“Tell me, Kate. This is your brass ring! Grab it.”
Kate turned Jaffri around on her lap and stared at his goofy face. It was goofy now, but it showed all the signs of becoming just as ruggedly handsome as his father’s. “I can’t leave Jaffri right now, Mark. I need to be with him.”
“Okay, so you need a nanny that can travel and keep the little guy close by,” he commented as if he were listing out her requirements. “What else?”
Kate laughed. “I wasn’t thinking along those lines, but here goes. If you want me to do the movie, then I want a nanny who can keep Jaffri close by, filming only eight hours a day, nothing on weekends, I do all of the scenes at once instead of waiting for the other scenes to be built in, pre-release promotions with only five interviews and the interviews all have to happen at a secure location, not Los Angeles. I won’t attend any of the release events, I’m not having a romance with whoever they get to play the male lead, I won’t do international promotions, I won’t show up to anything other than the five interviews. Those interviews will take place in a secret location with only a cameraman and the interviewer present along with a makeup artists and stylist. I get my own trailer with three bedrooms, one for myself, the nanny, and Jaffri.”
“Got it. Anything else?”
Kate chuckled. “I’m sure there will be other issues, but we can settle the details later.” The breast milk she’d pumped earlier in the day was warm enough now, so she took the bottle out of the water, dried it off, and turned Jaffri around so that he could hold the bottle with her help while sucking greedily.
“I’ll call you back,” Mark announced and the line went dead.
Turning to Jaffri, she made a funny face. “They aren’t going to go for it,” she told her adorable son. His response was to bite down on the nipple of his bottle and flap his arms up and down, wiggling with excitement. “Nope!” she laughed, “they are silly people!”
Jaffri grinned, his pink gums glistening as he bounced up and down on her lap. Kate laughed. “Silly man,” she cooed, referring to her manager.
Jaffri settled back in her arms and began sucking again, completely happy with his lot in life.
Kate sighed happily as well, looking up at the beautiful, blue sky. Life was good, she thought. A bit lonely. Her nearest neighbor was a mile away, but she had Jaffri. And the people in town were wonderful, always helpful. So many of the mothers and fathers around town had offered advice and comfort.
Why would she leave all the beauty of her home and her big back yard, space that seemed to go on forever and views of the mountains…just to do another movie?
Because she needed more, she realized. Yes, it was wonderful living here, not having to wear makeup and being able to just pull on jeans and a huge shirt every day. She hadn’t had a manicure in over a year and her hair was a mess. But she was in love with her son and she’d even learned to grow tomatoes!
An hour later, Kate and Jaffri were swinging in the infant swing attached to a tree in her back yard when her phone rang. Looking at the screen, she sighed, but answered it. “What’s up, Mark?”
“You’re in! The contracts are being drawn up now and I’ll have them scanned and sent to you by tonight.”
Kate was stunned. “I’m sorry…” she shook her head, trying to catch up. “They agreed to all my terms?” she asked, shocked and…well, flattered.
“Every single one. You’re in. I even demanded a twenty percent pay increase, so you’ve got a bump there too. They are flying six different nannies out to meet you. They will be there tomorrow. Interview them and, if any of them meet your requirements, then they can start next week, getting to know Jaffri. I’m also sending FBI background checks and resumes on each nanny, so you can review their information before meeting with them.”
Kate stood there speechless, not even sure what to say.
“Are you still there?” Mark asked.
She jumped and nodded, then realized he couldn’t hear that. “Yes. I’m here.” They’d agreed to every one of her conditions? That was unheard of!
Uh oh, now that they’ve agreed, she didn’t really have the ability to reject the movie!
Looking down at Jaffri, she realized that she didn’t have to! He could come with her and she could do the movie.
Of course, the movie would be set in Altair and…!
She could do this!
Yes, this would be a good thing, she realized. She needed to get back to work and, if the director and producers were willing to allow Jaffri to come with her and adhere to an eight hour work day…well, she couldn’t really demand anything more! This was an incredible opportunity!
“I’ll be here tomorrow to talk with each of the candidates.” And if none of them met her requirements, she would reject them all, and that would be that.
Chapter 6
Talal stormed into his office, disgusted with the day’s events. An argument between his director of communications and director of finance was inexcusable. “Fire them!” he ordered Yurin.
The man nodded, taking notes as he did so. But he didn’t immediately leave to follow out the command. “What?” Talal demanded when Yurin continued to look at him. There was something in his loyal aide’s eyes.
Something wasn’t right.
“Spit it out, Yurin. Another fight? Get rid of them before I have to listen to their petty arguments! I won’t deal with stupidity. We have too much to accomplish in the...” He stopped because Yurin was shaking his head. With a sigh of relief, he relaxed his shoulders. “What is it then?”
At Yurin’s anxious look, the tension returned. Whatever it was, the news wasn’t good. Yurin never hesitated. It was one of the qualities that Talal respected most in the man. So Yurin’s hesitation now was doubly bad.
Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Talal took a deep breath, bracing for the bad news. “Just tell me, Yurin. What is it?” he repeated in a calm voice.
Yurin looked at his employer and ruler, wishing that he could just avoid this conversation. Eighteen months ago, the man had been livid when his lover had disappeared. Everyone in the government remembered the days and weeks that followed her departure. Talal had been furious! Yurin couldn’t remember another time when he’d seen the normally composed and in control man so livid.
So standing here, with his latest intel, Yurin wasn’t exactly sure how to break the news. If he’d known about the woman’s arrival beforehand, he could have prevented it, denied the actress’ visa, and told the movie crew to find a new venue. Unfortunately, Kate Childress was a recent member to the movie’s cast list and no one realized the significance of her name in time. Quickly, Yurin explained the situation, then waited as the tension in the room slowly increased.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness,” Yurin bowed apologetically.
Talal tossed the memo onto his desk, thinking about Kate. No woman had ever affected him like she had. Not before and…hell, he hadn’t been with a woman since she’d left Altair. No other woman had even tempted him. He’d like to say that it was because he’d been busy, but that wasn’t the case. He… simply didn’t want anyone other than Kate.
Now she was on her way here. The thrill of anticipation hit him. Hard! She would soon be here, in his country.
In his bed.
Talal was aware that his chief advisor was waiting for him to blow up and start firing people. But his reaction was the complete opposite. Talal couldn’t wait to see her again. To feel her in his arms. She’d left him, fleeing the country while he’d attended to yet another emergency.
But now she was back!
“Have the entire cast come to the palace for dinner,” he directed Yurin, ignoring the man’s stunned expression.
“Sir?” he asked uncertainly, not sure he’d heard him correctly.
Talal grinned cheerfully at his aide, the man who understood him almost better than he understood himself. “Dinner, Yurin. Invite them all for dinner, but ensure that Kate…” he paused, a look entering his eyes that should hav
e warned Yurin about what was to come. “Kate doesn’t miss it. Understood?”
Yurin was silent for a long moment. It wasn’t until his ruler and employer lifted a questioning eyebrow that he jerked out of his stunned silence. “Yes, Your Highness!” he bowed and rushed out of Talal’s office.
As soon as the door closed, a smile formed on Yurin’s craggy features. Kate was coming back to Altair! With a spring to his step, he hurried back to his desk, eager to make the arrangements. Yes, this was what his ruler needed. More than anything, the beautiful American actress would bring peace back to the palace. Eighteen months ago, the beautiful, kind woman had gotten Talal to relax for the first time in years. She’d been a steadying influence on the man, soothing his temper and easing his stress.
If she could do that again, Yurin knew that peace and prosperity would last in Altair. Yes, Kate Childress was the key.
Chapter 7
Kate trembled as she walked down the stairs of the plane. The heat rolled over her like a wave, as did the memories. She couldn’t believe she was here again, only eighteen months after…everything.
Jaffri smacked her cheeks with his tiny palms. “It’s hot, isn’t it my darling?” she smiled at his antics, before he burrowed his face in her throat, to hide from the sun.
She pulled a hat out of her large, black tote, and plopped it on his head.
He looked around, not sure about what was going on. This was completely different from his normal routine. Even his sleep schedule was off. But she’d discussed this with the nanny and they had a plan. Hopefully, all this wouldn’t throw him off too much.
The next several hours were a blur of activity. Because of the reduced filming schedule, they had done more of the work ahead of time. The paparazzi had taken pictures of her in Los Angeles and knew something big was up, so they had started to swarm. But so far, the studio had been able to keep things mum. She’d asked for so many concessions, hoping they would finally say no, but they’d agreed to everything.
Kate was actually excited. After being gone from her craft for more a year and a half, she was thrilled to be back. She loved acting, loved stepping outside of herself and becoming someone different. She loved that no one really knew the real person behind her characters.
Well, except for…
Shaking her head, she pushed him resolutely out of her mind. Talal had left first, disappeared too many times without any notice and no information on when, or even if, he would be back.
Taking a deep breath, she focused on the work. The odds of running into him here in Altair again couldn’t be that great. Too much had changed and the filming wasn’t anywhere near the small town where she’d met him, further decreasing the odds.
A lot had changed, she realized as the cars drove through the capital city towards the hotel where the film crew would be staying for the next two weeks. There were more stores, more people on the street. The last eighteen months had obviously been good for Altair. She knew that something major had happened in the government – a change of some sort. But Kate wasn’t one to follow the politics of other countries and anything having to do with Altair had been switched off. The memories were too painful. Even now, she had to fight back tears as she remembered her departure from this beautiful country, and memories of her time with Talal.
Why had he kept disappearing? What had she done wrong?
When she realized the road her thoughts were heading down, she shook her head and focused on what was important. Jaffri was important now. Jaffri was the man in her life. Not Talal.
Taking a deep, cleansing breath, she grabbed the sophisticated leather tote bag and pulled out a stuffed… okay, it was the goofiest looking toy she’d ever seen, but Jaffri adored it.
“I wonder what the paparazzi would think if they knew what was in that bag,” Joan, the nanny, commented with a chuckle.
Kate laughed. “I’m sure they would love to get a picture of me pulling this ridiculous striped, neon…thing out!” She really couldn’t tell exactly what the toy was, other than four legged. “Do you think it’s a unicorn or a rhinoceros?”
Joan tilted her head slightly and squinted. “I’d originally thought it was a zebra, but you might be right on the rhinoceros.”
They both laughed when Jaffri snatched it out of Kate’s hand, stuffing as much of it into his mouth as he could. “Well, I suppose it doesn’t really matter.”
Dave, the director, twisted around in the front seat with a grin, “We’re dining at the palace tonight,” he announced.
Joan gasped, clapping her hands in excitement. “Oh my! You’ll look lovely in that blue dress you brought.”
Kate glanced down at Jaffri and shook her head. “Oh, but…”
Joan was quick to reassure Kate. “Oh, I’ve got Jaffri covered. That’s why I’m here, isn’t it? And it isn’t like you’ll be out late. You have to fly out early tomorrow to the site for the first day of filming.”
Dave nodded, agreeing with Joan. “Dinner won’t even start until after Jaffri’s bedtime, anyway.”
Kate knew that she should go. It was one of the many ways in which the movie studio smoothed over any issues with the filming chaos created by so many additional people. But that didn’t mean she had to like it.
“Fine,” she sighed.
Dave laughed and shook his head. “I’ve never known anyone else in Los Angeles who was opposed to being wined and dined by royalty.”
Kate knew that she was odd. But she didn’t care about all of these extras that came along with her acting career. She knew that she should be flattered, but other people got to just do their jobs without all the nonsense. Why couldn’t she?
Okay, so her paycheck was slightly bigger than people in other industries. She should be grateful that she’d gotten her break in the acting world early on in her career.
Sighing, she accepted that she’d be at the palace tonight, smiling up at some old fart that wanted to hold her hand and tell her boring stories. That’s okay, she thought. She was an actress. She could fake an interest in whatever war stories the man thought might impress her!
Chapter 8
It was him!
The majority of the movie cast had been escorted into the elaborate dining room a few moments earlier, everyone duly impressed by the lavishly decorated palace. She, however, had been led off to a beautifully appointed parlor.
Kate squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, certain that, when she opened them, she’d be alone, wondering if she might be seeing things. She opened them. That really was Talal walking towards her! Impossible!
The entire cast was here at the palace to dine with the sheik. So, what was Talal doing here? And why did he look so amazing? Had he always been so tall? She remembered how his mere presence had caused her heart to race, her pulse to throb throughout her body. Every cell was quivering with awareness. He looked…delicious! She couldn’t help but drink in the sight of him. He was even more magnificent, more alluring than before.
It had been like this from the first moment she’d laid eyes on Talal – she’d never been able to look away from him.
“Kate.” He whispered her name, his voice rough, as if he too were remembering those few weeks so long ago.
“Talal,” she breathed. She should have expected this. He’d told her that he was a consultant for the government of Altair. It made sense that he would be here at the palace. And yeah, he’d been mind-bogglingly wealthy. His yacht, the helicopters, and all the bowing and scraping servants showed that clearly. She should have known that Talal would still be an important person in the government.
A voice called her name and she jumped, startled from the rush of bittersweet memories. Blinking, she looked around, “I’m sorry, I have to…”
“You’re here to dine with me,” he interrupted.
Kate blinked up at him. “No. I am here with the cast of…” she couldn’t remember the name of the movie she was doing. He was that overwhelming. “Um…well, I’m here for work and…”
/> He stepped forward, taking her hand and the familiar thrill of his touch almost made her knees give out. “You’re here to dine with me,” he repeated as he tucked her hand onto his arm. “I am Sheik Talal.”
He led her down a hallway towards yet another set of elaborate double doors as Kate tried to reorder her thoughts. “I don’t understand. If you’re the sheik, what was…how did you…but you…?” she stopped walking, unaware of the entourage behind her that also stopped. “I don’t understand, Talal. A year and a half ago…”
He put his other hand over hers. “You’re even more beautiful,” he murmured, reaching out to caress her dark hair. “I’ve missed you.”
Kate jerked away as anger, resentment, and all of the pain from the last eighteen months welled up inside her. “You’ve missed me?” she demanded, her voice cracking slightly as small details filtered through her brain.
She froze and stared through him, suddenly realizing a detail that hadn’t occurred to her until this moment: He’d actually never told her what he did for a living. Thinking back to that original conversation, she’d only assumed that he was a consultant, and he never corrected her. Her temper simmered as she recalled their discussions. No, he’d never confirmed nor denied that he was a consultant. Every time their occupations had come up, whenever he’d discussed his job, he’d never discouraged her from thinking he was simply a consultant. An incredibly well paid consultant, but…
Her temper boiled over as she realized how foolish she’d been eighteen months ago. Oh, she had been so naïve! So trusting! She’d taken him at face value and…and…the whole time, he’d been laughing at her!
“You’ve missed me? Are you kidding? You’re a freaking sheik and you dare to stand here and tell me that…”
Kate couldn’t finish that statement because she was lifted off her feet and whisked away. The next thing she knew, she was alone with Talal. As soon as he set her down, she jerked out of his arms, so angry she could barely speak.
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