The Sheikh's Contract Bride

by Holly Rayner

“I know that family stuff can be difficult. I know it seems all roses and daisies now, but things back in Al Rayyan weren’t always so great. It took a lot of work to get the family to the place it is now. The truth is, my parents made a lot of mistakes along the way. They demanded so much from us, wanted us to behave a certain way, to be people we weren’t. We tell people that we just like to travel, but that was the real reason they drove us away. We were never allowed to be ourselves. We always had to be far more than we wanted.”

  Kaye listened to his story intently, trying to place his description with the blissful family life she had seen in Al Rayyan. It didn’t quite compute.

  “Could they really have changed so much?” she asked in a whisper.

  He nodded.

  “After my brother—the third eldest—ran off and never came back, they realized they would have to make some changes if they ever wanted their kids to be in their lives. Unfortunately, it only hit home when he died in an avalanche, while skiing. My parents were the last to find out.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Kaye said, wanting to reach back out to him.

  It was too late for that. He had already distanced himself from her, even as he brought her into his own story a little more.

  “It’s nothing for you to be sorry about. We all learned our lessons. My point is, I know that life, work, and things that matter take sacrifice, and today you made one in an attempt to make this project all it could be. I appreciate what you did there, and everything you’ve done until now. I just want you to know that.”

  “Thank you,” she replied softly.

  They sat in silence for a moment before Amir excused himself, and Kaye watched him go with mixed feelings. While there was a part of her that wanted him to be in her life in a very romantic capacity, another part wondered at his motives. Could she trust Amir, when his lust for self-promotion was the reason she had gotten into that mess in the first place?

  Yes, sacrifice was necessary for any job, but he had seen how uncomfortable she was about bringing her parents into the picture, and he had ignored it in favor of good television. The image of him talking to her parents after she walked away flashed in her mind, and she wondered once again what he had said to them on her childhood steps.

  Would could he have possibly said to make it any better?

  The plane began its descent into LAX, and Kaye’s ears popped as she stared out at the ocean on the horizon. She inhaled, the cabin air stale and faintly scented of burned coffee. She couldn’t wait to get outside and get back to her life.

  The feeling seemed to be mutual, because everyone vacated the plane as soon as possible, making short work of finding rental cars to get home. Amir approached Kaye as she pulled her suitcase to the curb.

  “You can come with me, if you’d like.”

  “Where are we going?” Kaye asked.

  He looked confused.

  “Home,” he said simply.

  She remembered then that her own bed would continue to remain vacant. She would be headed back to Amir’s guest house, on duty, even in the off hours.

  “Right,” she said.

  “Unless you don’t want to?” he asked gently.

  She thought about telling him to stuff it. To take the reality show and all the money in her contract and put it where the sun don’t shine, as they said back home. Then, she remembered stale crackers and canned soup, and she swallowed her pride.

  “Of course. Let’s go home.”

  He nodded, and as he did, a sleek black car pulled up. It was certainly a step up from the cars they’d had in Indiana, though as Kaye slid in with Amir behind her, she was anything but comfortable.

  She had no idea how to feel, so she simply went numb.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Weeks passed by, with Kaye and Amir working long days to get enough footage for a six-month season. Before she knew it, Jen was walking in with her wedding gown.

  Kaye swallowed at the sight of the garment bag.

  “It’s beautiful, I promise,” Jen soothed, as though she were comforting a real jittery bride.

  Kaye grinned.

  “I’m sure it is. Did Merle pick it out especially?”

  “You know he doesn’t have time for such things,” Jen scoffed, flipping back her hair in an ‘I’m too good for you’ gesture.

  “I certainly do. Let’s take a look, shall we?”

  “We’re going to do more than that. Today, we’re filming the wedding.”

  “What?” Kaye asked, stunned.

  Jen lifted an eyebrow at her.

  “You didn’t know? Man, they are so bad at communication around here. That’s probably why Merle gave me this.”

  She handed Kaye a packet of papers, and when she opened it, she saw a set of scripted vows with a lengthy description of how the ceremony was planned to take place. Looking up, she did her best to remain professional.

  “I suppose it’s time to go over some lines.”

  Jen nodded.

  “You can do that while I give you the most beautiful hair and makeup of the century, before we slide you into that gown.”

  Kaye sat, reading over the emotional speech that someone had written for her. She felt a pang of sadness, knowing that her first marriage was a sham, a desperate, last-ditch attempt to launch her career. Had she really sunk so low?

  As she read, the doors burst open, and a camera followed behind Amalia. Kaye’s eyes lit up when she saw Amir’s mother, and she made sure to quickly hide her script.

  “Your Highness! It’s so good to see you!”

  She jumped up, and Jen did a great job of looking like a grumpy hairstylist behind her as she wrapped Amalia in a warm embrace.

  “They didn’t tell me we were filming this today,” she whispered in Amalia’s ear.

  “Of course they didn’t. Just play along my dear; that’s what we all do.”

  “I am happy to see you as well,” Amalia said louder, stroking a strand of one of Kaye’s silky brown curls as she admired it. “I’m sorry to interrupt your preparation; I just wanted to see you. Now, where are your parents, so I can meet them?”

  Kaye’s face fell, and Amalia’s eyes grew sympathetic.

  “They don’t approve?” she asked softly.

  Kaye shook her head.

  “Well, we won’t let that get to us.”

  “Where’s my daughter?”

  Kaye gaped at the open door as a man she had never seen before strolled in. When he saw her he stopped, placing a hand to his heart. He had to be in his mid-fifties, with a full head of salt-and-pepper hair and a face made to look more like hers with stage makeup. Before she could ask who he was, he embraced her, and she hugged him back.

  When this was all said and done, Kaye mused that she could have an exceptional career in improv theater. The man stroked her cheek with a gentle thumb.

  “You look stunning, my dear.”

  “I’m not even ready,” she said, turning to show that she only had half of her hair and makeup done.

  “It doesn’t matter. I know you’re not my daughter by birth, but it means the world to me that you asked me to walk you down the aisle.”

  Aha, Kaye thought, finally in on the plan. Her eyes filled with tears, which made Jen look even more uncomfortable. She would have some patching to do.

  “I appreciate you coming today…” she hesitated, unsure of what to call the man.

  “Your Uncle John would never let you down. You’ll always be a second daughter to me,” he said, helping her out. He had noticed that she hadn’t been made privy to what was happening that day, and Kaye was grateful to the actor inside him for being willing to gently point her in the right direction.

  “I know you wouldn’t, I just wish…” she trailed off, allowing a tear to fall.

  Jen handed her a tissue, and she dabbed gently at her eyes.

  “I know, honey. I wish they were here, too.”

  “Maybe someday they’ll come around,” she sighed, staring out the window with a forlor
n expression.

  “They will. You’ll see. Now, I’ll let you keep getting ready. I’ll meet you at the aisle, okay?”

  “Okay,” she replied, accepting a gentle kiss on her cheek.

  Amalia grasped her hand with a supportive look before turning and leaving the room, the cameraman exiting behind her with a thumbs up for Kaye and Jen.

  “The show must go on,” Kaye mused, and Jen nodded, getting back to work on pinning delicate curls atop her head.

  “Always does, one way or the other.”

  “You were great just then. Have you been on camera before?”

  Jen shrugged.

  “I’m just like anyone else around here, really. Tried to get my name in the lights and failed, but I was good at hair and makeup and made the right connections, which landed me this job. It’s something I enjoy, and I meet a lot of interesting people behind the scenes.”

  Kaye nodded, completely understanding. She sat in silence, then, as Jen worked her magic, transforming her into a princess before helping her shimmy into her wedding gown. The dress was stunning. It had a princess waist with a small train, and long lace sleeves that pointed out at her wrists. Jen fixed a diamond tiara in her hair.

  “This was given to me by Amir. He said it’s made of diamonds mined from his own country. Pretty cool, right?”

  Kaye gazed at her reflection in the mirror, staring at the glittering diamonds in her hair. She was dressed like a future princess…or sheikha. That part hadn’t really occurred to her before. In a few moments, she would be royalty, if just for a moment.

  Jen fixed a delicate white veil in Kaye’s hair and draped it down until it looked just right, before she looked her up and down one last time.

  “I think you’re ready to be married, future Mrs. Al-Asfour.”

  A chill went down Kaye’s spine. Would she even bother changing her name? Probably not. After all, the wedding had to be real, but anything else legal would just be extra work, wouldn’t it?

  She brushed the thoughts aside as Jen opened the door and walked her toward the front courtyard. The massive front door was closed, and “Uncle John” was waiting for her at the portal. Cameras were set up all around, and she settled into her character of the excited bride.

  “You ready, kiddo?” the actor portraying her father figure asked.

  “Beyond ready,” she replied with a small giggle.

  She placed her hand around his forearm and they faced the door. A butler dressed to the nines nodded, opening the portal for them, and when he did, Kaye nearly gasped.

  The entire front courtyard had been transformed. There were colorful flowers hung on invisible strings above them, the shade from the trees above casting pockets of shadow among them, which gave the appearance of changing colors. On either side of her, there were rows of chairs filled with strangers that all looked as though they had loved Kaye her entire life.

  In that moment, she felt a rush of shame.

  Her thoughts darted to her parents, but even as they did, she realized that a plethora of gazes and cameras were on her, and she buried the sensation down deep for the sake of the job at hand. She looked up the length of the aisle, her eyes colliding with Amir’s dark gaze.

  His expression was difficult to read as she stepped up the cobblestoned aisle, her eyes locked with his as she remembered that they were ‘in love’. There had been so many times over the past few weeks when she couldn’t tell when they were acting and what was real, but she had managed, somehow, to keep her emotions in check. Every night, she pulled out her contract and reread the parts where she would be forbidden to enter into any kind of romance with the Sheikh, as well as the situation for her salary.

  It would be worth it, in the end. Even if she did walk away with a broken heart.

  When she reached the end of the aisle, the Justice of the Peace smiled warmly down at her. She was a woman in her early forties, dressed in a smart black robe.

  “Who gives this woman to be wed?” she asked, her voice deep and official-sounding.

  “I do,” John-the-actor said, turning to kiss her cheek before he placed her hand in Amir’s.

  Her fingertips tingled as she stood next to Amir, facing him as they looked back at the Justice of the Peace, the ceremony in progress.

  “We are gathered here today to join these two souls in holy matrimony. This is a couple that has found the kind of love that so many hope for, but so few find. It is a true love, a deep love. A joyful melding of spirit and heart that will last until they are parted in death.”

  Kaye stared at the woman, trying not to crumble. Her stomach hurt at her words. None of it was true, and yet, she was really getting married. It felt like such a lie, but it also didn’t.

  “We will now recite the vows. Amir, if you’d like to go first?”

  Amir nodded, and he pulled out a piece of paper—one that looked awfully similar to the one she had been handed that morning and had to memorize.

  “Kaye,” he began, clearing his throat. “The moment I met you, I rescued you.”

  There was a general chuckle from the crowd, and Kaye smiled indulgently at him.

  “But the truth is, you are the one that rescued me. All my life, I’ve been trying to figure out who I am, what my place is in this world. I wandered aimlessly without purpose or place, lost in a sea of siblings and royal responsibilities. When I met you, I finally felt as though I had found myself. I love you, I cherish you, and I can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives together.”

  Kaye’s eyes misted over at his speech, a tear of genuine emotion falling at his words. There was so much truth in them, even as there wasn’t. He stood upright, strong and stoic as always when he was in character, and Kaye remembered that this was all an act.

  “And now you, Kaye. Please recite your vows.”

  Kaye cleared her throat, wiping away a tear as she stared into Amir’s eyes, her own lines memorized.

  “Amir, you are my prince charming, my rescuer, and my one true love. I promise to love and cherish you for as long as we live, and I promise to do the best I can to support you in all of your dreams and adventures. Thank you for changing my life so wholly. You are my everything.”

  The JP nodded, grabbing a pair of rings. Kaye’s engagement ring still comfortable on her finger, Amir slid a gold band next to it as he promised to love and support her for the rest of their days. His ring was platinum, and as she slid it onto his finger, a sense of finality washed over her, even as she knew that the marriage was over before it even began.

  “Without further ado, I pronounce you husband and wife! Amir, you may kiss your bride.”

  Kaye stared up at him, wondering what his plan was. Amir had found clever ways the entire time of showing her affection without actually kissing her. His eyes shot to her lips before he met her gaze, his head lowering before he closed his eyes and captured her lips in a sweet, soft kiss.

  There was so much more behind it, a power Kaye could feel with every inch of her skin. Still, he pulled away, grasping her hand as the two of them turned toward the ecstatic crowd.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Al-Asfour!”

  A great cheer erupted as Kaye and Amir made their way back down the aisle together. He pulled her hand up and kissed the back of it before they disappeared behind the doors of the mansion.

  “Cut!” Jesse called.

  And just like that, the magic was gone.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Amir let out a breath as he leaned against the wall of the lobby. After a moment, he looked at Kaye.

  “You look great,” he said, and the corner of her lip turned up.

  “You do, too. We should give our costume and makeup team a raise after this.”

  Amir chuckled.

  “I assure you, they make plenty.”

  Before they could continue their conversation, Jesse walked in.

  “Fantastic job, you guys! We’ll call that a wrap for today—we have a lot of take down to do before w
e pack up for the honeymoon teasers in Barbados tomorrow. I tell you one thing—I think this show is going to be very popular! Fabulous chemistry today!”

  “Thanks, Jesse,” Kaye replied.

  He nodded and walked back out, leaving the two of them alone once again, a married couple.

  “Well, at least we don’t have to film an after-party,” Kaye mused, and Amir stood upright from the wall.

  “What do you think about getting dinner, just the two of us?”

  In spite of herself, Kaye wanted to spend the evening with her new husband. Her stomach danced with giddiness as she smiled up at him.

  “I would love to. Can we not do it dressed like this, though?”

  Amir’s smile was warm as he gazed down at her. She could almost believe that what he had said in his vows was real, if only just a little bit.

  The money, she thought. The money!

  “You can dress however you’d like, though I would recommend something a little fancier than jeans for the place I have in mind.”

  “I think I can handle that,” Kaye said.

  They parted ways, then, Amir heading back in the direction of his bedroom, and Kaye making her way to the guest house. When she got there, she realized pretty quickly that she was stuck in the wedding dress. Poking her head out, she noticed one of the crew walking by with some flowers.

  “Hey, can you help me real fast?” she asked.

  The woman nodded, stepping inside. When she saw Kaye’s predicament, she laughed.

  “I guess we thought of everything except how to get you free of this dress, huh?”

  “So it would seem,” Kaye agreed, anxious to leave the façade and go be her real self with the real Amir.

  The woman managed to free her to the point that she could step out of the garment, and Kaye thanked her profusely before she made her exit, back to cleaning up.

  Rifling around in her closet, Kaye searched for the perfect dress to wear for a night on the town. She came across a little black dress that seemed to fit the bill, and after a little more poking around, she found a pair of black heels to match. Leaving her hair and makeup as it was, she slid into the dress, feeling a bit more toned-down as she walked across the small distance between her room and the main house.