“Would you take some video or pictures for me?” she said. “I’m not sure I actually want to visit there, but I’d love to see the parts of the city that interest you.”
Jude smiled. “Well, I’m not usually one to take many pictures just for pleasure, but I’ll do it for you.”
"Thank you," Angela said, her eyes brightening. "I've only seen places like that in movies."
Jude took a bite of his sandwich, savoring the simple combination of flavors. Something about sharing a meal with Angela made even ordinary food taste better. The quiet domesticity of sitting across from her in the kitchen nook felt right in a way he hadn't expected.
"I'll try to get some shots of the Burj Khalifa. It's the tallest building in the world. And maybe the Dubai Mall. It's enormous, with a large aquarium inside."
"An aquarium in a mall?" Angela leaned forward, sandwich momentarily abandoned. "That sounds amazing."
"It is pretty impressive," Jude admitted. "Though I usually don't get much time for sightseeing."
A shadow passed over Angela's face. "Because you're working. Keeping Duncan safe.”
“Yes. I am.” He paused, then asked, “Are you worried about that?”
“Of course,” she said with a nod. “I don’t want anything to happen to you. I also don’t want anything to happen to Duncan or any member of the security team. So yeah, I worry.”
“That was what my mom struggled with. The constant worry about my dad when he was on the job.”
“I’m aware of what your job entails. That it can be life-threatening,” Angela said as she set her sandwich down on her plate and lowered her hands to the table. She gazed at him, her eyes wide and filled with emotion. “And I know there’s a risk I could lose you. But there’s also a chance that I won’t. The only way I’m guaranteed to lose you is to walk away, and I’m not willing to do that. If I only have a short time with you, then I’ll be thankful for every minute.”
Emotion filled Jude, and he had to swallow hard in order to be able to respond.
“I want to come home to you.”
He reached his hand out and once again laid it palm up on the table, waiting for Angela to take it. She didn’t hesitate.
Her hand was smaller than his and soft. Yet he could feel the strength in it. It was just like her—soft and small, but strong. Her strength never ceased to amaze him.
“I’m not going to tell you not to worry,” Jude said. “But I want to encourage you to pray for me and to trust that God’s will will be done.”
“I do pray for you,” Angela said, her fingers gripping his more firmly. “And I will definitely be praying for safety for you and the others on this trip.”
“Why don’t we pray together now?” Jude suggested.
At Angela’s nod, Jude once again took her hand. As they bowed their heads together to pray, Jude felt his connection to Angela deepen. This wasn’t something he’d done with a woman before, but he was glad he was there with Angela, sharing that spiritual moment with her.
The rest of their meal was spent talking about simple things, like what they preferred to do in their spare time or what sort of movies or TV shows they watched. He enjoyed learning those small things about Angela, and for the first time in his life, he was opening up about things he usually kept to himself.
But finally, the time came for him to head home to pack and prepare for the trip early the next morning.
“Take care of yourself and stay safe,” Jude said as they stood together in the mudroom.
“You too,” Angela said.
Jude reached out to take her hand and pull her to him. She came willingly and stepped into his embrace.
He held her close, feeling the warmth of her body against his and breathing in the subtle vanilla scent of her hair. Her arms wound around his waist, and he could sense her reluctance to let go in the way she leaned against him.
For a moment, they simply held each other in the quiet of the mudroom. Jude rested his cheek on the top of her head, feeling the silky strands of her hair against his skin. He wanted to freeze the moment and store it away to carry with him across the ocean.
He didn't want to leave her.
The thought hit him with surprising force. In all his years working for Duncan, he'd never felt this pull to stay home. His job had always been his primary focus, his sense of unwavering duty. But now, with Angela in his arms, he wished he could find a way out of the trip.
"I'll call or message you as soon as I can," he murmured.
