Page 118 of Earned Husband

“No.”

“I’ll stop eating in protest.”

She scoffed. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“I might.” I extended my hand toward her. “How can you say no to your newest grandson who’s taken months to learn how to argue with you in your own language?”

She let out a deep sigh but finally allowed me to pull her up, placing her weathered hand in mine. Once we were on the dance floor, several family members started applauding when they saw her out here and Nanna grumbled curses but swayed with me anyway, rocking gently from side to side.

When the song ended, she patted my cheek and gave me a surprisingly soft smile. “You’ll do. I approve.”

“Coming from Salima Saad, that’s high praise.”

She sniffed but didn’t argue, then motioned at someone behind me and spun around, marching right back to her chair. When I turned, Deja was there, smiling up at me.My wife. God. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of that.

“May I?” I asked, extending a hand toward her. “I’ve been waiting all night for a dance with the bride.”

She stepped into my arms. “Funny, I’ve been waiting all night for a dance with my husband.”

She leaned into me, her body molding to mine. We swayed together and a devilish smirk appeared on her face as she looked up into my eyes. “Did you take the entire bottle of allergy medicine to get through tonight?”

“Well, there are millions of dollars worth of flowers in here, and while it smells like the world’s most luxurious greenhouse, yes. Yes, I did.”

She laughed when I sneezed right on cue. “Well, for what it’s worth, I think you’re doing very well.”

“I deserve a reward,” I murmured into her ear, pulling her closer to me. “I was just thinking about going for a walk. Rumor has it this place is right on the banks of the Nile and I haven’t even seen it yet.”

“We can’t have that,” she replied, sliding her hand down my arm until her fingers laced with mine. “Follow me, but don’t look anyone in the eye.”

“Got it.”

We slipped out through one of the side doors, laughter drifting out behind us as we escaped from our own wedding. Cool evening air rolled off the Nile, the lights from the reception glittering across the dark water.

Deja seemed to know where we were going, but I supposed she had spent the last week here, so I followed her across the lawn and around several swimming pools before we reached a thicket. She walked around that as well, all the way down to the edge of the garden where it kissed the beach.

We were finally alone, but I glanced over my shoulder to make sure no one was already coming to get us just yet, and when I was sure we weren’t about to be interrupted, I pulled the flat package out of my inside pocket.

“What’s that?” Deja asked when I held it out toward her. “Why did you bring a wrapped book to our wedding?”

“Oh, you know me. I love reading.” I slid an arm around her waist to bring her closer. “It’s not just any old book. Open it. It’s your wedding present.”

She frowned but carefully peeled back the wrapping, gasping when she saw the cover. “It’s a photo album.”

“It’s of us. Our story written in pictures you’ve taken.”

She flipped it open, tears filling her eyes as she recognized the pictures she’d sent me and those she’d taken during the time we’d spent together. Some were of the two of us, but others were of her family and mine, sunsets on special days and that cat winding between the boats back in Sharm El-Sheikh.

“How did you do this?”

“I worked with some people back home while you were busy with the wedding preparations. Jane brought it over with her. She picked it up for me when it was ready.”

“I can’t believe you did this for me,” she whispered. “I love it.”

“And I love you. I thought our coffee table back home was the perfect place to showcase your work.”

She slipped her arms around my neck and kissed me deeply, like she had nowhere else to be and there was nothing else she’d rather be doing. I knew that our families were probably starting to wonder where the bride and groom had disappeared to, but I decided they could wait another minute, kissing her back and trying my best to believe that this was it.

Me and her, together for the rest of our lives.