Chapter 28
The next two weeks were blissful for Maggie. They were a bit like a honeymoon…but not a honeymoon. Although, Maggie wasn’t exactly sure what to call this time with Ramit. She and her new husband ate nearly every meal together and Nadia was thriving. Ramit spent a great deal of time with her while Maggie delighted at Ramit’s adoration for his tiny daughter.
When they weren’t spending time with Nadia, Ramit encouraged her to spend time alone with him. It was almost as if he were courting her, which was silly, since they were already married. Granted, they were married strangers, which was sometimes awkward. Still, his undivided attention felt…nice. Especially after he’d left her so suddenly a year ago. His efforts to “court” her now were like a balm to her wounded soul.
Maggie accompanied him to the stables to meet the horses and a few of the stable cats. He took her to the palace gun range and taught her to shoot a pistol, then a rifle. They laughed as she attempted to shoot a bow and arrow, missing the target by a wide margin each time. Several of the palace trees became victims of her efforts, but no one seemed to mind.
When Maggie noticed that she was starting to gain weight with all of the palace delicacies, Maggie joined him in the gym each morning, thrilled with the state of the art work out facility. She didn’t compete with Ramit on weight lifting, but she avidly watched him while working out on the cardio equipment.
It wasn’t until the third week that things started to change. She woke up in the morning to him kissing her shoulder. When Maggie rolled into his arms, looking forward to another deliciously slow morning with him, she was disappointed to notice that he was already dressed.
“What’s going on?” she asked, pulling back and staring at his charcoal suit and red tie.
“I have to work, Maggs,” he explained, using the nickname he’d started using after he’d overheard a phone conversation she’d had with Emily and Ann. “I have several meetings today.”
Maggie had known that this blissful time with him was coming to an end, but that still didn’t stop her from wishing she’d had more time with him.
“I understand,” she told him. Leaning forward, she kissed him, trying to be a good wife. “Go!” she told him and even gave him a soft shove on his shoulder. “Go rule the world!”
He winked at her and she noticed that he looked relieved. “I’ll see you and Nadia at dinner, okay?”
Ramit was gone before she could answer, and she sighed at the thought of not sharing breakfast and lunch with him, as they’d done over the past couple weeks.
Then, she heard Nadia squeal. Sighing, Maggie pulled on a silk rob and padded barefoot into the next room. Nadia was sitting up and grabbing toys more easily. She was chubby and happy and Maggie adored her more every day. Especially when she had a break with the nanny who was always standing by, ready to watch her little lady for a few hours.
However, those free hours had been consumed with getting to know her husband over the past two weeks. Now that she didn’t have Ramit to talk with, Maggie was at a bit of a loss as to how to fill her time.
In fact, the extra hours of free time were…boring. And with that boredom came thoughts that were probably irrational, but without Ramit around, Maggie became…not nervous but…?
Okay, she was nervous. Especially since she didn’t see Ramit at all the first day he went back to his normal schedule. The second day, he was already gone from their suite by the time she woke up. Maggie knew that he’d slept next to her because his side of the bed was rumpled. But he hadn’t pulled her into his arms and he hadn’t bothered to wake her up with a kiss before he headed out to do whatever it was that he did during the day. She’d gotten only a phone call from him that night, during which he’d quickly explained that he wasn’t going to make it back for dinner.
“Is it over?” she whispered to herself over a bowl of fruit and some tea at breakfast on the third day.
“Finally!” a female voice interrupted her contemplation of her breakfast isolation.
Maggie jerked around to find a gorgeous woman in a slim-fitting white dress stepping into the breakfast room. Maggie’s flowered sundress looked frumpy in comparison to this woman’s glorious beauty.
“Excuse me?” Maggie asked, jumping to her feet out of habit.
The beautiful woman smiled as she came closer. “You’re Maggie, right?” she asked.
Maggie nodded, completely intimidated by this beautiful woman’s presence. “Yes. And you are?’ she asked softly, trying not to ruffle any feathers in her new home until she knew who was who.
“I’m Ciara,” the woman explained, gesturing to the chair. “Please, don’t stand on ceremony, Maggie. We’re family. I’m your sister-in-law.”
Maggie’s mouth fell open. Yes, Ramit had mentioned that he had a sister, but he’d said she was on a tour of some of the Asian countries. Apparently, she was now aback.
“You’re Princess Ciara?”
The woman shook her head as she gestured to a servant for coffee. “Please, don’t call me by my title,” she said, grinning cheekily. “Or I’ll have to call you Queen Maggie.”
Maggie stared at the woman who laughed delightfully. “Oh, you didn’t know that was your new title?”
Maggie shook her head in response.
Ciara clapped her hands, then grinned at Maggie over a porcelain cup of coffee. “Well, please let me be the first to congratulate you on your wedding. I understand that I also have a beautiful little niece?”
Maggie tried to lift the cup of herbal tea, but her hands were shaking so badly that she set it back down on the saucer, not wanting to spill on her dress.
“Yes. Her name is Nadia,” she explained.
Ciara’s smile widened. “What a delightful name. I can’t wait to meet her.”
Maggie eyed Ciara’s white dress with trepidation. “Whenever you have time, I’m sure that Nadia would love to meet her aunt,” she said, praying that the woman wouldn’t mind wearing something to protect her dress. Nadia wasn’t very discerning about her drools. Or when she burped.
Maggie tried to change the subject. “I understand that you are engaged. Have you and your fiancée set a date for the wedding?”
“No!” a deep, masculine voice replied. A tall, terrifyingly man stepped into the dining room. He walked over to the buffet and poured himself a cup of coffee. “Apparently, you still need to do that, don’t you, Princess?” he snapped. He looked at Maggie. “I’m Sheik Falk bin Alon. And you are Queen Margaret al Qadar.” He kissed her fingers. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”
Ciara’s eyes flashed and her smile turned brittle. “I could have introduced you.”
Falk lifted a dark eyebrow. “Still irritated that your wedding isn’t progressing, Princess?” he asked, his deep voice rumbling throughout the room. “
“I don’t think that my wedding is any of your business.” She looked towards the doorway. “Where’s Tara?”
The man’s lips compressed. “My assistant is off doing assistant things,” he said.
A moment later, another man stepped into the room. This man looked just as authoritative, but there was a softness in his eyes when he realized that Ciara was sitting at the table.
“Good morning Ciara,” he said as he walked over to her, lifting her hand and kissing her fingers. Then he noticed Maggie. “And you must be our illustrious hostess,” he guessed, taking Maggie’s hand and lifting it to his lips as well. “I am Sheik Zayed el Mastrion of Pitra. And it is a pleasure to finally meet the woman who has stolen our friend’s heart.”
“Sit down, you ass,” the first man growled. “You’re making me lose my appetite.”
Ciara glowered at the grumpy man, then forced a smile to her features. “Maggie, allow me apologize for our guest’s rude behavior.” She lifted her cup of tea to her lips. “Zayed and Falk are here for meetings with Ramit.”
Ciara and Falk glowered at each other and Maggie wondered if there was some way to protect herself from the fireworks sparking between those two. Why was Ciara betrothed to Zayed when she was obviously attracted to Falk?
Goodness, palace politics were complicated, she thought, sipping her tea.
Falk sat down next to Ciara and the two took a moment to conspicuously ignore each other. Ciara cleared her throat and continued her explanation. “As I was saying, they are here for a meeting with my brother, your husband. The three of them get together every few months to pretend to discuss the issues between their countries, but in reality, they just play poker and trade insults.” She looked at Zayed. “Some are more effective at that pastime than others.”
Maggie smothered a smile and glanced at Zayed, but the handsome man was staring at the doorway. And wowzah! That man couldn’t seem to pull his gaze away from the gorgeous woman standing in the doorway clutching a stack of folders.
“I’m sorry to interrupt your breakfast, Your Highness,” she said to Falk, then glanced furtively at Zayed…and back to Falk. “However, I have new information on several of the issues you asked me to monitor. Would you like me to discuss them later? Once you’ve finished sharing a meal with your fiancée?”
Zayed turned and looked at Ciara. “Would you excuse me, Princess?”
Ciara smiled politely at the man. “Of course. Go do what you need to do.”
“I should head out as well,” Falk replied, looking grumpy.
But it was Zayed who paused to put a hand on Ciara’s. “Are you okay?”
The beautiful woman smiled, but there was a tightness to her expression. “Of course,” she replied. “Good luck today.”
The tall, handsome man chuckled. “We really do more than just play poker.”
Ciara snorted, amused but more relaxed. Plus, she didn’t watch Sheik Zayed leave the room like she’d done when Sheik Falk had exited.
There was a long moment of silence after the man left and Maggie watched everything with amused fascination.
When Zayen had departed, Maggie watched as Ciara fiddled with her coffee cup. The previously confident, daring woman was now…nervous? Of course, Maggie didn’t know her new sister-in-law very well yet, having just met her, but there was definitely something going on between the powerful sheik and the lovely princess.
“Well, I really should get back to Nadia. I’m sure that she’s had her bath by now.” She paused and looked at Ciara. “I’d love to introduce you to your niece, whenever you have time.”
Ciara’s lovely features bloomed into a genuine smile at the offer. “I would be honored to meet your little girl. I’ll stop by as soon as I’ve had a conversation with Ramit.”
Maggie was startled by that comment. Ciara was going to speak with Ramit? Was that possible? Maggie had been wondering when she’d get to see her husband again, vowing not to bother him since she’d had precious weeks of his time.
She left the dining room, still confused about what she’s just watched and what she was allowed to do. This was definitely a new world. And a confusing one!