“By the way,” Ayesha said. “Unlike my parents, I’m aware of this situationship you have with my big brother. It will have no impact on your possible employment. My family wants to help you because of what you’ve done for Tara, Noor, and Jasmine. The fact that you managed to get my brother into a Christmas jumper is beside the point… although I have mad respect for you for that one.”
Ruby huffed a laugh. Yeah, she liked Ayesha a lot.
“Okay, tell me more about your role in the Christmas store,” Ayesha said.
The conversation shifted to feel more like a job interview, as Ayesha asked her about her strengths, her transferable skills, and what attracted her to the hospitality industry, and to the Hakim Group in particular. Ruby answered all the questionsthe best she could, and she had honestly no idea how she was doing. She’d thought Ayesha and the whole Hakim family liked her yesterday. But even as she told Ayesha about her strengths and weaknesses, she worried about that comment that Ruby didn’t seem like she would fit in the English countryside.
But maybe it didn’t matter if Ayesha thought she was more city mouse than country mouse, because the Hakims had hotels in cities where Ruby could gain experience. After Ayesha peppered her with questions about her duties at Reid’s, she nodded. “Rashid wasn’t kidding. Youareimpressive. I think you’d be a great asset to the Hakim Group—if you’re committed to it. I know you’ve changed jobs a lot, which is my main concern after looking at your CV. Of course, the fact that you’ve had no trouble securing employment after moving tells me that you’re adaptable and a fast learner.”
“I am committed.” Ruby took a breath. “Can I be honest with you, Ayesha?”
“Please do.”
“I’ve moved around because I feel like I haven’t yet found what I’m supposed to do. I don’t have any close family tying me to a place. My mother and I used to daydream about this move to England, and after she died when I was twenty, I’ve felt… restless. Like I haven’t arrivedhomeyet.”
“You’re originally from Toronto, aren’t you?”
Ruby nodded. “Yes. And you’re right, I do have friends and connections here. But it’s still…” She exhaled. As nice as Ayesha was, this was a job interview. Ruby needed to remember to keep things professional. “I know my employment history makes it seem like I’m not committed to my career. And I guessthat’s one of the reasons why I want to change industries. I’m a little done with luxury retail. I’m ready to learn something new.”
Ayesha smiled. “I have a good feeling about you, Ruby. Maybe it’s because my brother and sister seem so taken with you, and I trust their opinions so much—especially Rashid’s. Jasmine’s so sweet, she adores pretty much anyone she meets, but Rashid is… quite particular about who he spends his time with. I trust his judgment immensely, which is why I’m comfortable making this offer now.”
Ruby nodded, smiling, but inside she was screaming with joy. This was going even better than she expected.
“Let me give you some backstory on the company first,” Ayesha said. “As you know, the Hakim Group has several hotels, and we’ve recently opened a few smaller boutique hotels, the Raj London, and the Raj Newcastle. The plan was always to grow the Raj hotels to be the main bread and butter of the company going forward. Do you know where the name Raj comes from?”
Ruby shook her head. “Raj means king, doesn’t it?”
Ayesha nodded. “It does mean king, but R-A-J is for Rashid, Ayesha, and Jasmine. Despite my brother and sister not working in the company, we consider this business as belonging to all of us, and everything the family does is for the family.” She chuckled. “I know it sounds like we’re a mafia or something. We’re a little codependent, but mostly normal. As you can probably tell, for all the Hakims, even the ones who don’t work in the family business, family comes first. And that’s why recent developments in the family have forced us to rethink ourlong-term plans to ensure we are doing what’s best forallof our well-being, not just for the bottom line.”
Ruby nodded. “Your commitment to each other is something I admire about you all so much.”
Ayesha smiled. “Then surely you understand why my brother and I have decided to make these choices. Jasmine, Tara, and Noor need family nearby right now. I’ve signed the papers this morning to purchase a struggling hotel here in Toronto. In six months, I hope the Raj Toronto will be open for business.”
What?The Hakims were opening a hotelhere?
“I understand that your goal is to move to the UK,” Ayesha continued, “but I think it would be a huge asset to have someone like you, with your familiarity with the city and your connections to major influencers, on board from the very beginning.”
Ruby froze. Was she being offered a job…here? In Toronto? “I don’t follow.”
“I’m moving here,” Ayesha said. “Once the immigration gets sorted. In the meantime, the Hakim Group will hire a project manager to oversee the construction and a hospitality manager to get some buzz going and to start staffing. I think you’d be wonderful in that role.”
Ruby blinked. This was unexpected. She’d had no idea that Rashid’s family was even thinking about expanding into Canada. But it made sense. Jasmine’s soon-to-be ex-husband certainly wasn’t making things easy for her, and Jasmine and Ayesha were twins. Ayesha wanted to be here for her sister and her nieces.
But this isn’t what Ruby wanted. Like, at all. Notnow. Maybe six months or a year ago she would have jumped at theopportunity to get hotel experience in Toronto. But her flight was literally days away.
If this opportunity had come up six months ago, would Ruby have still moved to London at all?
But she wouldn’t have had this opportunity six months ago, because she didn’t know Rashid then. And this opportunity—an opportunity of a lifetime to work in a hotel at the very beginning of its launch—wouldn’t be hers if the eldest Hakim child didn’t like her so much.
“Wait,” Ruby said. “You said this was a decision that both you and your brother made. Is he… I mean, he isn’t going to work in the hotel, is he?”
Ayesha paused, like she wasn’t sure if she should tell Ruby this. “No, I was talking about him buying into Jasmine’s dermatology practice and staying in the city.”
Ruby exhaled. Rashid was staying. He wasn’t going to leave Toronto in February like he said he would. Why didn’t he tell her that his plans had changed?
Did this change of plans make a difference for her? Ruby was leaving; why did it matter if Rashid wasn’t? Unless he was the one who’d asked Ayesha to do this so that Ruby would stay here with him.
They’d decided that this was just a fling. Asituationship, not a relationship, because they were both supposed to be here temporarily. They were going to keep things casual—not even give each other Christmas presents.
