by Holly Rayner
What a disappointing New Year’s Eve it had turned out to be. Her family ejected from the party in disgrace, Dakota stuck working on the first morning of the new year, and she hadn’t even been kissed.
Chapter 2
Dakota was awakened by the sound of the doorbell.
She rolled over and looked at the clock on her bedside table. It was barely six a.m. on New Year’s Day. She’d known the press conference was likely to be early, but this was a little much. Surely, she would have time to eat a quick breakfast and get her story straight before she was expected to face reporters?
Dakota got out of bed and dressed quickly in a favorite skirt suit, touching up last night’s makeup in the mirror. Her green eyes weren’t quite as bright as usual. She had looked better, she decided, but it would do. She slipped on her favorite power heels and hurried downstairs to the kitchen to see what was going on.
Everyone else was already there, though still in their pajamas, and Dakota felt a brief stab of annoyance that they were the ones who had caused the incident and yet it was she who would have to get them all out of it. The flicker of irritation faded when Dylan placed a plate of waffles in front of her, and she flashed a grateful smile at him.
Her father was sitting at the island holding a card, turning it over and over in his hands as though the writing on it might change if he read it enough times.
“What’s that?” she asked, reaching for the syrup.
“A summons,” he said.
“Summons? What do you mean?”
“From the Emir. We’ve been summoned to the palace.”
Dakota set her fork down slowly. The Emir was a kind man, but he was also rigid when it came to dispensing justice. Was it possible some law had been broken last night? “What does he want?” she asked.
“It doesn’t say,” her father said. “Only that the whole family should be in attendance.” He swallowed, and Dakota knew he shared her fears. “Go and put on something presentable, will you?” he said to Dylan.
For once in his life, Dylan seemed not to have any reply. He nodded and disappeared up to his room.
Ben Lee took his daughter’s hand. “Honey, I don’t know what this is going to be, but I’m counting on you to help smooth things over. Your knack for diplomacy is what makes you such a valuable asset to the company.”
“Dad, I can’t… It’s the Emir.”
“You know he’ll listen and be fair,” her father said.
“We haven’t broken the law,” her mother chimed in, although she was drinking her coffee very quickly, and Dakota could tell she was nervous.
“Are you sure?” Dakota asked. “Dylan did push the Sheikh.”
“The Sheikh pushed him first.”
“Yeah, but he’s the Sheikh.”
“I don’t think it’s that serious,” Ben said hurriedly. “If this was a criminal matter, we would simply have been arrested. We’re probably going to have to make some kind of apology to the bin Ayads, something like that.” He shook his head, clearly frustrated. “It’s completely uncalled for, given that they started it, but of course, they’re the bin Ayads.”
“They’ll say Dyl started it when he spilled that drink,” Dakota pointed out.
“And we’ll say they started it when they cut us out of that jet fuel deal last year, and…this can go back and back,” Ben said.
Dakota knew her father was right. She’d heard the stories often enough. Every time the bin Ayads and the Lees were involved in a business deal, even one that benefitted them equally, squabbles seemed to come up. They just never got over that acquisition we made five years ago, Dakota thought. If they would just get over it, we could all move on.
“Much as I hate doing it,” Ben continued, “we’re just going to have to look Ubaid bin Ayad in the eye and tell him last night was our fault and that we’re sorry. Maybe we can keep this quiet. Maybe the Emir’s doing us a favor.”
Chapter 3
The palace, as always, was an awe-inspiring sight. Despite having been here just the night before, it never failed to impress Dakota how imposing yet beautiful the ancient structure was.
After ushering the Lee family inside, a valet escorted them into a room off the main foyer, the inside of which she had never seen before. Two low tables faced a high table at the front, at which the Emir sat waiting for them. Without a word, he pointed the Lees toward one of the tables.
“Looks like a courtroom,” Anne muttered.
Dakota thought her mother was right, and her feeling of foreboding was heightened when the bin Ayads entered and were pointed to the other low table. They took their seats, glaring over at the Lees, three of whom glared back. Dakota examined the back of her hands and silently willed her family not to do anything stupid.
The Emir stood. “Thank you for joining me,” he said. “I need hardly point out that last night’s exhibition was an utter disgrace.”
No one spoke.
“This feud between your families has become intolerable,” the Emir continued. “It’s bad enough that you ruin a celebration by allowing an accidental slip to escalate into a brawl. But I am far more concerned about your business dealings. Every time one of you attempts to make a deal, the other finds a way to sabotage it. Your dealings with each other are sinkholes into which time, energy, and the resources of this nation disappear.”
He faced the Lees. “As Baraq’s most prominent American family, you represent your nation. The eyes of the world are on you, and what they see is that America and Baraq are unable to get along. And that is very bad for our country, and for our future trade prospects with the United States.”
He paused and regarded both families. No one said anything.
“Your visas are due for renewal, are they not?” the Emir asked.
In the long silence that followed, Dakota realized it was her turn to speak. “Next month, Your Highness,” she said.
The Emir nodded and turned to the bin Ayads. “And you are aware that it is by the grace of my office that you are titled and living on royal land?”
“Yes, Your Highness,” came a deep voice from the other table.
“Good,” said the Emir. “Then this is what I suggest.” From the tone of his voice, Dakota knew that what followed would not be a mere suggestion. “The bin Ayad family and the Lee family must set aside their differences and reconcile, permanently and publicly. You will shake hands and commit to it here, before me, and within the next week you will go public with a gesture big enough to let the global community know that the United States and Baraq are working here as allies.”
He paused and regarded each family in turn. “What that gesture is, I leave it to you to decide. Perhaps working together on this will be a good first step in your new alliance. But if I do not see progress toward a collaborative future within the specified timeline, the bin Ayads will be stripped of their land and their titles, and the Lees will find their visas revoked and will be forced to return to the United States.”
Dakota sat down heavily. Forced to return to the United States. On the surface, of course, that was nothing so terrible. She had grown up in the States, after all, and knew it was a fine place to live. But her whole world was here in Baraq.
She loved the home she lived in with her family, the dry heat of the desert, and the ocean that was just a short drive away when she wanted to escape for a weekend of leisure. She loved visiting the market and buying exotic fruits that she never could have gotten back in America. And, of course, there was LeeWay Corp to think of. What would happen to her family’s company if they were forced to leave? Would they be forced to scale back their operation? Or would the company simply shut down, requiring Dakota to find a job somewhere else?
It was an upsetting thought. Whatever complaints she might have had about the drama her family always seemed to put her through as their communications officer, she loved her job. She knew she was doing what she was meant to do. If she had to give it up…
Over at the bin Ayad table, a man o
f about Dakota’s age was getting to his feet. She recognized him as the Sheikh’s oldest son, Majeed. Much to the delight of the tabloids, he had the reputation of enjoying copious amounts of champagne and spending the family fortune. He crossed the hall to the Lees’ table and made a formal bow.
The tabloids had not lied about his charm and wickedly good looks.
“On behalf of my family, please accept my apology for our behavior last night,” Majeed said, and Dakota recognized his deep, mellifluous voice as the one that had answered the Emir’s question to his family. He stuck out his hand.
Dakota rose to her feet and shook it. “The Lee family offers our own apology. I hope our families and businesses will be able to work together in harmony going forward.”
Majeed nodded and turned to face the Emir, clearly wondering whether this apology would suffice.
“Very good,” the Emir said, nodding. “I look forward to your public gesture.” He rose to his feet, and they all turned to watch as he left the hall.
Dakota wanted nothing more than to go home and go to sleep after the long night and stressful morning, but her father insisted that the family go over to LeeWay Corp’s office building to discuss next steps. The office was in the heart of Kezab, and Dakota thought it would be a miracle if no one was lurking behind a food stand to take their picture as they made their way from the car to the building. Only when they were upstairs and safely ensconced in a conference room did she relax, kicking off her heels and putting her feet up on an empty chair.
Well, at least I don’t have to hold a press conference today, Dakota thought. The Emir had made it clear they couldn’t talk to the press until after coming up with a plan.
“All right,” Ben Lee said. “Let’s get out in front of this. We want to put forward an idea before the bin Ayads come up with one of their own. Otherwise, we could find ourselves trapped into doing whatever they think shows good fellowship.” It was clear from his tone that he, at least, was not letting go of the old rivalry just yet.
“We could do a reality show,” Anne suggested.
Ben raised his eyebrows. “How would that help?”
“A collaboration with the bin Ayads,” Anne said. “Something where we all have to live in a mansion together—no, listen. The Emir would sponsor it. We’d each have our own wing, and I bet we wouldn’t have to see each other that much, except for the hour a day or whatever we’d be filmed.”
“It would probably make world news,” Dylan mused. “Baraq’s royal cousins shacking up with the American business moguls. People would definitely tune in to see that.”
“They would tune in because they’d be expecting nothing but drama,” Ben said, “which is probably exactly what they’d get. Working harmoniously with the bin Ayads is one thing, but do you really think we’re all ready to live together? No matter how big the house is, that’s going to end with nonstop fighting, and it’s just going to make the situation worse.”
“You’re probably right,” Anne acquiesced.
“Why don’t we just throw a big party?” Dylan asked. “Like a really big one. The Emir could get us huge names for the guest list, huge enough to make the news, and if we cosponsored it with the bin Ayads, everyone would see that we’re working together.”
But Anne was already shaking her head. “I think we’ve just proved we can’t handle a party together. That’s what got us into this mess in the first place. I can’t imagine going back to the Emir and saying we want to clean up the damage done at the party by throwing another party.”
“So then what?” Dakota asked, picking up a pen and twirling it idly. This shouldn’t be as difficult as it was turning out to be. They should have been able to make a decision and go home quickly, and while she shared her father’s concern about what would happen if the bin Ayads came up with something first, she wasn’t as worried about what the actual solution turned out to be. Whatever they thought of, they would do it, and life would go on. The Lee family would actually get some good press for once.
“Hang on,” Ben said. “I have an idea. What about a wedding?”
“You want to stage a wedding?” Anne said incredulously.
“No, not stage one. I want to have a real one. If we arranged a marriage between our family and theirs…well, that would be a huge event. A royal wedding. Think about it. Tons of press coverage, and the image of our families coming together for a joyous event…that’s perfect. Baraq still observes the custom of arranged marriages. We could set something up. It would be like a business deal.”
“I’m not marrying Karida,” Dylan said quickly. “I have a girlfriend.”
“Rachel lives in Seattle,” Ben said.
“She’s still my girlfriend! I’m not dumping her to be set up with a bin Ayad.”
Ben turned to Dakota.
“No way,” she said.
Anne was shaking her head. “Ben, you can’t seriously ask her to do this. You want to use our daughter as a negotiating chip?”
“I want her to speak for herself,” Ben said, meeting Dakota’s eyes.
“I just did! I’m not doing this, there’s no chance, Dad.”
“Dakota, our family will lose everything,” Ben said. “We’ll be kicked out of the country. We’ll lose our business. You’ll lose your comfortable lifestyle and the job you love. We’ll have to go back to Seattle, where it rains all the time, and you’ll never see the house here again.”
God, he knew how to get to her. Dakota squirmed uncomfortably. She hadn’t done much dating since they’d moved to Baraq, having been too busy with work to focus on a social life, but she did want to be married someday. Maybe this was a reasonable shortcut to the altar. After all, arranged marriages did work out sometimes.
“Dakota,” Anne said, “you don’t have to do this.”
Dakota shook her head. “Dad might be on to something. It might be the best option available.”
“Oh, but honey…”
“Let’s talk to them,” she said. “See how they respond to the idea. Maybe it won’t go anywhere anyway, but it’s the best thing we’ve been able to think of. We might as well give it a try.”
The bin Ayads accepted the offer less than twenty-four hours later. Dakota was stunned by how fast things had moved. She had been sure that once her family proposed the arrangement, she would have at least a week to think things over and decide whether she really wanted to go through with this.
She wasn’t on the hook just yet, she reminded herself. Ubaid bin Ayad’s email had indicated that he would send one of his sons to the Lee home for a one on one meeting with Dakota. Together, the two of them would decide whether they were compatible enough to go forward with the plan.
Dakota lay in her bed, all the lights off, watching the stars outside her window and thinking. Was it possible that even now the bin Ayads were sitting up deciding who would present himself tomorrow morning? Or had they already made their choice? Was her future husband lying awake looking out his own window, as anxious about what was to come as she was?
Dakota rolled over and buried her face in her pillow. Not for the first time that week, it seemed unlikely she would get any sleep that night.
Chapter 4
“I thought we agreed at eleven a.m. sharp,” Ben Lee said. “You’d think they’d at least have the decency to be on time.”
It was clear to Dakota that her family was nervous. Ben had been pacing around the living room for the past twenty minutes, refusing, in turn, the coffee, tea, and juice his wife had offered to make. Now Anne sat on the very edge of the couch, perched as if she were about to take flight. Dylan had a book open on his lap, but he wasn’t turning the pages, and his eyes were focused out the big bay window, scanning for cars.
Dakota herself felt strangely numb. She was about to meet a prospective husband—from a family that hated hers, no less—and yet she couldn’t seem to summon any emotion. The stress and worry and hints of excitement she’d felt last night were gone, replaced with a sensation that this
was all completely outside her control. All she could do was go along for the ride.
At that moment, the doorbell rang. Everyone jumped. Anne collected herself first and went to answer it. A moment later they heard her call out from the entrance hall, “Dakota?”
Dakota stood as if on autopilot and walked to the door, feeling her father and brother’s eyes on her as she went.
A man in uniform was on the front step. “Good morning, Miss Lee,” he said with a bow. “Mr. bin Ayad is waiting in the car. I’ll be driving you to the restaurant.”
“I thought the meeting was going to take place here,” Anne protested.
“Mr. bin Ayad would like to buy his future bride a meal.”
“It’s okay, Mom,” Dakota reassured her, grabbing her purse from the table and patting her mother’s arm. She thought she knew what this was about. The bin Ayads would want the first meeting to take place in a neutral location, not the Lees’ private home. Dakota had to admit that it was probably a reasonable idea. If the shoe were on the other foot, she would have wanted the same thing.
The driver escorted Dakota down to a black car with tinted windows and held the door as she climbed into the backseat. Glancing around, she saw that the opposite seat was occupied by Majeed bin Ayad, the Sheikh’s oldest son, who had spoken at their meeting with the Emir. He nodded greetings to Dakota but did not speak, and she returned the gesture, trying to remember what she knew about him.
Though Dakota had seen him at numerous parties and galas, Majeed never seemed to join in the revelry and dancing, or even to smile. Maybe he was like her, trying to keep up a respectable presence in public in spite of his family’s tendency toward drama. He did have quite the reputation, though, for sparing no expense wining and dining clients. And, he was one of the troublemakers who had been thrown out of the New Year’s Eve Party…she would have to wait and see, she decided. It was too soon to pass judgment on him.
