Page 107 of Hired Husband

She shrugged. “It’s time for you to go and get dressed.”

I glanced at my T-shirt and shorts. “I am dressed.”

She smiled. “Fine, but you’re also all wrinkled and probably sweaty, so go grab a shower, get dressed, and meet me back here in ten minutes.”

I groaned but nodded. “Yeah. Okay. Will you at least tell me what I’m dressing for? We’re not going anywhere fancy, are we? I don’t think I have that in me right now.”

“We’re not going anywhere fancy.” She gave me a smile that was worth following her absolutely anywhere. “Just go and get dressed, would you? We’re going on an adventure.”

CHAPTER 44

JASMINE

After days of feeling like I couldn’t think straight, the brain fog finally seemed to have lifted. Standing in the shower on the yacht, I’d realized that it was well and truly over. The prospect of becoming Mrs. Maher was completely snuffed out.

Isaac had fought for us, and while I knew we still had to face the music over me kicking David’s ass to the curb, at least I wouldn’t have to spend the rest of my life with him. It was still a little surreal that it had gone down the way it had, and I was confident that there was a lot of fist-shaking and chest-thumping going on back in Cairo, but it was done.

I was free, currently in the Serapeum of Alexandria with the man I loved, and no matter what happened from here, we would be facing whatever came our way together. It was an incredible feeling, knowing that the future was a blank slate we would get to turn into whatever we wanted.

Isaac looked from me to the towering stone columns disappearing into the darkness above. His head shook slightly as he took it all in. “How is it that you keep managing to rent entire archaeological sites?”

I smiled. “I don’t rent them. I just borrow them for a couple hours.”

The elderly caretaker standing beside the heavy wooden gate chuckled before unlocking it with an iron key that looked almost as old as the temple itself. “Enjoy your evening, Miss Saad.”

“Thanks, Ahmed.”

He gave a polite half-bow before he backed away. “Call if you need me.”

“Thank you,” I said, the gate groaning open when I pushed it. “We should be okay, but I’ll let you know if we need anything.”

“Please don’t hesitate,” he replied, then turned around and disappeared back into his little office while Isaac gaped at me.

“Did he just literally hand you the keys to the Serapeum of Alexandria?”

I winked. “What can I say? I asked nicely.”

“Exactly how nicely did you have to ask?” His voice was hushed, either with awe or because he was afraid we were doing something wrong and would be discovered.

With a chuckle, I carefully lit the two little oil lanterns the caretaker had given me. Warm amber light flickered across the weathered stone and Isaac’s eyes widened.

“Oh.” He looked around with that expression of pure, uncomplicated wonder on his face that had made me fall hopelessly in love with him. “Jasmine, this is…”

“Incredible?” I finished for him when he trailed off. “I know, right? Come on. You haven’t even seen the best part yet.”

“There’s a better part than exploring a temple that’s thousands of years old with a lantern?” he asked, scoffing. “As it is, I might actually cry.”

“Ah, no.” I handed him his lantern. “No more crying. I, for one, have done enough of that recently.”

“Good point. Okay, so no crying. Got it.” Isaac wrapped his fingers around mine, tugging me toward one of the carved walls but being careful not to touch the stone. He held his lantern high so he could inspect the ancient walls. “Did you know they did this by hand?”

“Yeah.” I let go of him so he could do his thing, simply watching him trace every ancient relief with his gaze. The lanterns produced shadows that danced across the walls as we moved.

For a little while, as I followed him down the corridor, everything felt normal again. We were just us, with Isaac falling into a captivated trance while he explained why it was so incredible that this place had been standing for so long.

Eventually, we climbed a narrow stone staircase leading to a courtyard that overlooked the rest of the temple. In the distance, I could make out the sea glittering under a crescent moon and I wandered closer to the wall. Sighing, I took in the view.

“I’ve never been here at night before,” I said softly when Isaac came to stand at my side. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”