Read Online An Inconvenient Marriage (Married to a Prince) by Kat Attalla - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kat Attalla
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them.
“That’s not true and you know it Sami. I wish I had no history with her but I remember her standing by her father’s casket and begging him to wake up like it was yesterday. It is not a sight any mother would ever forget. But for the grace of Allah, that could have been your sister crying for her daddy.”
That funeral was not something he’d ever forgotten either, but not something he wanted to remember.
“I know this is not what you wanted.”
He swallowed hard. While he might have been willing to martyr himself out of duty, did he have the right to expect the same of her? “It’s not what she wants either, Mother.”
“You have a very powerful personality. She is probably afraid of you.”
“She called me a jackass. And then she hit me. I don’t think she’s afraid of me.” Of herself might be a different subject.
“Did you deserve it?”
“Of course. Have you ever known me not to?”
“Actually I have. But I suspect that is another time in your life you don’t want to reminisce about.” She reached across the desk and patted his arm. “If you are both unhappy don’t make each other miserable. The families will find another way to honor her father’s wishes to insure her future.”
“I’ll deal with it when she decides what she wants. She’s agreed to stay for a while.”
She smiled. “Do you think it might help if you took her away for a while? Get to know her without so many eyes watching your every move.”
“I am sure she prefers not to make the front page daily.”
“Take her on the yacht. Or to the summer palace at the Red Sea.”
While many of the extended family members considered the yacht and the vacation houses to be entitlements due them, Sami had never been impressed with it. “Maybe I’ll take her to the oasis in Ain Baard for the camel auction.”
“Really Samir!” His mother only used his full name when exasperated.
“My wife is not comfortable being around money. I tried to give her my credit card before she left and she nearly fed it to me for breakfast.”
He couldn’t remember seeing his mother so thoroughly amused - especially at his expense. “Your wife is not a gold-digger so you plan to punish her by taking her to the middle of nowhere? Sometimes it is hard to believe I raised you.”
He was serious. If he did take her away, he would get her out of the city. Away from the prying eyes of the press. Something completely different. He’s always found the oasis a great place to decompress. She would either love it or hate it, but at least she would have a few days of peace.
“Stop pulling her pigtails, son. You have her attention. Figure out what you want to do with it.”
He chuckled. “Are you accusing me of acting like a child, Mother?”
“If the Gucci loafer fits…”
* * * *
Delilah ran her finger over the soft petals of the trumpet lily. The scent of the daily flowers deliveries was something she could get used to. She glanced at the velvet box on the dresser. The crown she would never get used to. She understood completely why Sami sent her shopping with Nana and her cousins. She couldn’t smack him again. When she agreed to pretend to work at their marriage for appearance’s sake, she hadn’t realized she needed these expensive props.
She pushed the jewelry box into the top drawer of underwear that was delivered that morning along with a closet full of clothes. She had to admit, though not without struggle, that the clothing chosen by the salesgirl suited her body and coloring. Not something she would have chosen, but classy and modest.
Delilah shook her head. She had never believed that clothes made a difference, but they did. Maybe it was the new lingerie that made her stand taller and strut down the corridors like a Victoria Secrets model. Or maybe the credit went to the strappy high-heels. She wouldn’t be able to wear them in the city, but along the marble floors she felt like a contestant on Dancing
“That’s not true and you know it Sami. I wish I had no history with her but I remember her standing by her father’s casket and begging him to wake up like it was yesterday. It is not a sight any mother would ever forget. But for the grace of Allah, that could have been your sister crying for her daddy.”
That funeral was not something he’d ever forgotten either, but not something he wanted to remember.
“I know this is not what you wanted.”
He swallowed hard. While he might have been willing to martyr himself out of duty, did he have the right to expect the same of her? “It’s not what she wants either, Mother.”
“You have a very powerful personality. She is probably afraid of you.”
“She called me a jackass. And then she hit me. I don’t think she’s afraid of me.” Of herself might be a different subject.
“Did you deserve it?”
“Of course. Have you ever known me not to?”
“Actually I have. But I suspect that is another time in your life you don’t want to reminisce about.” She reached across the desk and patted his arm. “If you are both unhappy don’t make each other miserable. The families will find another way to honor her father’s wishes to insure her future.”
“I’ll deal with it when she decides what she wants. She’s agreed to stay for a while.”
She smiled. “Do you think it might help if you took her away for a while? Get to know her without so many eyes watching your every move.”
“I am sure she prefers not to make the front page daily.”
“Take her on the yacht. Or to the summer palace at the Red Sea.”
While many of the extended family members considered the yacht and the vacation houses to be entitlements due them, Sami had never been impressed with it. “Maybe I’ll take her to the oasis in Ain Baard for the camel auction.”
“Really Samir!” His mother only used his full name when exasperated.
“My wife is not comfortable being around money. I tried to give her my credit card before she left and she nearly fed it to me for breakfast.”
He couldn’t remember seeing his mother so thoroughly amused - especially at his expense. “Your wife is not a gold-digger so you plan to punish her by taking her to the middle of nowhere? Sometimes it is hard to believe I raised you.”
He was serious. If he did take her away, he would get her out of the city. Away from the prying eyes of the press. Something completely different. He’s always found the oasis a great place to decompress. She would either love it or hate it, but at least she would have a few days of peace.
“Stop pulling her pigtails, son. You have her attention. Figure out what you want to do with it.”
He chuckled. “Are you accusing me of acting like a child, Mother?”
“If the Gucci loafer fits…”
* * * *
Delilah ran her finger over the soft petals of the trumpet lily. The scent of the daily flowers deliveries was something she could get used to. She glanced at the velvet box on the dresser. The crown she would never get used to. She understood completely why Sami sent her shopping with Nana and her cousins. She couldn’t smack him again. When she agreed to pretend to work at their marriage for appearance’s sake, she hadn’t realized she needed these expensive props.
She pushed the jewelry box into the top drawer of underwear that was delivered that morning along with a closet full of clothes. She had to admit, though not without struggle, that the clothing chosen by the salesgirl suited her body and coloring. Not something she would have chosen, but classy and modest.
Delilah shook her head. She had never believed that clothes made a difference, but they did. Maybe it was the new lingerie that made her stand taller and strut down the corridors like a Victoria Secrets model. Or maybe the credit went to the strappy high-heels. She wouldn’t be able to wear them in the city, but along the marble floors she felt like a contestant on Dancing
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