by Leslie North
Adyan frowned. Not another American woman. Had the universe decided that every Tadros male must work with both an American and a female? What offence had they committed to deserve that?
She sat down at his table and waved at his drink “Can I buy you another?” Before he could answer, she turned and ordered hot tea in flawless Arabic. He had to blink. This was a woman who seemed to understand something of his country’s customs—but why was she here? To make excuses for Thomas Abbey perhaps?
Eyes narrowing, he said, “Miss Abbey.”
She waved a hand. “Hon, we aren’t going to get much of anywhere with that kind of formality. It’s Eden. Terrible name, ain’t it, but it was my aunt’s and my mother was set firm on me having it, too. Personally, I think that story’s hogwash. Daddy was set on a boy, and he was supposed to be an Edward, then I showed up and so it became Eden. Ed for short, if you like.”
“What I’d like to know is, where is your father?”
Her tea arrived. She thanked the waiter and started pouring sugar into the tea—lots of it. “Sweet tea, hon. Not a soul from the south who can do without it. Now, you’re Adyan Tadros, right? Daddy said he was to be meeting up with you, but he also said you and your brother look a lot alike.” She grinned suddenly, and Adyan had to catch his breath. She was lovely—a straight nose, wide-set eyes, a pointed chin. But when she smiled, her face seemed to light from within and he could swear he saw golden flakes glinting in her eyes. “Course, Daddy didn’t say you were the one with all the muscles.” She gave him a wink.
Adyan nearly choked. He’d never met a woman…well, anyone like this. And it was past time to pull this conversation back into a proper direction. “Miss…”
“Now then!” She held up a finger. She had short, unpainted nails and wore no jewelry. He also noted a slight tan to her hands and arms. “What’d I say?”
Adyan gave a small nod. “I’m not going to call you Ed.”
“Eden it is then. But there’s kind of a ring to Ed and Ad, isn’t there?” She wrinkled her nose. It was an adorable expression, but Adyan was not going to encourage her with a smile.
He cleared his throat. “Eden, this meeting was set with your father.”
Her smile faltered, and Adyan frowned. Something was not right here. He realized suddenly that her chatter must be masking nerves. She wound a lock of hair around one finger. “I’m dang sorry. I’m afraid my father wasn’t up to this particular trip. He had a stroke last week.”
The urge to cover her hand with his rose in him. But he had no place offering such a gesture. “I’m very sorry to hear that.”
She flashed her smile again. “He’s actually doing well, but the docs told him he needed to take it easy and flying halfway around the world didn’t fit into that category. But don’t you worry, hon. I’ve been working with Daddy since I was knee-high to a grasshopper. Least that’s what he likes to say.” She took a sip of her drink. “Now I understand you’ve got a deadline tighter than ten pounds of potatoes in a five pound sack, and a business slash sports complex that’s going to impress. What I’d like to know is can you clear the permits fast enough, have you had a survey done and any geology work? And do we need to expect any labor issues?” Leaning back in her chair, she added, “I’d have added supply problems, but I’m not expecting that, since Abbey Construction has the kind of pull to make sure that runs smooth.”
He blinked. “We have not yet hired your firm.”
Her smile warmed. “No, but who else will guarantee to get the job done with a timeline that’s more than crazy?”
Teeth gritted, Adyan frowned. He did not like to be pushed—least of all by a woman. But she had a point. He had spoken with five other firms. Two had declined immediately, one had backed out after hearing the deadlines required, and two more had tried to negotiate for more time. All had cited the difficulties of building in a desert country. They weren’t wrong. But if this complex wasn’t complete within the deadline, his family could face utter ruin.
Eden leaned forward, bracing her elbows on the table. Her smile was gone and her eyes darkened. “I know dang well that your daddy— Sheikh Ahmadi—has made some promises he’s got to keep. Word’s out already that the sports team signed to play in this new complex will pull out if the place isn’t up and running in six months…and I’ve heard from my contacts that the German solar company you’ve got signed to come in will also back out—with penalties to your family—if they can’t move in on time. So…all that means you need a company that can get things done. And done fast.”
The pulse had begun to pound in Adyan’s temples. He did not like that this American seemed to know far too much about his family’s business. However, he had to admit that it proved she had been thorough. He picked up his bottled water and stared at the ring of water it was leaving on the bar napkin. “If you know this, you also know I have been overseeing almost all major construction in Scaran for several years now.”
“Yep. But this…this isn’t just any building…it’s a complex of several buildings, and it’s just the sort of thing Abbey Construction’s pulled off.” She grinned again, and Adyan’s pulse kicked up. He frowned at that, but Eden smiled and said. “Daddy’s filled me in on your phone calls—I sat in on two of them. And you know dang well our company can pull this off.”
Adyan lifted a hand. How was he going to explain to his father that a woman was going to oversee the building of his dream—no, not just his dream, but a complex that must be complete or the Tadros family could lose not just their fortune but also their role as leaders of Scaran.
His father wasn’t exactly a chauvinist, and liked to think of himself as very westernized, but a woman on a construction site? What would the workers think of that? In Scaran, building was still a man’s job.
Leaning forward, he met her stare and said, “It is not your company I doubt. No offense, but I have to ask…are you truly capable of handling a project such as this?”
Chapter 2
Eden thought about hauling off to punch him. But Adyan Tadros was built like a bricklayer, with broad shoulders and muscles on his forearm that would make a pro-wrestler think twice about tossing a punch at the man. She got to the gym when she could, and construction sites tended to keep her trim and toned, even though she loved her mama’s peach cobbler a tad too much. However, she wasn’t about to start a brawl with a client.
She offered him a smile, showing what she knew were perfect, straight, white teeth—Daddy had paid a fortune to make them that way. “Hon, do you have a choice here? And aren’t we wasting time talking about this?”
Adyan’s jaw tightened and his dark eyes flashed. She fought down making her smile any wider. She had to admit, he sure was a looker when he got his dander up like that.
He forced an answering smile that was about as stiff as a steel I-beam. “I apologize for my surprise, but I was under the impression that your father would be handling this project personally.” He stressed the last word and that put her back up even more.
Be nice to the client, she reminded herself. But she couldn’t keep from tightening a hand around her now cold tea. “Think of him as doin’ just that. He’ll be keeping up with all my reports and through regular phone calls. ‘Sides, Daddy’s been giving most of the work over to me in the past year anyway. I jumped from just doing the books, to doing a lot more, and trust me…I know how to work with guys without them getting bent out of shape about it.”
That was the truth. What she didn’t add was that Abbey Construction needed this job about as much as the Tadros family needed her daddy’s firm. Construction work had been down in the States—the recession was letting up, but not soon or quickly enough. And her father had been ill longer than she was letting on—she was certain now he’d had smaller strokes before this and had hidden them from the family. Why else would Abbey Construction be in such bad financial shape? This job, however, would get the company back on its feet—and her daddy needed to know his company would still be here, waiti
ng for him. She wanted him to know that.
Adyan was at least sensible enough to concede her point. He gave a sharp nod and then asked, “Where are you staying?”
Eden grimaced. “Honestly, I’ve got my luggage waiting for me in the lobby here—I didn’t figure on being so late to the meetin’ but then I didn’t figure on the plane being late, either.”
“You flew commercial?” he asked.
She stared at him—then remembered. Sheikh’s son and all that—plus Adyan Tadros had something of a reputation as a party boy. A good-time Charlie, her daddy had said. She’d looked up the headlines on him, so she’d been prepared to find a good-looking lightweight. He didn’t seem quite so much of a pushover in person.
He gave another nod and stood. She did the same. Which didn’t help, either. Adyan Tadros towered over her. The man had to be six-foot something—he had muscles rippling under a light, white shirt and the tight pants to match the rest of what she’d seen so far. Her mouth began to water, and she told herself firmly that she wasn’t mixing business with pleasure. Not here and not now. She’d done that once before, had the scars on her heart from it, and wasn’t up for round two of that.
Adyan was peeling off bills in the local currency for the drinks. He looked up, the look in his eyes one she’d call assessing. She figured he was still sizing her up, still trying to decide if she really could pull off this project. Or maybe he was just a little shocked she was only five foot four inches tall in bare feet, and not much more than that in business heels.
He seemed to make up his mind about something. He said, his voice firm and his tone final, “There’s no need for you to stay in a hotel when the palace has over a dozen guest rooms.”
“The palace?”
“The Tadros Palace. I will arrange for you to have your own suite of rooms. It will save time, making it easier to consult on the project.”
“And keep an eye on me?” Eden asked.
The corner of his mouth curved up. “If required. It was never the plan to leave everything to Abbey Construction. I’ll arrange a driver to be at your disposal, and you will find the palace has far, far better amenities to offer than this hotel.”
Eden muttered, “I’ll just bet.”
Adyan had already started to walk out of the lounge, but now he glanced back at her. “I beg your pardon?”
“Oh, nothing. Nothing at all. Let me just get my bags.” She liked to travel light, and had only brought along one wheeled bag and a laptop. She collected them from the desk, left a tip and followed Adyan out the front doors. The heat of the day hit like a blast furnace—not a breath of wind stirred. She had tried to brace for it, but how could you get ready to step into an oven. Digging into her bag, she pulled out sunglasses and a scarf that she draped over her head—she’d read up on the customs of Scaran, and she saw no reason in pissing off anyone over minor details. Not when there were bigger wars to be fought.
“When do I get to see the final plans?” she asked.
Adyan glanced at her. He’d put on sunglasses as well. But he seemed not to even notice the heat. Eden was certain sweat was sliding down her back now, but Adyan looked cool as ever. “At the Palace. The architects will be there.”
Eden frowned. “Plural? Just how many cooks you got in that kitchen?”
A valet pulled up in a black Jaguar convertible, the top down, and Eden let out a sigh. No air conditioning. She tightened the ends of her scarf and let a bellhop cart off her luggage to somehow cram it into the sports car’s tiny trunk.
Adyan headed to the driver’s side—and Eden bit down on a tiny jab of irritation. She wouldn’t mind the heat so much if she could be the one driving. However…she was a guest here. For now. She slipped into the car, and Adyan glanced at her. “My brother, Zafar, has been working with Belle Mooney.”
Glancing at him, Eden slipped down her sunglasses. “Mooney? Of Mooney and Family? Wow, you guys really go big when you go big. But…Belle? Didn’t know she did much of the work. Thought it was her parents and her brothers who were handling the big projects.”
Adyan gunned the engine and glanced at her—and she could swear his mouth had tightened a little. “I am certain you and Miss Mooney will have much to discuss—and much in common.”
Eden pushed her sunglasses back up. So he was already setting up a girls’ club was he? What—he thought he’d palm her off with a female architect so he didn’t have to deal with her? Well, he’d have to rethink that idea. She fastened her seatbelt and then had the G-force of his take-off pushing her back in her seat. At least the man could drive. He handled the sports car like a pro, and she found her stare slipping over to admire the strong hands on the steering wheel. He had good hands—long fingers and slender wrists that almost didn’t fit the muscles he’d built. Compensating for something, she wondered.
The moving car pushed up a breeze, and she caught some scents from the city—some of them smelling of sewers, and then a mix of spices and flowers that flowed past almost too fast. The air was dry here, leaving her wanting to lick her lips, but that would only dry them more. She put up a hand to hold her hair back and wished she’d put it into a ponytail. The wind whipped past—hot and dry—and the car raced out of the high-rises of downtown and headed out into the desert.
She let out a breath. She liked the open space—the distant purple hills, the shimmer of heat off the ground. The mix of small clusters of trees and bushes around what had to be watering holes.
Taking an exit, Adyan slowed the car and then stopped at a point that overlooked what seemed to her to be the edge of the city. He waved to what looked like the south. “The complex is to be built there.”
She sat up and leaned forward for a better view. “Not much here, but least you’ve got a road in place. It’ll have great views.” She glanced around. “You’ve got water in place? Electric?”
“Water will be piped in. The entire complex will generate its own power with solar and wind.”
“You’re going to need generators then, during construction.”
Adyan glanced at her. “We’ll get power in place at once.” He put the car in gear and took off again. Eden clutched at the door—didn’t the man go anywhere slow?
The wind cut off any conversation, whipping away words. She settled back and took in the sights.
The city seemed a mix of old and new—the area they’d left looked like most any US city with high-rises and lots of glass and steel. But to the side, she could see older buildings—some of them constructed of what looked like mud. She was dying to get a closer look at them. She was a fan of historic buildings and admired handcrafted structures.
Adyan turned off the main highway again, heading up a narrow road. Greenery lifted up around them—exotic flowers, shrubs, trees. Someone had to be watering all this. The road twisted and turned, and gates rose up in front of them, along with a high wall. The gates slid open like magic, and Adyan gave a wave to someone—security, she’d guess.
He slowed the Jag, and the Tadros Palace came into view—gleaming white in the sunlight, turrets rising up like something out of the Arabian Nights. She pulled down her sunglasses again. “Your humble abode?”
Adyan’s smile twisted a little. “Yes, I know it seems ostentatious, but that is how things are done here. My father has status to maintain—he is not just the ruler of Scaran, he is the figurehead of our nation. The people would be disappointed in him if he lived in an ordinary house.”
“Guess we all need our White House. I can’t wait to see the inside.”
Adyan pulled to a stop in what seemed to be a garden courtyard. Eden glanced around, taking in the columns, the double doors, the wide windows on the structure. “Security must be a nightmare,” she said, climbing from the car.
She glanced over and saw Adyan grimace, meaning, yeah it was. A place like this would have a hundred ways to get in or out, too many staff to really keep track of, and a need for more security than probably even a sheikh could afford. Right away, staff hur
ried out from the house, heading to take Eden’s bag. She caught her laptop out of one man’s hands, told him in Arabic that she’d carry it. The guy still looked to Adyan for confirmation—and boy, that was going to get annoying fast. Eden fixed her smile in place.
Turning to her, Adyan said, “I will have a tray brought to your room. Jasmine will show you to where you will stay.”
Okay, that sounded more like an order than a request. Eden kept smiling. “Thought I might meet your father first. Say hi. Look over the plans.”
He folded his arms, muscles flexing. “You will need to eat something, and I recommend plenty of water and a nap. Your body is not used to this humidity or heat.” His stare traveled over her, making her just a little too aware of her body—of her dress sticking to her back, of the sudden heat in his gaze, and of how Adyan was standing just a tad too close, towering over her.
She looked up at him, licked her lips—and at least she had the satisfaction of seeing a faint wash of red over his cheeks. “Well, I am a little thirsty. So…okay, fine. A tray would be much appreciated, I suppose.”
“Might I suggest a quick shower?”
Eden turned and took a quick sniff of herself. “Don’t tell me I smell?” The red on his cheeks deepened, and Eden laughed. “Oh, don’t get your knickers in a knot—I was just funnin’ with you. And yeah, cold water and lots of it would suit me right now.”
He gave a sharp nod and headed into the palace, his long stride taking him away from her as if he couldn’t wait to get quit of her. Or as if he was planning to run to his daddy with news that Abbey Construction had sent a woman.
Eden frowned. She followed the girl Adyan had left to look after her, heading up stairs and down corridors. But she got a quick sense of the layout. A square building constructed around an inner courtyard. Shouldn’t be too hard to find her way around—she’d just listen for Adyan’s rumbling voice.