His driver-slash-security-guard—who also happened to be a dear childhood friend—was very unhappy with him at the moment. Rayhan ignored the scowl of the other man as he watched the streets of downtown Boston outside his passenger-side window. Every shop front had been decorated with garlands and glittery Christmas decorations. Bright lights were strung on everything from the lamp poles to shop windows. Let his friend scowl away, Rayhan thought. He was going to go ahead and enjoy the scenery. But when Saleh took yet another turn a little too fast and sharp, he found he’d had enough. Saleh was acting downright childish.
To top it off, they appeared to be lost. Saleh had refused to admit he needed the assistance of the navigation system and now they appeared to be nowhere near their destination.
“You know you didn’t have to come,” Rayhan reminded the other man. “You volunteered, remember?”
Saleh grunted. “I clearly wasn’t thinking straight. Why are we here, again? At this particular time, no less.”
“You know this.”
“I know you’re delaying the inevitable.”
He was right, of course. Not that Rayhan was going to admit it out loud. “I still have a bit of time to live my life as I see fit.”
“And you decided you needed to do part of that in Boston?”
Rayhan shrugged, resuming his perusal of the outside scenery. “That was completely coincidental. My father’s been eyeing property out here for months now. Perfect opportunity for me to come find a prime location and seal the deal.”
“Yes, so you say. It’s a way to... How do the Americans say it? To kill two birds with one stone?”
“Precisely.”
“So why couldn’t you have come out here with the new soon-to-be-princess after your engagement?”
Rayhan pinched the bridge of his nose. “I just needed to get away before it all gets out of control, Saleh. I don’t expect you to understand.”
Not many people would, Rayhan thought. Particularly not his friend, who had married the grade-school sweetheart he’d been in love with since their teen years. Unlike Rayhan, Saleh didn’t have to answer to nor appease a whole country when it came to his choice of bride.
Rayhan continued, “Everywhere I turn in Verdovia, I’m reminded of the upcoming ceremonies. Everyone is completely preoccupied with who the heir will choose to marry, what the wedding will be like. Yada yada. There are odds being placed in every one of our island casinos on everything from the identity of the next queen to what flavor icing will adorn the royal wedding cake.”
Saleh came to a sudden halt at a red light, a wide grin spread across his face.
“What?” Rayhan asked.
“I placed my wager on the vanilla buttercream.”
“I see. That’s good to know.” He made a mental note to go with anything but the vanilla buttercream when the time came. If he had any say on the matter, that was. Between his mother and the princess-to-be, he’d likely have very little sway in such decisions. No doubt his shrewd friend had made his bet based on the very same assumption.
“I don’t understand why you refuse to simply embrace your fate, my friend. You’re the heir of one of the most powerful men in the world. With that comes the opportunity to marry and gain a beautiful, accomplished lady to warm your bed. There are worse things in life.”
Saleh overlooked the vast amount of responsibility that came with such a life. The stability and prosperity of a whole kingdom full of people would fall on Rayhan’s shoulders as soon as he ascended. Even more so than it did now. Few people could understand the overwhelming prospect of such a position. As far as powerful, how much did any of that mean when even your choice of bride was influenced by the consideration of your position?
“How easy for you to say,” he told Saleh just as the light turned green and they moved forward. “You found a beautiful woman who you somehow tricked into thinking marrying you was a good idea.”
Saleh laughed with good-natured humor. “The greatest accomplishment of my life.”
Rayhan was about to answer when a screeching noise jolted both men to full alert. A cyclist veered toward their vehicle at an alarming speed. Saleh barely had time to turn the wheel in order to avoid a full-on collision. Unfortunately, the cyclist shifted direction at precisely the same time. Both he and their SUV were now heading the same way. Right toward a pedestrian. Saleh hit the brakes hard. Rayhan gripped the side bar, waiting for the inevitable impact. Fortunately for them, it never came.
The cyclist, however, kept going. And, unfortunately for the poor pedestrian woman, the bicycle ran straight into her, knocking her off her feet.
“Watch where you’re going!” the rider shouted back over his shoulder, not even bothering to stop.
Rayhan immediately jumped out of the car. He ran around to the front of the SUV and knelt down where the woman still lay by the sidewalk curb.
“Miss, are you all right?”
A pair of startled eyes met his. Very bright green eyes. They reminded him of the shimmering stream that lay outside his windows back home. Not that this was any sort of time to notice that kind of thing.
She blinked, rubbing a hand down a cheek that was rapidly bruising even as they spoke. Saleh appeared at his side.
“Is she okay?”
“I don’t know. She’s not really responding. Miss, are you all right?”
Her eyes grew wide as she looked at him. “You’re lovely,” she said in a low, raspy voice.
Dear heavens. The woman clearly had some kind of head injury. “We have to get you to a doctor.”
Saleh swore beside him. “I’m so terribly sorry, miss. I was trying to avoid the bike and the cyclist was trying to avoid me but he turned right toward you—”
The woman was still staring at Rayhan. She didn’t acknowledge Saleh nor his words at all.
He had a sudden urge to hold her, to comfort her. He wanted to wrap her in his arms, even though she was a complete stranger.
Rayhan reached for his cell phone. “I’ll call for an ambulance.”
The woman gave a shake of her head before he could dial. “No. I’m okay. Just a little shaken.” She blinked some more and looked around. Her eyes seemed to regain some focus. Rayhan allowed himself a breath of relief. Maybe she’d be all right. Her next words brought that hopeful thought to a halt.
“My dress. Do you see it?”
Did she think somehow her clothes had been knocked off her upon impact? “You...uh...you are wearing it still.”
Her gaze scanned the area where she’d fallen. “No. See, I found one. I didn’t think I would. But I did. And it wasn’t all that pricey.”
Rayhan didn’t need to hear any more. Unless she was addled to begin with, which could very well be a possibility, the lady had clearly suffered a blow to the head. To top it all off, they were blocking traffic and drawing a crowd. Kneeling closer to the woman sprawled in front of him, he lifted her gently into his arms and then stood. “Let’s get you to a hospital.”
“Oh!” she cried out as Rayhan walked back toward the SUV with her embraced against his chest.
Saleh was fast on his heels and opening the passenger door for them. “No, see, it’s all right,” she began to protest. “I don’t need a doctor. Just that gown.”
“We’ll make sure to get you a dress,” Rayhan reassured her, trying to tell her what she clearly needed to hear. Why was she so focused on clothing at a time like this? “Right after a doctor takes a look at you.”
He