Steph shrugged. “Not really. I’ve had expectations put on me my whole life, especially since my father was wealthy. I had to behave a certain way, lest it hurt his image.”
“You come from a wealthy background?” Mehdi asked, surprised.
“Yes. Why does that surprise you?”
“Because a girl who comes from money wouldn’t need an arranged marriage,” he said.
“Ah, you figured that part out, huh? Yes, but notice I said that I was wealthy. The stock market crash took everything we had, and my dad had to rebuild from scratch. It wasn’t enough, in their minds, to support me in my future, so my parents looked toward an arranged marriage. Personally, I think that’s just an excuse though. My mother always intended for me to be married this way.”
Mehdi nodded. “That’s very likely. It is custom here for a girl of middle income to arrange a better situation for herself. I can understand why your mother would want that kind of security for you.”
“You can?” she asked. “Then why would you do all of this?” She waved a hand around them, gesturing toward the palace and the courtyard.
Mehdi cleared his throat. “I don’t know. It just seemed like the right thing to do?”
“Subtext: you’re not going to tell me?”
“Correct,” Mehdi said with a maddeningly handsome grin.
They sat in comfortable silence for a bit, enjoying the cool air of the immediate area, knowing that the walls beyond were steaming with heat. After a while, servants came to clean up the dishes. Steph assumed they would be parting ways at that point, but Mehdi didn’t move, and soon, another round of plates were brought in.
Steph laughed. “I couldn’t possibly eat another bite!”
“Oh, I think you’ll change your mind. Everyone always has room for dessert,” Mehdi said, watching as plates of chocolate-filled pastries and custard cakes mingled with baklava and various puddings.
“I suppose they do,” Steph agreed, filling her plate and taking one of everything.
They enjoyed lighter conversation over dessert, Mehdi talking about what it was like growing up in the palace and how easy it was to get lost at first. He explained the history of the palace itself before launching into a full-blown history lesson about El Farah. Steph found herself on the edge of her seat as she listened to him recant the tale of their shared heritage.
“It wasn’t until 1859 when the monarchy was dispelled and parliament was put into place. It wasn’t a violent thing, really. My great-great-great-grandfather was a very amiable man, and he saw the needs of his people. He knew that the best thing was to let them find a form of governance that worked for the most people, and he happily gave up his reign. Because of this, the people revered him and allowed him to maintain his status as sheikh, albeit in a ceremonial sense.”
“So that’s how you came to be in the position you’re in,” Steph said, and Mehdi nodded.
“Yes. The government has a fund that goes toward maintaining this residence, though I do try to live simply, knowing my livelihood comes from the kindness of my people.”
“That’s very thoughtful of you,” Steph said, and Mehdi shrugged.
“It’s important as a ruler to be mindful of your people’s welfare. I may not be a ruler in the true sense of the word, but my family has ingrained in me that sense of duty. I will not abuse it, as long as I live.”
Steph stared at Mehdi with a new sense of respect in her eyes. He was becoming more and more appealing with every word that came from his perfect mouth.
She was in serious danger of losing her heart to the benevolent Sheikh.
NINE
Steph
By the time they finished eating dessert, it was already early evening. The sun was sinking toward the sandy horizon when Mehdi offered to give Steph a more in-depth tour of the palace, which she readily accepted.
Had Mehdi not been born into royalty, he could easily have been a tour guide. His in-depth knowledge of El Farah’s history was impressive, and he left no detail out as he showed her the various ballrooms, living rooms, and even a hookah bar. The faint scent of flavored tobacco tickled Steph’s nostrils, and she sneezed.