The heat of Nadia’s gaze caused Ella to squirm. She placed the coffee on a table next to the photographer and sneaked back into the wings with Djaron. Nadia kept staring at Karim as he fumed silently beside her.
“Please,” said the photographer, looking at his watch. “Can we please get back to the shoot? We’re almost done.”
Nadia shooed the stylist away and slipped back into her perfect pose. Karim glanced over at Ella with an apologetic look on his face, never once smiling for the camera.
When the shoot was done, a few awkward poses later, Nadia disappeared with her attendants, leaving Karim alone under the lights.
Djaron nudged Ella and the two of them walked over to him.
“Well,” Djaron said, jokingly, “That went well.”
Karim rolled his eyes at Djaron. “Yeah, just like everything else with Nadia.” He turned and looked at Ella. “I’m so sorry for that, for how she treated you. No one deserves to be treated like that.”
“It’s okay. I’m fine. She’s probably just tense with the wedding coming up and all,” Ella said, making excuses for her. She knew Karim didn’t love Nadia, but it wasn’t her place to talk bad about her.
“I have the car waiting for us,” Karim said, and began to escort Ella downstairs. “Djaron, can you please take these invoices back to the office and get them paid right away?”
“Certainly, sir,” Djaron said, accepting the stack of paperwork that Ella had brought with her.
When they reached the first floor Karim held the door to the building open for Ella, and as she stepped through she saw the limo waiting by the sidewalk. Djaron held the door open and closed it once Karim and Ella had slid into the leather seat in the back.
“So, you got the Plaza?” Karim asked, smiling slyly at Ella.
She smiled back, once again feeling that familiar ease she had felt when she first met him. “Yep. It wasn’t easy, but I got it.”
“Well,” Karim said as he watched Ella, feeling his heart stir. “They said you were the best.” He laughed as he said the words.
“Thank you,” said Ella, feeling more comfortable with every passing moment. As they drove along the busy city streets, she felt inclined to ask why Nadia reacted the way she did.
“She’s jealous,” Karim said matter-of-factly.
“Jealous?” Ella asked, incredulous. What on earth could Nadia be jealous of? “Of me?”
Karim laughed at Ella’s humility. She couldn’t see why someone like Nadia would be jealous of her, but Karim could, to him it was obvious. Ella was successful, independent and down to earth. She knew what she wanted and she wasn’t afraid to go for it. She was honest and fun to be with. And she was a knock-out.
“Yeah, you,” said Karim, feeling more drawn to Ella with every passing moment.
“Why is she jealous of me?” Ella truly couldn’t wrap her head around the idea.
“Because of the time we spend together.”
Ella racked her brain. She and Karim hadn’t spent any time together since the island. And even then, Nadia knew about that. There had to be more to it, but Ella played along.
Karim didn't want to admit that Nadia had caught him staring at Ella the few times they were all together. Since then, he'd been distracted and more distant than usual from Nadia; that's when she'd worked out that Karim had feelings for Ella.
“But she can be a part of this. I’ve asked her to be. You’ve asked her to be,” said Ella. “I don’t understand!”
“It's ridiculous, I know. Nadia has all the time in the world to help plan the wedding. But instead, she chooses…”
Ella remembered the fight she'd witnessed and again thought about the secret. Karim must be so torn, wanting to marry Nadia so that he does the right thing for her and the baby. And yet it was obvious that he couldn’t stand how she treated him. The sacrifice he was making was great and Ella liked him even more for it.
“I know,” she said, finishing his sentence for him.
“No,” Karim said. “You don’t.”
Ella held her breath as Karim switched seats and slid in next to Ella. The smell of his cologne filled her nose and body shivered with excitement.
“Ella,” he said. She melted at the sound of him saying her name. “It’s not what you think.”
Ella nodded, too paralyzed by him to say anything.
“Nadia has a problem,” Karim said.
Ella blinked, not understanding why he chose those words. She wouldn’t exactly call a baby a problem. Besides, it wasn’t just Nadia’s problem; the baby was both of their responsibility.