The Sheikh and the Pregnant Bride. Сьюзен Мэллери

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      Victoria led her downstairs, then along a long corridor that led to the rear garden. At least Maggie thought it was the rear garden. It looked a little like what she and Qadir had passed through the day before.

      “Back to the kitchen,” Victoria said. “You can call in your request at any time. They do post a menu online, so if you want to just order from that, they’ll love you more. Everything is delicious. Unless you want to weigh four hundred pounds, avoid the desserts.” She looked at Maggie. “Of course, you’re probably one of those annoying women who doesn’t have to watch what she eats.”

      “I’m pretty physically active during my day,” Maggie admitted.

      “Great. And here I thought we’d be friends.” She pulled a key out of her skirt which, apparently, had a pocket, and passed it over. “You have private access. Very impressive.”

      She waited while Maggie unlocked the side door, then they stepped into the massive garage.

      Victoria paused by the door as the automatic lights came on, but Maggie walked directly to the Rolls, stopping only when she could touch the smooth lines of the perfect beauty.

      Victoria paused behind her. “It’s, um, old.”

      “A classic.”

      “And dirty. And kind of in bad shape. You can fix that?”

      Maggie nodded, already visualizing what the car could be. “I’m going to be searching for original parts, if I can find them. It will be a pain, but in the end, I want her exactly as she was.”

      “Okay, then. Sounds like fun.” Victoria walked to a door. “This is your office.”

      Office? Maggie had expected a bay in the garage and a toolbox. She got an office, too?

      The space was large, clean and fully equipped. In addition to the desk with a computer, there were bookshelves filled with catalogs and a wall-size tool organizer.

      Victoria opened the desk drawer and pulled out a credit card. “Yours. You are allowed to get whatever you need for the car. Qadir has placed no restrictions on your spending. I’m thinking you’ll want to avoid a trip to the Bahamas, however. What with the whole beheading thing.”

      Maggie laughed. “Thanks for the tip. Is this really for me?”

      “All of it. I was in here late yesterday and set up your computer. You’re already connected to the Internet.”

      “Thanks.” Maggie had been excited about the job before—working on the Rolls would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for her. But to have all this, too, was unbelievable. “Guess I’m not still in Kansas.”

      “Is that where you’re from?”

      “Colorado. Aspen.”

      “It’s supposed to be beautiful there.”

      “It is.”

      “How’d you end up in El Deharia?” Victoria asked. As she spoke, she rested one hip on the desk.

      Maggie figured with those shoes, she would want to stay off her feet as much as possible.

      “My dad had talked to Qadir about restoring the car. They were still working the deal when my dad got sick. Cancer. Things were put on hold, then he died and I decided I wanted the job.”

      It was the simple version of the story, Maggie thought, not wanting to tell someone she’d barely met that she had been forced to sell the business to pay for medical bills and that this job with Prince Qadir was her only chance of keeping her promise to her father about buying it back.

      “I’m sorry about your loss,” Victoria said. “That has to be hard. Is your mom still alive?”

      “No. She died when I was a baby. It was just my dad and me, but it was great. I loved being with him in the shop and learning about cars.”

      “Well, I’m sure it’s a handy skill.” Victoria tilted her head so her curls fell. “So that’s all this is about? A job?”

      “What else would it be?”

      “Marrying a prince. That’s why I’m here.”

      Maggie blinked. “How’s that working out for you?”

      “Not very well,” Victoria admitted with a sigh. “I work for Prince Nadim—he’s one of Qadir’s cousins. I keep waiting for him to notice me, but so far, it’s not happening. Still, I have faith. One day he’ll look up, see me and be swept away.”

      Maggie wasn’t sure what to say. “You don’t sound like you’re madly in love with him.”

      “I’m not,” Victoria said with a grin. “Love is dangerous and for fools. I’m keeping my heart safely out of the game. But what little girl doesn’t want to grow up and be a princess?”

      There had to be more to the story than that, Maggie thought. Victoria was too friendly and open to only care about money. Or maybe not. Maggie didn’t have that many female friends. Most women were put off by the car thing.

      Victoria glanced at her watch. “I have to get back.” She bent over the desk and scribbled down a number. “That’s my cell. Call me if you have any questions, or if you want to have dinner or something. The palace is beautiful, but it can be a little scary at first. Not to mention lonely. We can hang out.”

      “Eat dessert?”

      Victoria sighed. “Yes, and then I’ll have to take the stairs even more than I do. Good luck with the car.”

      As Maggie watched her go, she wondered if Victoria really meant what she said—about wanting to marry Prince Nadim. She supposed there were women who were more interested in what the man could provide than the character of the man himself. Not something that would interest her.

      Unfortunately, thinking about men made her think about Jon. She hated that she still missed him and that seeing everything around the palace made her want to call him. He would appreciate what she was going through. Knowing him, he would even understand her ambivalence about their situation now.

      But calling wasn’t an option. He was in love with Elaine. That fact shouldn’t mean she and Jon couldn’t be friends, but the truth was, things were different. They could never go back and she couldn’t figure out a way to go forward.

      “Don’t think about it,” she told herself, then looked at the credit card Victoria had left with her. She didn’t enjoy shopping for girly stuff, but when cars or car parts were involved, she could really get into it. “So let’s take you for a test drive,” she told the card, “and see what you can do.”

      Maggie typed in the amount, held back a wince and pushed Enter on the computer. Less than a second later, her bid amount showed on the page. She clapped her hands, then groaned when someone outbid her by two dollars.

      She wanted that part. She needed that part. Maybe she should just offer the full price and get the stupid thing now, without worrying about it.

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