that he would finally see Gabi.
She had been missed more than even Alim had wanted to admit.
‘If, when you meet with Gabi,’ Bernadetta said, ‘you have any concerns...’
‘I shan’t be meeting with Gabi,’ Alim said, anticipating Gabi’s resistance to the suggestion that she come here. ‘I am only making this initial contact. I don’t want to be troubled with minor details. From now on, everything will be dealt with by the palace aide, Violetta.’
He gave Bernadetta a few more rapid details and then ended the call.
He looked out at the desert again and the golden sight soothed, for there solutions could more readily be found.
Alim walked back into his office, trying to take in that he could well be a father and trying to fathom all that Gabi would have been through.
He summoned Violetta.
She was more than used to dealing with scandal and had her work cut out for her in dealing with the al-Lehans.
And not just his father and James, Alim now knew, for it would seem that even his mother had a secret life of her own. One that Alim had had no clue about.
A baby.
He did not know if it was a boy or girl and Alim knew all the problems it could create.
Yet as he waited for Violetta to arrive, despite the news, his overriding feeling was relief.
Gabi would be here soon.
He looked up as Violetta came in and, without asking, she closed the door and came over to the desk.
‘I require your discretion,’ Alim said.
‘You have it.’
Violetta, too, was brilliant at her job.
‘GABI! GABI!’
Bernadetta was almost running through the foyer towards her.
Gabi was carrying a glass vase containing an array of Sahara roses to take up to the bridal suite.
Housekeeping should have already dealt with it but things at the Grande Lucia had got a little slack now that Alim wasn’t around.
‘Yes?’ she answered wearily.
It was Gabi’s first official day back at work and it felt as if she had never been away.
It had been hard leaving Lucia but her mother had promised to drop by with her at lunchtime so that Gabi could give her a cuddle.
Gabi could only hope there was time to actually take her lunch break!
There were so many boxes not ticked and a lot of things that should have long ago been taken care of which had been left for Gabi’s return; she had just this minute come from a stand-up row with the very temperamental chef.
‘I know this will come as a shock...’ Bernadetta said, and Gabi stopped herself from rolling her eyes—there had been so many shocks this morning!
The cake had been confirmed for next Saturday, Gabi had found out.
The flowers had not, as Gabi had first thought, gone missing; instead, they had been delivered, as per Matrimoni di Bernadetta’s instructions, to last week’s wedding venue.
Chaos was all around.
The chef had not been informed that there were not only eighteen guests requiring the gluten-free option but that there were four vegans, two raw vegans, four kosher and five halal.
No, there was very little that might come as a shock, save that the groom had run off!
Gabi was about to be proved wrong.
‘Matrimoni di Bernadetta has been invited to co-organise Sultan Alim’s wedding...’
Gabi nearly dropped the vase.
What the hell was Alim thinking?
Or, more likely, he wasn’t thinking, at least not about her.
His wedding needed to be organised and he had simply called on the best, without any consideration of the pain that it might cause her.
But then Bernadetta spoke on.
‘Alim has asked that you fly there tomorrow and meet with his assistant.’
This time Gabi did drop the vase, for there was no one crueller in that moment than Alim.
It shattered loudly as it hit the floor and the water and crystal was strewn along with the gorgeous roses.
Gabi barely looked down and neither did Bernadetta.
‘I can’t,’ Gabi said. ‘It’s impossible. I have a new baby...’
‘I know that,’ Bernadetta said.
‘I can’t leave her.’ And then fear clutched at her heart because maybe Alim knew. Maybe he was planning for her to bring the baby... ‘Lucia hasn’t had all her inoculations.’
‘Oh, for God’s sake,’ Bernadetta snorted. ‘Do you really think I’d send you with a baby on such an important job?’
‘Did you tell Alim about her?’ Gabi was on her knees and trying not to cry as she scrabbled to pick up the crystal, her mind racing in fear as she thought of Alim plotting to whisk Lucia away.
Yes, Gabi was a dreamer, and some of them were nightmares.
‘Of course I didn’t tell the Sultan. Why would he care? This is a royal wedding he’s asking us to organise.’ Bernadetta was nearly shouting. ‘He doesn’t want to hear about your personal life.’
‘I don’t want to go,’ Gabi said. ‘Send someone else.’
‘Alim wants you, though. He says you have an eye for attention and...’ Bernadetta almost choked on her next words. ‘He told me that he wants you adequately remunerated...’ And then she told her the figure that Alim was offering just for this short trip.
Was this his way of apologising? Gabi wondered. Was this Alim’s strange way of making amends?
As Sophie came over to help clear up the mess that had been made, Gabi sank back on her heels for a second and tried to make sense of things, not that Bernadetta gave her a moment to gather her thoughts.
‘Gabi, if you cost me this contract, don’t even bother turning up for work again. And don’t think I shan’t tell everyone that you were the one who blew the deal.’
Bernadetta stalked off and Gabi just sat there.
‘I
