Page 73 of Hired Husband

He sighed. “Just be back by next weekend.”

I frowned. “Why?”

“You’ll find out,” he said, sweeping past me to the door. “Just be home by then, alright?”

“Only if you tell me why.”

I followed him down the hallway to the front drive, where his car was already idling in the shade. He didn’t look back at me until he’d opened the door and handed his briefcase to his assistant inside. “Be safe on your travels, honey.”

“I always am, but why⁠—”

Without even waiting for me to finish the question, he climbed into the backseat, barked at the driver to put his foot on it, and slammed the door, leaving me watching as he left, still without specifying why I had to be home so soon.

When I turned back toward the house, my mother was standing in the doorway with one shoulder resting against the frame and a teacup balanced elegantly in her hand. She arched a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at me. “Oh, so there’s nothing going on between you and Isaac?”

Heat flooded my face, but I didn’t give her an answer, simply waving at my driver, Rashid, across the driveway and then going over to air-kiss her goodbye. “I’ll talk to you soon, Mom. I’m going to be out of town for a few days, but I’ll be home in time for whatever Dad has planned.”

She chuckled. “Give Isaac my love and have fun, but not too much of it.”

My face practically caught fire this time, but I ducked my head as I stepped away from her and spun toward my car, hoping like hell that she didn’t see me blush. I had no idea how she even knew that my plans for the next few days involved Isaac, but on the other hand, knowing things was her superpower.

Now all I had to do was hope that she didn’t share that knowledge with my father.

CHAPTER 29

ISAAC

This had absolutely not been my idea. When Jasmine had mentioned a Nile cruise, I’d thought we were going on a boat, not a floating palace, which was how she’d convinced me to come, but here we were. I had invited Joseph to come along with me, at Jasmine’s request, and he and I were standing in a suite the size of a department store.

Huge windows looked out over the river. The floors and finishings were polished wood. It even had a sunken sitting area nestled near the large balcony and marble countertops in the bathroom. Neither Joseph nor I said a word as we took it all in.

“Are you sure we got on the right ship?” He swallowed hard before he wandered to the windows. “I’ve been watching these luxury cruise liners float past the city my whole life and I’ve never even been near one. It kind of feels like this is a mistake.”

“It’s Jasmine,” I said as an explanation. “I doubt it’s the wrong ship or the wrong suite.”

“It’s not,” Zara said, speaking up from the doorway as she swept into the room.

I glanced at her over my shoulder. Joseph flushed slightly when she brushed past him, and while I almost smiled, I wasn’t in a position to judge. Zara was as much a natural beauty as Jasmine, with thick black hair, dark eyes glittering with gold, and the kind of bone structure that could slay a man from ten feet away.

If I hadn’t already known Jasmine, there was no doubt Zara would’ve been capable of making me blush too, but as far as I was concerned, she didn’t hold a candle. I had no trouble at all looking away from her.

Even so, I saw in my periphery when she spun in a slow circle as if she was appraising the place. Her lips curved in an approving smile. “The sitting area is a nice touch. I detest when hotels expect you to sit on your bed.”

“Anything but that,” I agreed dryly. “Seriously, though. Are you sure we’re on the right ship?”

“Oh, I’m sure.” She tossed her thick ponytail over her shoulder, following Joseph toward the windows. “Look at that view. Isn’t it to die for? I swear, people are always acting like the Thames and the Nile are the same, but they’re just not. All rivers were not created equal.”

Joseph blinked at her a few times, eventually just shaking his head and crossing the room again. When he reached the bedroom, I heard another door opening before he called out. “Isaac?”

“Yeah.”

“I found another room.”

I frowned. “Is it the adjoining one?”

“Well, it’s adjoining this one, but I think it’s actually part of the suite. I don’t think it’s supposed to be the room next door.”

“It’s the walk-in closet,” Zara said as if it should’ve been obvious. She giggled and gave him a smile that suggested she thought he was adorable. “Jasmine Saad does not travel light, darling. Neither do I. We need the space.”