? Come on, tell me everything!”
She was genuinely happy for her mother; finding some kind of non-work companionship would make life much easier for her.
Patricia smiled. “I think you’ll like him. He’s a pediatrician, with his own clinic downtown. We met at a fundraiser for the children’s hospital.”
“Wow, Mom. That’s great. I’d love to meet him sometime.”
“Maybe we can all have dinner in a few weeks. I can make a reservation somewhere.”
“Why don’t we get together at your house, or at mine, and do dinner there? It would give us more time to talk.”
Patricia nodded. “All right then. I’ll talk to Richard and find a good time.”
The server brought their food, and Lauren hoped that eating would distract her mother even further. Picking up her fork, Patricia gave Lauren a pointed look.
“And what about your love life, Lauren? Are you seeing anyone?”
Lauren really didn’t know how to answer that question. She and Hakim weren’t dating—she wasn’t even sure what to call their situation. But she did like him.
She spoke carefully. “I’m not dating anyone. There is someone I’d like to get to know better, but I’m not sure it would even go anywhere if I did.”
“Why not?” Patricia asked.
And that was the question she didn’t want to answer, so she shrugged. “Call it a hunch.”
Patricia accepted that answer, and Lauren was relieved when their conversation turned toward safer subjects.
But later that night, curled up on her couch at home, Lauren couldn’t stop thinking about what her mother had said. She wondered if the night before with Hakim was a fluke. They were both tired, there had been wine… Maybe it didn’t mean anything.
It didn’t feel like nothing, though. Lauren felt a definite spark there, and if he were anyone else, there would be no question about wanting to explore it.
She was going over and over it in her head, trying to decide what to do, especially after her week of servitude was finished. The phone rang, interrupting her thoughts.
Lauren checked the phone before answering. “Speaking of,” she said as she hit the answer button.
He didn’t even give her a chance to say hello. “Lauren, I need you to pack a bag and be ready to travel.”
“I’m sorry, but what?”
“We’re flying to Al Asaab tonight. My assistant isn’t available over the weekend, and since you still have a few days on your contract, you’ll be accompanying me as my PA.”
“Hakim, I can’t just leave. I’ve got work to do.”
“Yes, you do. And since you’re working for me this week, I expect you to be ready at midnight. I’ll pick you up on our way to the airport.”
He didn’t wait for her to agree, he simply hung up without saying goodbye. Lauren stared at her phone in shock.
“Of course, he wants to fly halfway around the world. Tonight. Of course, I have to go with him. Of course, he’s an arrogant, demanding jerk about it.”
Since there wasn’t anything else she could do, Lauren packed her bag.
Chapter 11
Hakim
Hakim was too wired to sleep. He napped here and there during the fourteen-hour flight, but mostly he checked his work email and talked with the pilots and steward.
And the rest of the time, he sat, thinking, catching glimpses of Lauren as she slept.
She had not been happy with him when he’d picked her up at midnight, and had b
arely spoken to him the whole ride to the airport. Even though he saw she was impressed by his private jet, she didn’t say anything. Instead, she made a point of carrying both his bag and hers up the stairs onto the plane. Hakim had tried to take his bag, but she’d stopped him with a sharp glare.
Insisting that she travel with him as he personal assistant may not have been the right strategy, Hakim thought, as they flew through the night. All he wanted was to show her his home, to wine and dine her in the manner she deserved, and show her how much he appreciated her company.
But he’d fallen back on an arrogant attitude to get what he wanted. He knew it would have been better to ask and explain, but once he had made the decision to go, he was too excited to think about tact.
He was so rarely impulsive, he hadn’t known how to contain his excitement. And so, he’d assumed and ordered where a request would have been the wiser course.
Hakim vowed that he would make it up to Lauren when they landed. She’d been such a good sport all week. Maybe all he really wanted to do was show her that he wasn’t a bad person.
Lauren had fallen asleep almost immediately after the plane took off. She was stretched out on a couch in the back of the cabin where it was dark, with two blankets tucked around her. Hakim had given her the blankets and a pillow after she made it clear that she intended to sleep instead of talk to him on the flight. She’d also made it clear she didn’t want to fall asleep on the same couch as him again, taking the seat farthest from him.
She had woken up a couple of times during the night and asked Hakim where they were. He watched her stare out the window, looking at the ocean or the city below, touching the window with hesitant fingers, like she couldn’t quite believe what she was seeing. Hakim liked that she appreciated the magic of flying in the dark.
