It was far more likely he was being a complete and utter fool. Would he stand on that beach alone until the stars came out? Would he stand there alone forever?
Plopping down on the sand, Mehdi waited, hardly daring to hope.
“Steph, I’m here,” he whispered.
Chapter 18
Steph
Time seemed to dissolve into eternity as Steph learned everything there was to know about each El Farahn family member she had never known existed. The house was somewhat lacking in windows, and when she finally got a chance to peek outside, she felt a wave of panic.
“It’s almost sunset!” she cried.
Her father approached to look out the window with her.
“Why does that matter?”
Steph huffed in frustration. “Tell Mom I had to go—she’ll know where.”
“Steph, what on earth—”
Before her father could finish his exclamation, Steph had her purse in hand and was already out the door. She spotted a cab a block away and ran for it.
A man and woman were exiting the vehicle as Steph approached the driver, her breath labored.
“Please, I need a ride to the beach,” she said.
The driver lifted a skeptical eyebrow. “You have money?”
Steph nodded. “Of course. I can pay you. Please, just get there quickly.”
The driver nodded and gestured for her to get in, which she did, sliding onto the leather seat as he peeled out onto the road and headed back toward the city. Steph watched the sun sink farther under the horizon, and she feared she would be too late. She had no idea how long Mehdi would wait for her, if he was even there.
He had to be there. He simply had to be.
The cab sped up as it drove along a coastal highway, finally making its exit and pulling into a beach parking lot.
“Thank you,” Steph said, giving the man a generous tip.
He grinned and nodded to her. “I hope everything works out,” he said.
“Me too,” Steph said, stepping out of the car and into a cooling desert dusk.
The sun was nearly underwater by the time her feet hit the sand, the sky an inky indigo with just a sliver of creamy orange beneath it. She began searching the beach. There were still plenty of people there, and she walked at a quick pace as she tried to get a good look at the men’s faces without being rude.
Finally, standing alone at the water’s edge, she found him.
He had come.
Mehdi stood, his shoulders slumped, staring out at the fading sun. He looked crestfallen, and Steph could hardly keep herself from jogging over to him. She gave in and did so, though he continued to look out at the sea, totally distracted. When she reached him she gave herself a brief moment to catch her breath before stepping up next to him and looking out at the ocean.
“Room for one more?” she asked.
Mehdi’s eyes widened as he realized who was standing beside him.
“Steph?” he asked, as though trying to prove to himself that she was real.
After a pause, his face broke out into a wide, delighted grin as he wrapped his arms around her and swung her around, her feet landing in the lapping waves.
“You came!”
Steph laughed as she rested in the circle of his arms. She lifted a hand to stroke his cheek.
“Of course I came. Did you really think I wouldn’t?”
Mehdi looked sheepish as he placed his fingers on top of hers, which still rested on his face.
“I thought for sure you would stick with duty and do as your parents asked. I’ve been in that position… I know what it means to have to make that choice.”
Steph stared lovingly into his green-speckled eyes, doing her best to memorize his features, to capture the moment with perfect clarity.
“I choose you, Mehdi. You’re the one I want.”
At her words, Mehdi smiled so deeply that both his dimples showed. He tightened his grip around her as he dipped his head to claim her lips in a kiss, sealing their fate, once and for all.
The sun finally set, and a few pinpricks of stars poked out against the night sky before Mehdi was willing to release Steph from his arms so they could walk along the beach together, hand in hand.
“So, what do we do now?” Steph asked.
Mehdi looked ahead, swinging her arm a little as they walked.
“Well, that’s the beauty of it, I suppose,” he said, glancing down at her with gleaming eyes. “Anything we want.”
Chapter 19
Steph
“I think I see them!”
Stepping out from the cabana, Steph cupped her hand over her eyes to stave off the glaring light of the midmorning sun. Mehdi joined her shortly afterward, his eyes searching the skies. A small helicopter came into view, and he grinned.
“Yes. That should be them!”
Steph could hardly contain her excitement. After meeting Mehdi on the beach that day, several months ago, the two of them had gone to her parents and asked if she could stay in El Farah while she got to know the Sheikh better. Jerry and Elora hadn’t taken much convincing, though it had been a tearful farewell when Steph saw her parents back to Vermont. Her father still had a job there, and he didn’t want to shirk his duties. Mehdi had surprised them with a private jet for the plane ride home, much to Steph’s delight, and from that moment on her world had completely opened up.
Not wanting to break with tradition even more, Steph and Mehdi had opted to live separately while they dated.
“Where is a good place to stay?” Steph had asked at the time.
Mehdi had smiled, pulling a set of keys from a pocket and handing them to her. “I’ve got a tidy little apartment downtown that will do just the trick. It’s not the palace, so you can renovate it however you’d like. Just tell them to put it on my bill.”
Steph had taken one step inside the place—an expansive penthouse with a beautiful view of the city—and decided not to change a single thing. It was clear that the clean, classic style was much more in line with Mehdi’s personality than the palace’s decor, and that made her like it all the more.
Next, Mehdi had introduced her to some of El Farah’s greatest fashion designers. At a meeting with a notable couture house, the owners were thrilled with Steph’s sketches and immediately took her under their wing. At first, Steph had been skeptical that they were only helping her launch her own line because of her connection to Mehdi, but he laughed that suggestion off.
“You think I have any power over the fashion industry here? Hardly. Believe me, if they didn’t think you had what it takes, you would know. Those women do not mince words. It’s one of the reasons I like them.”
Steph’s new line would be coming out in a few short weeks, and she had been living in a whirlwind, working to get everything made and ready for the big launch event. Somewhere in between design meetings and seamstress discussions and drawing sessions, Steph slowly acclimated to life in El Farah, which was so different, but really only in the best of ways.
That might have had a little to do with dating the Sheikh, though.
The new couple had spent countless evenings out at the theater, more on the beach, and had even made some desert excursions. Mehdi took the courtship process very seriously, and he did everything in his power to ensure that they enjoyed themselves together, doing fun things and getting to know one another as their love blossomed more every day.
Now, standing on the leaf-shaped island where they had first gotten to know one another, Steph’s stomach was filled with butterflies as she waited impatiently for the helicopter to land. As it dropped closer to the ground, she saw her mother’s face pressed against the window, and she waved furiously while Elora waved back.
Once the helicopter landed and the blades stopped turning, Elora threw open the door and ran straight into her daughter’s arms. Steph laughed and wiped away a tear as she hugged her mother tight. Jerry approached, then, and she hugged him just as fiercely. She had never been away from her pa
rents for so long.
After their joyful greeting, Jerry gave Mehdi a firm handshake.
“Thanks for flying us out, Your Highness.”
Mehdi winced. “Please, ‘Mehdi’ is just fine. And it was no trouble at all. We have lunch prepared, if you’re hungry?”
Jerry grinned. “Famished.”
“Perfect. Please, right this way.”
Mehdi led the way as Steph laced her arm with her mother’s and caught her up on everything that had been going on since she and Jerry had left El Farah. Elora listened with rapt attention, holding her daughter close.
They sat at the table, which was set with plates of seafood and fruits and vegetables that were perfectly chilled to compensate for the sunny weather. Mehdi popped a bottle of champagne and Steph held four flutes as he filled them. She then handed them out, and Mehdi raised his glass.
“To family, to life, and to love!”
He was met with smiles as they all lifted their flutes and said, “Cheers!”
Jerry’s blue eyes were wide as he gazed at the beauty around them. “This place is incredible.”
After a sip, Mehdi sat down and reached for Steph’s hand under the table.
“This is where I fell in love with your daughter,” he said.
Elora tilted her head in confusion. “You’ve been here before?”
Steph laughed. “Yes, Mom. This is where Mehdi brought me when I was ‘kidnapped.’”
“Ah, yes. That I do remember,” Elora said with a pointed stare at Mehdi.
“And I cannot apologize enough for your worries, Mrs. O’Hanlon. I’ll certainly do my best to make it up to you.”
“You better,” Elora said, though there was a small twinkle in her eye.
They enjoyed a leisurely lunch, after which the four of them took a dip in the warm waters. Mehdi pointed to the secluded island and told them of the algae that glowed within the caves.
“Perhaps another time I will have the energy to swim that far. As it is, these old bones would like nothing more than a peaceful day on the beach,” Elora said, glancing wistfully back at the cabana.
“Would you like some company, Mother?” Steph asked.
Elora nodded, heading back in that direction. “I would, thank you.”
The two women made their way back to the cabana, and Mehdi spent some time chatting with Jerry out in the water. As Steph settled into a comfy chair, basking in the sun, she stared out at her handsome boyfriend, grateful for the changes in her life over the past few months. It was better than she could have ever dreamed.
“How is Vermont?” Steph asked, and Elora shrugged.
“Cold, as usual. We got several feet of snow the other day, and all I could think about was getting out here to enjoy the beach. Of course, flying in Mehdi’s private jet was wonderful, too.”
“He flew you out in the jet?” Steph asked, surprised.
Elora nodded, taking a sip of iced tea. “He did, and I have to say that I quite approve of this relationship. How are things going with you two?”
Steph smiled, thinking about all of the wonderful adventures they’d had so far. “Amazing,” she said, sighing.
“You should get married so you can secure him and your future,” Elora said, and Steph laughed.
“Mom, I have my own fashion line coming out, and many of my designs have already gained traction in the right circles. I’m making a good living for myself, doing exactly what I want to do.”
Elora smiled at her daughter and reached for her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.
“I’m so proud of you, Stephanie. I love you very much, you know.”
“I know, Mom. I love you, too.”
Steph watched as Mehdi and Jerry made their way in from the water. Mehdi looked happy and relaxed, while Jerry’s expression was unreadable. But Steph thought nothing of it as they rejoined the group and spent the rest of the afternoon chatting, laughing, and enjoying the stunning waters.
As the sun began to set, Mehdi pulled Steph aside.
“Could I speak with you for a moment?” he asked.
Steph nodded, following him as he took her hand and led her a short distance from the cabana.
“I was speaking with your father earlier,” Mehdi said, and Steph nodded.
“Yes, I saw. I’m so glad you got to spend some time together. Did you have an interesting conversation?”
Mehdi nodded, and Steph noticed that his hand had gone a little clammy in hers, which was strange, because Mehdi’s hands were never like that. Was he nervous or something?
“I did, actually. It was a very important conversation to have.”
Steph looked up at him, noticing the tiny, almost imperceptible beads of sweat on his upper brow. She was about to ask him what was wrong when Mehdi stopped walking and bent down on one knee, producing a small jewelry box from his pocket.
“I asked him if I could have his permission to marry you, and I am happy to say that he gave his blessing. Now that I have it, Steph, I can ask you if you would be willing to make me the happiest man on earth by becoming my wife.”
Steph looked from the glittering ring to Mehdi and back again before her eyes landed on his and she beamed.
“Of course I’ll marry you!” she said, laughing even as she cried.
His face broke out in a beatific smile as he stood and hugged her tight, kissing her silly before he placed the ring on her finger.
Steph looked out at the sunset and laughed, brushing more joyful tears from her cheeks. “How many sunset beaches have we met on now?”
Mehdi kissed her again, letting his hand linger at the base of her neck as he stared adoringly into her eyes. “I think we deserve a whole lifetime of them. Don’t you agree?”
Steph stared up adoringly into her fiancé’s eyes, knowing in a moment they could turn around and celebrate with her parents. It couldn’t have been a more perfect proposal.
“I do,” she said.
And with that, they turned back to see Steph’s parents smiling behind them, and the happy family came together to celebrate the non-arranged marriage of their only daughter.
Epilogue
One Year Later
Steph was standing in front of a mirror while several women pulled and tugged at her dress. She held an arm out as another woman made the finishing touches on her sleeve before pressing her arm down for her. Steph nearly made a comment about how she was capable of moving her own limbs, but she decided against it.
The day of the ceremony was no time to become a bridezilla.
Her mother approached, carrying her veil. “Ready, Stephanie?”
Steph took a deep breath. She had been engaged to Mehdi for one very long year while they planned the ceremony and worked out all the traditional details that had to be considered. If it had been up to them, they would have eloped the day Mehdi proposed, but Elora had convinced them both that having a royal wedding to celebrate with the people would be best.
Unable to disagree, Steph and Mehdi had sat though endless appointments with florists, musicians, caterers—all the elements of a normal wedding, only a royal scale. It had certainly been overwhelming, and Steph had had to fight to find the time to work on her latest designs as the day approached and her social calendar filled with dignitaries who wanted to meet the future sheikha.
After a moment, she nodded to her mother, who fixed the veil gently into her coiffed hair and then straightened it to float behind her. Steph glanced around at the room, which happened to be the guest room she’d stayed in when she had first been ‘kidnapped’ by Mehdi. She smiled at the memory, glad to have the chance to get ready in her future home.
Steph was escorted from the room by a wedding coordinator, who was talking into a headset, giving updates on the coordinates of the bride. Steph felt a little like she was on some kind of secret mission, but she focused on allowing herself to enjoy being a bride on her special day. The front doors to the palace were opened before her, and to her surprise, Steph was greeted by raucou
s cheers.
A crowd had gathered behind temporary gates, and they were all waving furiously at her with big smiles. Steph stepped out into the sun, blinking as she looked upon those she would soon call her people. She smiled and waved at the crowd.
She walked down the front steps and carefully slid into the waiting limo while her team worked to ensure no damage happened to her dress. Once everyone was in, the car took off toward the northern part of the city, and Steph gazed out at the faces trying to catch another glimpse of their future monarch.
“This is so surreal,” she breathed, and her mother laughed.
“In my wildest dreams, I never could have imagined being a family member of the monarch, even if we are mostly just for decoration.”
Steph laughed. “Perhaps, though I think we can use this platform to do a lot of good here. Mehdi and I usher in a new generation of royalty for El Farah. That’s nothing to ignore when there is so much good we can do.”
Elora smiled, and her eyes grew a little misty. “You already sound like a wise ruler, my dear.”
Steph laughed again, her own eyes tearing up. “Don’t make me cry, Mother.”
“I’ll try,” Elora sniffed, reaching into her purse and pulling out two tissues, handing one to her daughter.
They rode through crowded streets, and Steph almost wished she had opted for more open-air transportation, so she could better see the people who wanted to celebrate with her on her wedding day.
The limo pulled up to a golden temple, the dome shimmering in the desert sun. Steph’s door was opened, and she was carefully helped out of the vehicle, where she was met by even more cheers, smiles, and waves. She nodded gracefully to the people of El Farah, subtly tugging at her gown to make sure it remained straight before following the planner into the temple, where a series of cameras had been set up in the top corners to capture the event.
Inside, a small partition blocked an aisle leading to the altar. Steph knew this because she had been through a practice ceremony just the day before, after which she had been parted from Mehdi so that they would not see one another until the ceremony. It was the planner’s attempt at honoring tradition, though no one really seemed to mind.
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