The Sheikh's Surrogate Bride

by Holly Rayner

  “Oh, good,” Yasin said. “I’m glad that your phone is okay after this morning.”

  Olivia attempted a smile but knew it looked forced and awkward.

  Yasin’s smile, however, was sincere. The bright look on his face brought a smile to hers.

  “We should pop some champagne,” he said with a laugh.

  “Maybe we should,” she said, her voice slightly shaky. “It’s not like I’ll be able to have any after I get pregnant.”

  He grinned. “See! I knew you were perfect for the job.”

  Chapter 3

  Olivia

  Olivia opened the front door of the small home she shared with her sister and tossed her keys on the table in the hallway.

  “Jennifer!” she called, setting down two bags of clean laundry onto the carpeted floor. “Jen! I have news!” She ran to her sister’s room and found her reading in bed. “Hey,” Olivia said softly. “How was your day?”

  Jennifer looked up from her book. She looked happy and calm. Despite her thin frame, she looked stronger than she had in a long time. She closed her book and set it on her lap, then patted the bed, motioning for Olivia to come over.

  “I had a good day,” she replied. “What’s your big news?”

  “I got a job!” Olivia said excitedly as she plopped down onto the bed.

  “Oh, that’s fantastic! You landed the job at Jubilee? Was it a receptionist position or something? You didn’t really get a chance to tell me before you rushed out of here this morning.”

  “Well, umm…” Olivia took a deep breath.

  Between the two of them, Jennifer had always been the more rational sibling. She was known for being a realist, and a pragmatist. The fact that she had been dealing with sickness for years had probably nurtured those qualities.

  Olivia often thought that her sister was stronger and wiser than her. Despite having spent the majority of her adult life either at home or in hospital, she was the person Olivia always ran to when she had a problem. Boys. Work. Life issues. Jennifer always knew what to say.

  “What’s the matter?” Jennifer asked.

  “Nothing,” Olivia said. “It’s just…the job’s a little unorthodox. But it’s really rewarding. I’ll be giving someone what he wants most in life. I’ll be making enough money to pay the debt collectors and pay your medical bills. I’ll even be able to afford a full-time nurse for you. Which will be great because…I won’t be around too much.”

  “Long hours, I’m guessing?”

  “You could say that. There’s a lot of, um, travel involved. But I’ll get to use my boss’s personal jet, which is super fancy. I mean, I haven’t seen his jet. It’s just that, ah…” Olivia could feel herself blabbering. It was a bad habit of hers and one that Jennifer picked up on.

  Her sister’s eyes narrowed. “So, what’s wrong with this job?”

  “There’s nothing wrong with it. Like I said, it’s just a little unorthodox.” Olivia chuckled nervously.

  Jennifer took her hand. “You’re not going to be hurting anyone, right?”

  She shook her head.

  “And you’re not doing anything illegal?”

  She shook again.

  “Well, it can’t be that bad, then.”

  Olivia smiled. “I was hoping that you’d see it that way,” she said. “You see, my boss is looking to get married. He needs, kind of, a fake wife to have his baby. The marriage might be a bit of a sham, but we’ll really have to get married and I’ll really have to move to Rebayah for like…fifteen months.”

  Jennifer let go of her hand. “What?”

  “And you might be worried because I’m going to be so far away, but I’ll be able to fly home whenever I want—as long as I don’t have to do a wife thing, like go with him to a gala or something.”

  “You didn’t actually say yes to this, did you?”

  Olivia’s shoulders drooped. “Well, yeah. I couldn’t pass up this opportunity.”

  “Olivia!”

  “It’s going to pay all of our bills! You’ll get taken care of. I’ll get to give someone a baby. That’s the best present anyone could ever imagine.”

  Her sister shook her head and raised her hands up. “No, no, no,” she said. “You don’t even know this guy. And packing up your entire life to move a different country? Do you even know where your passport is?”

  “Passport,” Olivia said. “That’s right.”

  “Oh my God, Liv. How are you going to survive? And to think, you’re going to have a baby for some stranger?”

  “I won’t have to take care of the baby once he or she’s born, after the first six months, where I’ll stay for the sake of breastfeeding and making the whole thing look somewhat legit. Yasin wants to raise the little peanut himself, and I’m fine with that.”

  “Oh, sure. You’re fine with that now,” Jennifer said. “But what happens after you’ve carried this baby to term? You’ll be literally connected to this baby for nine months. Do you think that it’s going to be that easy to let him or her go? You can’t possibly—”

  “I can take care of myself,” Olivia snapped. “I’ve been taking care of both of us for a long time now. This’ll make it easier.” She held her sister’s hands. “It’s done, Jen. I’ve signed the contract. I’ve agreed to all of it. Instead of trying to make me nervous about all this, try to support me, all right?”

  Jennifer sighed. “I guess that’s all I can do. But I want constant phone calls to reassure me that you’re okay.”

  Olivia nodded. “We’ll video chat every night. I promise. Everything’s going to be fine.”

  As the words came out of her mouth, she wasn’t sure if she was trying to convince her sister or herself.

  Chapter 4

  Olivia

  Olivia couldn’t take her eyes off of the street outside. It had been a hectic three days. Between planning phone calls with Yasin, packing, meeting with nurses, and the logistical set-up of her new job, she’d barely had time to sleep. There was so much to do in such little time.

  To begin with, she hadn’t been sure that she could just up and leave in only three days. She’d thought that she needed more time, but Yasin had insisted that the timing was imperative, and so she’d dropped everything.

  She’d even synched her phone calendar with her future husband’s so that they would be on the same page. He had told her that she would have privacy and the only things that she would have to use the shared calendar for were doctor’s appointments, family gatherings, and public events. While that made her feel better at the time, when she looked at the calendar, she was surprised at how many dinners and events were already set up.

  She couldn’t imagine going to galas—she didn’t even own any fancy dresses. Well, if that’s what the job calls for, she thought, staring out the window, that’s what I’ll just have to do. Buy a bunch of fancy dresses.

  She laughed to herself, then looked down at her phone. According to the calendar, the driver was meant to have arrived by now.

  “Is the driver here yet?” asked Jennifer, who came in from the other room looking tired.

  Olivia glanced out the window again, but the street in front of their house was vacant. “No,” she said, turning to her sister. “How are you doing? Are you happy with the nurse we chose?”

  Her sister nodded. “Yeah, she’s sweet. I think we’ll get along well.”

  “I’m glad that she likes the idea of staying in the guest room. It’ll be good for the transition period.” Olivia walked her sister over to the couch so they could both sit down.

  “You baby me too much,” Jennifer sister said. “Maybe it’ll be good for me when you leave.”

  Olivia laughed. Her sister’s dry humor was a welcome surprise for what would be a long and emotional day. “I’m going to miss you,” she said.

  “I’ll miss you too, sis. Do you realize that we’ve never really been apart?” Jennifer rested her head on Olivia’s and they leant their foreheads against each other, the way that they
used to when they were kids.

  “I hadn’t really thought about it,” she replied. She needed to get up. If she sat with her sister and reminisced, she wouldn’t have the resolve to leave. “I need to make sure that I have all my bags.”

  “Uh-huh,” Jennifer said with a chuckle. She could always read Olivia’s mind.

  Olivia fought back tears as she said, “Don’t make fun of me.”

  Jennifer's face contorted as she tried to fight back tears as well. “You make it so easy,” she jested.

  The knock on the door interrupted what would have been a vulnerable moment. When Olivia got to the door, she wasn’t surprised to see the driver that Yasin had sent.

  “Hello,” he said with a professional smile. “I can take your bags. If you’ll join me in the car when you’re ready, we’ll be on our way.”

  She nodded obediently.

  Olivia took one more pass through her bedroom. She was leaving most of her belongings behind, because her wing of the estate would be completely furnished, or so the Sheikh had told her. As it was, she would be visiting Dallas often, so she felt okay about leaving most of her clothes at home—it would allow her to travel light when she visited.

  Saying goodbye to her sister was the last and most difficult thing she needed to do before leaving.

  “I’ll call you,” she promised, wrapping her arms around Jennifer and giving her a gentle hug.

  “You better.”

  “As soon as I get settled, I’ll video chat with you and show you where I’ll be staying. And I’ll come home to visit you just as soon as I can get away. I won’t be gone for longer than I absolutely need to. I promise.” Her eyes welled with tears, and she wiped tears from Jennifer’s face as well.

  It was hard to tear herself away from her sister, but the look from the driver told her that he didn’t want to wait any longer. She hopped into the town-car and got herself settled in the backseat while he loaded up her bags. As her home—the only home she’d ever known—shrunk in the distance, Olivia suddenly felt her throat tighten and a knot form in her stomach.

  No more tears, she told herself. Remember, this is an adventure. It’s exciting. The only reason that you would need to feel nervous is because it’s new. There’s nothing to be scared of.

  When her home disappeared from her view, she turned back around and finally got the chance to inspect her surroundings. Between the immaculately clean leather interior, the gold trim, and the chauffeur, Olivia suddenly felt underdressed. She looked down at her jeans, her white button-up shirt, and the green messenger bag that had her important personal documents in it, feeling as though she had no right to be sitting in such a fancy car.

  It didn’t take long before the feeling of being underdressed was taken over by a feeling of larger, more vital incompatibility: it wasn’t just that she was going to be marrying someone that was handsome and foreign. He was also of a different class system. He was much more well-off than she was. What if she made a fool of herself while she was out at one of those fancy dinners?

  They have, like, fifteen forks on the table at all times, don’t they? How do I know which one to choose?

  Olivia clenched her fists and groaned. “No, no, no,” she whispered to herself. “Now isn’t the time to second guess anything. I need to feel confident in my choices. I need to be strong.”

  The driver cleared his throat. “Miss?” he asked.

  Olivia looked into the rear-view mirror and caught his eye. “Oh, sorry.”

  “If I may speak freely?” he asked.

  She didn’t quite know what he meant. Why wouldn’t he be able to speak freely? Were they being recorded? Was this a cultural thing? She looked at the man again. He’d sounded American—his accent was southern.

  “Um, I guess?” she answered.

  “I don’t know what your relationship with the Sheikh is, but you seem uneasy about the situation. I don’t want to pry but—if it helps—I can tell you that he is a good man with a good heart.” His eyes glanced from the road to the rear-view mirror to see her reaction, then moved back to the road.

  Olivia took a deep breath. “That does make me feel a little better. Thanks.” She leaned back in the seat. “How long have you been working for him?”

  “I just work for Jubilee,” he said. “They employ me when they need someone to drive around clients and executives. But I’ve driven Sheikh Yasin quite a few times in the five years that I’ve worked here. He’s always been pleasant and takes the time to ask me about my family. He is a good man.”

  She nodded. Her shoulders relaxed even more. “He gave me that vibe also,” she said. Her gaze moved from the rear-view mirror to her window. “He seems like a gentleman.”

  The rest of the drive was quiet. Unsure of when she would be back in the States again, Olivia was keen to take it all in. She watched the trees and the buildings fly by as they drove to the airport. She cracked the window and tried to memorize the smell of the city.

  Rebayah wasn’t just a foreign land to her—it might as well have been a distant planet. Having only been out of the country once in her life, the prospect of moving to a place where people spoke a different language and had a completely different culture was without doubt one of the scariest things that she’d ever done.

  The car arrived at the airport in record time. It drove onto the tarmac of a small airstrip and right up to a sleek white jet. Yasin popped his head out of the passenger door and waved at the car. With a bounce in his step, he gracefully descended down the stairs and met Olivia and the driver as they got out of the vehicle.

  “Thank you so much for escorting Olivia here,” he said, slipping a few bills into the driver’s hand as he shook it. “A little something for your trouble.”

  “Oh, that really isn’t necessary,” the driver said. “I’m only doing my job.”

  “Well,” Yasin said. “You do it well. Take it and buy something nice for your daughter. She’s getting to be a teenager now, isn’t she?”

  The driver groaned and nodded comically.

  Yasin let out a laugh. “Yes, well, maybe you need to buy yourself a little something, then,” he said, punctuating his comment with a chuckle. He thanked the driver again and motioned for some of the airport attendants to take Olivia’s bags.

  “Olivia,” he said warmly. “Come, come. We should get going. We have a long flight and a lot to talk about.” He reached for her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

  She followed him onto the jet. While it didn’t look like a big plane from the tarmac, it was incredibly spacious inside. With a couple rows of seats that had plenty of legroom—some of which were in the shape of little booths around a small table—a bar cart that was mounted to one side, and a luxurious beige leather interior, Olivia was in awe.

  He led her to a seat which faced the front of the plane, taking the seat across the table from her. In this arrangement, they could easily see each other, but they weren’t too close for comfort.

  It only took a few moments before the engines revved and the plane began to move.

  “Oh,” Olivia squeaked. “I guess this is it.”

  Yasin raised an eyebrow. “Are you a nervous flyer?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “I don’t think so. It’s just…I mean, this whole thing. It’s actually starting, now.”

  He chuckled. “Well,” he said, leaning back in his seat. “What do you say we get to know each other a little? We’re supposed to have been dating, after all.”

  She nodded. “That sounds like a good plan. Um…so, what should I know? What’s your family like?”

  “Let’s see. Well, I’m the cousin of the ruling sheikh of Rebayah—”

  “Oh!”

  He grinned. “You didn’t know that?”

  “No, sorry. I probably should have run your name through a search engine last night, but I was busy packing.”

  He laughed and waved it off. “That’s no big deal, it’s probably easier to start from scratch anyway.” He cleared his t
hroat. “As far as work goes, Jubilee Oil is my family’s company. We have offices around the world, which means I travel a fair amount. My father is on the board of directors, but I’m the CEO.”

  “Roger that,” Olivia said. “Do you have any siblings?”

  “I have two—a sister and a brother. My sister, Nylah, is the youngest. She’s sweet and very optimistic, and I think you’ll like her. I also have a brother, Rashad. He can be…irresponsible, but he’s a lot of fun. Embraces the single life.”

  “And what about you? Do you like the single life?” she asked, searching his eyes as he contemplated the question.

  “I do, but not because I love dating. What I love about being single is the simplicity of it all. You don’t have to worry about melding your life with someone else’s. I like living on my own. It’s simple that way. I can focus on the company without worrying about coming home late and disappointing a girlfriend or a wife.”

  Olivia smiled. “That’s understandable.”

  Yasin nodded slowly. “I’m glad you’re so open-minded.”

  “I’m glad you answered honestly,” she said, her smile broadening. “Okay, I know a bit about your family. But there are a couple of questions that I need to know the answers to if I’m going to effectively pose as your girlfriend. Just be honest.”

  He laughed. “All right. Hit me.”

  “What’s your favorite color?”

  A subtle chuckle came from his mouth. “Um…red.”

  “Favorite sport?”

  “I don’t have time for sports. But I do like to go running, if that counts.”

  She shrugged. “Do you have any pets?”

  “No.”

  “But if you did, would you be a dog or a cat person?”

  He narrowed his eyes playfully. “Why do I have the feeling that you’re going to judge me heavily based on this answer?”

  “Because I am,” she jested.

  He laughed, and the smile on his face went from ear to ear. Olivia felt her heart skip a beat. At that moment, she suddenly realized that not only was she soon going to be married and having a child, she was going to do all this with one of the most handsome men that she’d ever met.