Chapter 45
ISAAC
Ilingered in the doorway of our bedroom for a few seconds, checking on Jasmine one last time. Basel’s arrival had shocked the crap out of both of us, and while she’d stuck around to greet her father, she’d also excused herself almost immediately.
Basel had let her go, gently telling her to get some sleep before asking me if we could talk. As a result, I was now going to find out my professional fate as well as potentially being told off for asking Jasmine to marry me just over an hour after she’d said yes.
His timing couldn’t have been much worse.
Quietly pulling the bedroom door shut behind me, I tried to brace myself for what was coming and made my way to the upper deck. Basel was standing alone at the stern, one hand resting on the polished teak railing while the other was tucked into the pocket of his pants.
“I was beginning to wonder if you’d decided to run,” he said without turning around or even glancing over his shoulder as I approached. “I thought I might have to send out a search party.”
“I considered it,” I admitted. “Eventually, I realized it wouldn’t help if I tried. I’ve come to learn that you’ve got contacts everywhere in this country.”
He let out a soft chuckle, glancing at me when I joined him at the railing before he turned back toward the view of the city, the lights reflecting off the calm surface of the water. “You know, an old dog can’t learn new tricks.”
I frowned, honestly not sure where he was going with that. “Okay.”
“Allowing David to propose was a favor to an old, struggling friend,” he said quietly, sighing as he shook his head. “David’s father has done a great deal for me over the years. No more than I have done for him in return, but at one time, he was like family to me.”
He blew out a heavy breath through his nostrils, shaking his head again before he pushed away from the railing. Striding toward a little table nearby, he picked up a crystal decanter he must’ve had the crew bring out for him, pouring a healthy amount of amber liquid into two glasses.
Once he’d replaced the stopper, he picked up one of the glasses and held it out to me. I took it, wrapping my fingers loosely around the glass but not taking a sip just yet. It seemed like a good thing that he wanted to share a drink, but honestly, he could’ve poisoned the whiskey.
Basel lowered himself into one of the chairs bolted down next to the table and leaned back, taking a long sip from his own glass.
“The truth is that I allowed David to ask for Jasmine’s hand because I owed his father a favor.
There is honor in remembering those who stood beside you before you made something of yourself.
I thought that perhaps helping his family one last time would help me to stop feeling responsible for their struggles. ”
He swirled his drink, his expression thoughtful before he turned to look out at the dark water.
“I gave David’s father so much advice that he never took.
If he had…” Trailing off, he took another sip of his drink and swallowed, finally giving his head another shake and clearing his throat.
“Well, let’s just say that I am not responsible for their struggles, and that afternoon when David was sitting across from me.
I realized it wasn’t fair for Jasmine to bear the burden of my misplaced guilt. ”
“What does that mean?”
“It means I was going to say no.” He looked up at me again, grinning.
“You ensured that I didn’t have to do that and it saved me a lot of shame.
I will not forget that, Isaac. I know you didn’t do it for me, but even so, David’s family as well as my own would’ve been terribly embarrassed, so I owe you a debt of gratitude for interrupting before I had to humiliate an old friend. ”
My eyebrows shot up, my ears suddenly ringing. “You’re grateful?”
He laughed. “God, yes. I have never been so pleased about an interruption in my entire life. I know it was probably an unintended consequence on your part, but you allowed the Mahers to save face as well. They may never thank you for it, so I will do it on their behalf.”
My knees were suddenly feeling a little unreliable as shock reverberated through my entire body. I lowered myself into the chair across from his. “I honestly don’t know what to say to that.”
“Oh, I think you’ve said quite enough.” He smiled and lifted his glass toward me. “Thank you, Isaac.”
“I proposed to Jasmine tonight,” I said, half blurting it out and half consciously deciding to just rip off the band-aid.
“It was a little spur of the moment. I planned on talking to you about it first, but the opportunity presented itself, and after everything that happened, I didn’t want to let it pass me by. ”
His eyebrows swept up. “Did she accept?”
“Yes.”
He grinned. “I thought she would.”
“You did?”
He chuckled. “I have suspected for a fair amount of time that you are the one she has been waiting for, and when I saw the way you were looking at her in Sharm, I knew it was only a matter of time before you asked.”
“So you’re not angry?”
He blinked a couple times, surprise flickering across his features. “Why would I be angry?”
“Well, I didn’t ask your permission, for starters.”
He sighed and let out another chuckle. “You care about her in a way none of those other men ever have. You care about her opinion.”
“Deeply,” I agreed, then just came out with it. “I’m not wealthy in comparison to you. I hope you’re not too disappointed that I’m who she has said yes to.”
His eyes flared wide open. “Disappointed? Not at all.”
“Even if I’m never going to be able to give her everything you have?”
He shot me a soft smile. “You’re making the same mistake you made yesterday, Isaac.”
“I’m sorry?”
“You keep comparing yourself to my balance sheet, but those numbers are not wealth. Your wealth lies in your creativity and your love for my daughter. It’s in your passion for the world at large and how happy you make her.
Money allows us to exist comfortably, but those are the things that will allow you and Jasmine to truly live. ”
“So you approve?”
He let out a bark of incredulous laughter.
“Of course, I approve. She has always needed someone who sees the world the way she does, full of wonder, magic, and adventure. Someone who will explore with her and who will stop to admire things no one else even notices. She’ll never be happy with anyone but you, Isaac.
Now that she’s found someone who shares her enthusiasm for life and the way she takes it by the horns, she will not settle. I see that very clearly.”
The certainty in his voice just about the knocked the wind out of me. “Do you really believe that?”
“I know my daughter,” he said, smiling faintly.
“Jasmine has always wanted it all, and she’s found it.
She’s found someone who will stick with her not because she’s beautiful, but because of who she is on the inside.
How could I not approve of that?” He reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and withdrew a folded document.
“I have one final matter to discuss before I leave.”
When he handed over the papers, I figured it was probably a prenup he’d had drawn up because of his suspicions, but when I opened it, I realized it was pretty far from it. “The contract?”
He inclined his chin. “The bid has been finalized. You should see your first deposit very soon.”
My eyebrows shot up. “How?”
“I have my ways,” he said, waving me off. “The important part is that you will see that money soon enough, so you can buy a house next door to the family estate in Cairo. As it happens, a very nice place has just come on the market. Khaled can put you in touch with the seller.”
I laughed. “Real subtle.”
He winked at me. “I thought so.” Basel raised his glass. “Here to new beginnings.”
“To new beginnings.” I touched my glass against his, immediately imagining a home close enough to her parents that our children could run back and forth. “I’ll get in touch with Khaled.”
He smiled. “Make sure you do. A house like that won’t be available for long.”
After swigging down the rest of his drink, he set his empty glass down on the table. “I should leave before my daughter accuses me of stealing her brand new fiancé, but I’d like to leave you with a parting thought.”
“What’s that?”
“We may have to have the wedding in private, outside of Cairo. Just mention it to Jasmine.”
I hadn’t even thought about that yet, but as soon as he said it, I agreed. Between the Mahers and the media, it wasn’t the worst idea to keep a bit of a lower profile. “I might have an idea.”
“Excellent.” He extended his hand. I stood up and shook with him. “Welcome to the family, Isaac.”
I smiled. “Thank you.”
He patted my knuckles before letting go, making his way back down the gangway, and disappearing into the night. As soon as he was gone, I headed below deck to the cabin, the lights now off and Jasmine fast asleep under the covers.
She stirred the moment I climbed into bed with her, rolling onto her side to face me with her long, dark hair spilling across the pillow behind her. “What happened?”
I smiled, leaning over to press a gentle kiss to her lips. “I think I just got your father’s blessing.”
“Are you serious?” She pulled away to look into my eyes in the ambient light shining in from outside, a lazy, sleepy grin spreading on her lips. “He’s actually okay with this?”
I laughed and slid an arm around her waist to pull her closer. “Oh, I’d say he’s more than okay with it. He’s happy for us, baby. He even thanked me for barging into the party.”
Her eyes widened and she squealed, her mouth crashing back to mine for a kiss that said she wasn’t interested in going back to sleep just yet.