Chapter 21
ISAAC
Packing to go back to Cairo tomorrow, I dropped my notebook on top of the others in my bag and grinned. Everything I saw here inspired another idea. It was crazy how my creative juices were suddenly just flowing, as if some kind of dam I’d built in my head at some point had burst open.
I’d come to Egypt with only a few rough drawings of industrial spaces and a notebook I’d only used the first few pages of, but so far, I’d filled three more and I had a feeling I would have to buy another one soon.
When I folded the last of my shirts, sand spilled onto the floor and I sighed. I thought I’d shaken it all out when I’d unpacked after our trip to the desert, but I was beginning to suspect I’d be finding traces of Sinai in my apartment until Christmas.
An engine started outside as I laid the shirts down on top of the notebooks, drawing my attention to the window.
The house had been unusually quiet since we’d gotten back yesterday.
I’d figured Basel and Layla were probably at the Sharm branches of their respective offices and that Jasmine had gone off exploring without me, knowing I’d been wanting to finalize these plans, but the engine meant someone was home.
And it wasn’t Nanna.
I’d seen her storming toward the gate, on foot, about an hour ago and she hadn’t returned yet.
Curious, and maybe hoping Jasmine was back, I strode toward the balcony overlooking the front driveway just as a black sedan rolled through the gates.
I couldn’t see who was inside, but unease suddenly crept into my gut.
I’d been keeping it at bay for the last twenty-four hours, but despite how preoccupied I’d been with the designs, even I knew that a quiet Saad household was an ominous thing.
When I saw Basel standing on the front porch, staring at the car with his hands in his pockets and a strange expression on his face, I headed downstairs to investigate.
Whatever was going on, it clearly had him on edge. I made it to the foyer just as he turned and he didn’t school his features fast enough for me to miss the flicker of worry in his eyes.
“Good morning,” I said, trying to sound cheerful rather than suspicious. “Is everything okay?”
He glanced back at the empty drive before he shook his head. “It’s time Jasmine settles down. She needs to grow up.”
Without another word, he disappeared farther into the house, leaving me to wonder what the hell he’d meant by that. It was obvious by now that the silence in the house was because something had happened between them. I just didn’t know what, but it sure had left Basel looking tired.
Eventually, I gave up on waiting right there for her to come back like some kind of lost puppy, heading back inside myself. For the rest of the morning while I finished packing and sketching, I kept glancing at the window, hoping to see her walking down the drive, but it never happened.
Basel didn’t come find me either. I ran into him in the hallway, but he muttered something about meetings and disappeared again. Feeling more and more uneasy about the whole situation, I was relieved when the time eventually came for me to go and meet Joseph.
We had to finalize what felt like our hundredth revision of the industrial complex, but I didn’t mind. Joseph was brilliant, as passionate about designing this building the right way as I was and talented enough to make it happen.
When I got to the little cafe where we’d agreed to meet, he was already waiting, drawings spread out across our table as he studied the latest notes I’d made. He looked up when I pulled out the chair across from him but didn’t greet me.
“I like those arches,” he said instead. “They can stay.”
“I thought you might feel that way.” I sat down and grinned, folding my arms on the table before leaning over to look at the notes he’d been studying.
“Those elevated platforms outside are just an idea. They’re mostly aesthetic, but if we do it right, they should also hide the air vents and piping. ”
“I was wondering about that, but it’s a good idea.” His dark eyes shone with laughter. “I think you are becoming part Egyptian, my friend.”
“I wish.” I leaned back in my chair and hooked my arm over the corner.
“I think it might just be an allergy to ugly buildings, especially when they’re out of place in their surroundings.
If more people would just respect where they are, wherever that might be, I reckon the world would be a much more beautiful place. ”
“Amen,” he said, smiling just as a waiter appeared with thick Arabic coffee I hadn’t ordered, but wasn’t about to turn down. Joseph thanked him before absentmindedly stirring his cup, then glancing back up at me. “Have you noticed the mood Basel is in today?”
“It’s hard not to,” I said honestly. “I’m just hoping he’s not planning on choosing today to either accept or deny our plans, because if he does, I won’t be holding my breath.”
Joseph sighed, raking a hand through his curly black hair before he shook his head. “I doubt he would reject our plans simply because of a mood.”
“Stranger things have happened.”
“True, but Basel is capable of compartmentalizing.” He paused for a beat, staring at the sea in the distance as he thought something over. “He’s definitely off, though. He has been ever since the Mahers started sniffing around.”
“The Mahers?” My spine snapped straight. “As in, David Maher?”
Joseph blinked a couple times, as if it surprised him that I knew the name, but then he nodded. “I’ve even heard he’s in Sharm at the moment. Coincidental timing, don’t you think?”
“Yeah. For sure. He’s not just here, though. He was at dinner at the Saad house earlier this week.”
Joseph’s eyes widened. “For real?”
“Unfortunately. Trust me, I’m not likely to forget those few unpleasant hours anytime soon.”
He chuckled. “David is a smug pain in the butt, that’s for sure. Thankfully, I’ve never had the displeasure of having dinner with him myself, but the few times our paths have crossed have been unpleasant enough that it is something I would actively avoid.”
“I’d recommend that, yeah,” I said. “I didn’t realize he was that much of an asshole to anyone else, though. I thought it might just be me.”
Because of Jasmine.
“No, you’re not that special, Isaac,” Joseph said, smirking at me. “David Maher is notorious for being an asshole to everyone. Everyone except Basel and the Saads, that is.”
“Why?” I asked. “He mentioned their families have been doing business together for a long time, but Basel also didn’t look too happy after dinner. Neither did Layla, for that matter.”
“Yeah.” Joseph sighed. “Basel and Mr. Maher actually used to be business partners a long time ago. Something happened and they parted ways, but they’ve been amicable ever since.”
“Do you think that’s changed?” I asked. “I suppose it could make sense that Basel is off because he had a falling out with an old friend.”
Joseph shook his head. “It would’ve made sense, but word on the street is that Old Man Maher’s luck has turned recently. The way I heard it, he made some bad moves in Dubai and he’s losing his entire fortune.”
My eyebrows shot up. “Well, suddenly, David’s comments about me and my family make a lot more sense. ‘Hurt people hurt people,’ I guess. He knows I went through something similar, so he’s lashing out.”
Joseph winced. “I don’t think it’s that, brother. My suspicions are that David is fishing for wealth and he’s eyeing Jasmine as a means to get it back.”
My heart slammed hard against my ribs. “Excuse me?”
He nodded. “David has a shot of securing his financial future through an arranged marriage to an affluent, wealthy woman.”
“Like Jasmine Saad,” I finished for him. Just saying the words made me feel sick to my stomach. I dragged in a deep breath, but it didn’t help much. “Are you serious?”
He shrugged a shoulder and there was no humor in his expression now.
“You know better than anyone how it works in these old families, Isaac. They will do anything to protect their status, and I firmly believe that’s what David is doing in Sharm.
Meanwhile, you have been spending a lot of time with her, have you not? ”
My blood pressure spiked so high that it jumped into low orbit and my stomach rolled again as I thought about Jasmine and how animated she’d been when she’d told me about what she wanted for her future.
I thought about how adamant she was about marrying for love and how her mother had spoken about someone blowing out her spark.
The very idea of it suddenly sent red hot rage tearing through my veins, because David would absolutely do that to her. He would take everything that made her who she was and squash it until she fit into a little, money-lined mold.
And I am in so far over my head that it’s not even funny.
Because somehow, it had taken finding out that she might be married off to make me realize that all my inspiration recently hadn’t been coming from Egypt.
The allure of this country wasn’t just the history, or the architecture, or the fact that I’d been in the presence of certain objects and buildings that were thousands of years old.
As it turned out, my biggest muse was my client’s daughter. Oh no. Oh fuck. No. This absolutely cannot be happening to me.
And yet, as I stared across that table at Joseph, I knew that it wasn’t just happening to me. It had actually already completely happened.