Chapter 47
COLIN
When our convoy rolled through the gates of the Saad estate in Cairo, I realized that my first arrival here seemed to only have been the rehearsal. Somehow, it was even bigger this time.
I’d barely had time to appreciate the familiar sandstone walls before I noticed that every tree had been wrapped in lights, white lanterns hanging from the branches, and fresh flowers covering nearly every fountain.
Cream-colored tents had been erected in the gardens and long tables stretched underneath them. Everything was already being decorated to the nines for our wedding. Or our arrival. Or maybe it was just because it was Wednesday. I wasn’t sure, but shit.
I’d never met a family who loved decorating, hosting, and entertaining as much as the Saads. Naturally, there were also hundreds of people present to welcome us back. I recognized some, but most were complete strangers.
On the other hand, I’d met so many people the last time I’d been here that I honestly hadn’t been able to keep all the names and faces straight. All I knew was that, faced by all these people, we were definitely back in Egypt.
As soon as we climbed out of the SUV, we were greeted in booming Arabic. Deja was immediately torn away from my side by Layla, who pulled her into a tight hug before passing her to a long line of women waiting to do the same.
Meanwhile, I shook hands and my shoulders were patted by people who grinned like they’d been missing me their whole lives. It was disorienting, to say the least, but Deja was laughing, clearly happy to be home.
When she finally managed to break away from the group of hugging aunts, she grinned at me and weaved her way through her family’s bodies to come back to my side.
I opened my mouth to tell her not to worry about me while she said hi, but before I could get a word out or prepare myself, she grabbed the lapels of my jacket, pulled me down, and kissed me.
In full view of her entire family.
“I thought we were behaving this week,” I murmured against her lips when the kiss finally slowed to an end.
“Oh, we are.” She smiled, drew in a deep, and lifted her head away to look up into my eyes. “That was just some insurance.”
“For what?” I asked, but her smile turned mischievous, and the next thing I knew, a chorus of shrill voices interrupted us.
They were so loud, excited, and overlapping that I could barely make out what was being said, but finally, someone called in much more basic Arabic. “Deja! Come. It’s time.”
When I looked over her shoulder, I saw the aunt brigade descending like highly organized birds of prey.
Some of them were already piling into the SUVs we’d just left, with more cars rolling up behind those.
Completely bewildered, I watched as a few of them approached us, hands on Deja’s arms and pulling her away.
She laughed helplessly, letting herself get dragged toward the cars as she looked back at me. “I’ll see you in a week!”
“What?”
“For our wedding,” she shouted over her shoulder, those golden eyes alive with joy and laughter as she winked at me. “Don’t let my brothers corrupt you!”
“Not a chance!” I yelled back, but then she disappeared into a sea of colorful dresses and left me standing there, wondering what the fuck had just happened.
Well, there goes my fiancée. I just have no clue where she’s gone or why.
Basel appeared by my side a moment later, smiling warmly. He clapped me on the shoulder when the convoy started to roll away. “Colin, welcome home, son. Come on.”
With phase two of whatever was going on now underway, I was swept into the house with only the briefest explanation from Basel. “It is time for your pre-wedding preparations to begin.”
I frowned, wondering if he was referring to that bachelor party I didn’t need, but instead, I found a wall of men waiting for me in the foyer. Over the next three hours, I met more people than I probably had in the first thirty years of my life.
Apparently, some of these were Deja’s actual uncles, cousins, or second cousins, but others were lifelong friends, several supposedly close business associates, and I genuinely lost track after that.
It was a pretty jovial affair, though. Upbeat Arabic music was playing through speakers I couldn’t see and snacks had been set out on every single table and other surface in the house.
I was starting to suspect the pre-wedding preparations he’d mentioned involved meeting thousands of people, drinking, and being peppered with gifts from every man Deja was or was not related to.
It also turned out that all the tents and decorations I’d noticed earlier were for this and the other pre-wedding things happening this week.
After I’d shaken more hands than I could count, thick Arabic coffee was pushed into my hand, but I’d only taken a couple sips before Basel replaced it with something considerably stronger.
Whiskey, I realized when I brought it to my lips. Thank God.
He didn’t wait for me to drink it before he was guiding me to an outdoor seating area that had been set up in the backyard underneath yet another tent. He pushed me into a chair right at the front before he disappeared without an explanation of where he was going or what I was supposed to be doing.
Every man who approached me once he was gone insisted I eat.
I learned very quickly that this trait skipped neither generation nor household, all of them at least as fierce and stubborn about watching me do it as Nanna herself.
By the time Basel reappeared, I still hadn’t seen any of the Saad brothers, so I had no one to rescue me, and I was on my fifth plate of food in probably only as many minutes.
Basel grinned when he came to take the seat beside mine. “Your gifts will now be presented to you.”
“My what now?” I asked, but as if they’d been summoned—and to be fair, they probably had—household staff appeared carrying boxes and wrapped parcels, laying them down all around me. “Oh.”
Basel let out a deep, booming laugh. “I’ll help you. These are from our friends and family who couldn’t make it in person. The others will present their gifts themselves.”
“You actually know people who couldn’t make it here in person?” I asked, completely unsure if I believed that, but he simply gave me another hard clap on the shoulder and helped me unwrap traditional scarves, handmade leather goods, and bottle upon bottle of extremely expensive alcohol.
There was also so much silver, both jewelry and household items like candlesticks and platters, that we’d need a whole new house to keep it all in.
The same could be said for the hand-carved wooden items. I was desperately struggling to take it all in, but then an elderly man approached us, proudly handing over an antique compass.
“Every husband needs one to know how to find his wife,” he said, grinning when Basel laughed and nodded his agreement.
“I…” I trailed off for a beat, wondering if he should be giving something that looked this special to a complete stranger, but then I remembered where I was and what they’d think if I tried to refuse it, so I simply shook his hand. “Thank you, this means a lot.”
When the gifts were done, it looked like the drinking was about to start in earnest, so I leaned into it, needing the liquid courage to get me through all the marriage advice these guys had to offer.
Hours later, I managed to escape onto one of the terraces with a glass of tea, needing a break from the whiskey—and the advice.
If another man told me to always agree with my mother-in-law or never to argue with my wife when she was hungry, it felt like I would just keel over. Unfortunately, I’d hardly had a minute to breathe when I heard footsteps drawing closer.
I sighed but then smiled when I saw it was Rami and that he was carrying two cups of takeout coffee. When he quickly swapped the tea out for one of those instead, I’d never been more grateful to anyone for anything. “Thank you.”
“You survived,” he said. “I figured you deserved American coffee.”
“No, I’m serious. Thanks. I really needed this.”
He chuckled. “You didn’t know that was coming?”
“Nope. Somehow, in all the research I’ve done, I managed to miss this. I knew there were some pre-wedding celebrations, but I, uh, I genuinely wasn’t expecting this.”
“It’s not possible to expect this unless you’ve seen it before,” he said, then came to stand at the railing with me and looked out over the gardens. “Deja and the women are staying across town at the resort where the wedding will take place, to be pampered for a week.”
Disappointment and relief snaked through me. “At least now I know where she is. I won’t see her again until she’s walking down the aisle, will I?”
“No,” he said, then laughed. “Actually, knowing my sister, you will probably see her at some point, but you’re not supposed to.”
More footsteps sounded behind us and I tensed all over again, but it was just Basel. He strolled up to the railing with us, smiling like he’d never been happier. “I had a feeling you two were taking a break. The youth never could keep up with us.”
Rami scoffed. “Oh, we can keep up, alright. We just choose to pace ourselves because we’re responsible.”
“If that’s what you need to tell yourself,” Basel said calmly, still smiling as he glanced at me. “Your family and the Westwoods will be arriving in a few days. I’ve taken the liberty of directing Alex to send your sister and the Westwood women to join Deja, Layla, and the others at the resort.”
I nodded. “That’s a good idea. Thank you.”
At this point, I was just blissfully along for the ride.
Clearly, there were traditions I hadn’t known about, but I respected them nonetheless and a little time with the boys wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.
I was even pretty eager to see how my brothers, the Westwoods, and the Saads got along.
It was going to be a laugh a minute.
“A moment please, Rami,” Basel said then, and his son clapped me on the shoulder and left.
Basel waited until he was out of earshot before straightening beside me at the railing.
I did the same, my heart suddenly pounding as I wondered what the hell was going to happen now.
“You know, Colin, I am more confident in my decision now than ever before. You truly have earned her.”
I blinked rapidly, dying to point out that Deja’s feelings were what mattered most, but I let it go. It definitely didn’t seem worth upsetting him just to let him know that I would have married her even without his blessing.
“Thank you, sir.”
“I’m proud of you, Colin,” he said, extending a hand toward me. “You have handled yourself exceptionally well. I know we threw you in the deep end, but it was a pleasure watching you swim.”
I shook with him, but before I’d even said a word, he nodded at an open door on the next terrace over. “Your bedroom is right through there. It’s going to be a long week. Get some rest, son.”
With that, he spun around and disappeared into the still partying crowd, but I gratefully took his advice, taking the garden path toward the door he’d pointed out.
With the music still playing and the sounds of laughter and chatter in my ears, I fell asleep almost immediately, completely worn out after the day but feeling more confident and ready than ever.
The next thing I knew, someone grabbed my ankle and another pair of hands caught my other leg. I jerked awake just as someone grabbed my wrist. I tried to sit up, but it seemed there was someone holding my shoulders too.
“What is happening?” I asked as my eyes flew open to find every single one of the Saad brothers gathered around my bed.
“No talking,” Rami announced. “Tarek, get his pillow.”
“My pillow?” I echoed. “What the hell is going on?” I blinked into the early morning darkness. Khaled smirked as he watched his brothers physically lift me out of bed. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll find out soon enough,” Tarek said happily, motioning at the youngest two brothers. “Lift his legs higher. Put your back into it!”
“This is definitely not safe!” I protested as I left the mattress completely against my will while Rami laughed so hard he nearly dropped me, but the procession charged through the house, Khaled leading the way outside.
Nobody bothered telling me where we were going, but I finally caught on when I saw the pool. My entire body stiffened. “No! Guys, come on.”
They didn’t slow down, marching toward the water with such deliberate strides that I knew my fate was sealed. Moments later, they swung me a few times, then launched me at the pool. I hit with what felt like a spectacular splash, the cold water swallowing me whole.
I surfaced to cheers and clapping. Rami was laughing so hard that it looked like he was about to fall over while Tarek wiped tears from his eyes. A few of the younger cousins I hadn’t even realized were with us high-fived each other like they’d just won a championship.
Khaled wandered over to the edge of the pool. “You’re awake now. We can begin.”
I shoved wet hair out of my face and rolled my eyes. “I was awake as soon as Tarek grabbed my foot.”
“No, you were waking up. Now, you are awake.” He offered me a towel after I’d heaved myself out of the pool. “It’s time for your bachelor party. We couldn’t begin while you were still half asleep. It would’ve been rude. What if you’d missed something?”
I glanced at the sky, only just starting to grow lighter. “You want my bachelor party to start at dawn?”
He looked genuinely confused. “When else would it be?”
A familiar laugh echoed across the courtyard, and when I looked up, I spotted Isaac standing in the crowd, bent over with both hands on his knees, laughing so hard he could barely breathe.
“What are you doing here?” I asked. “You’re really early.”
“Man, I love your new family,” he wheezed, barely able to get a word out for how hard he was still laughing. “Of course, I came early. Did you really think I was going to miss this?”