Page 17 of Modern Romance November 2024 5-8

He chose not to mention that his staff dealt with all that.

‘So, what did you get them?’

He was grateful for Faisal’s description of his gift, though he downgraded it a touch. ‘A candlestick.’

‘Oh, I wish I’d thought of that. I’m usually good at gifts, but I’ve never struggled so hard.’

Sahir stared ahead; she was good at talking too!

‘I wish they’d done a gift registry.’

‘They clearly didn’t want anything.’

‘Well, you got them something.’

‘True.’ He glanced over, saw her full lips and pointy nose, and thought she was like no one he had ever met. Gorgeous, chatty, teary, funny...

‘So, what did you end up getting them?’ he asked.

‘Guess.’

‘I’m not guessing.’

Violet waited for him to do just that, but to no avail. Clearly he didn’t waveorguess.

‘A vase.’ She sighed. ‘How boring is that? I spent double my usual wedding present budget—triple, actually, given Grace is such a good friend. But I just couldn’t come up with anything more exciting.’

He made no comment.

‘A tulip vase,’ she elaborated. ‘I was going to get a rose bowl, but Idolike tulips. At least while they last...’

Even though he still offered no response, she happily carried on.

‘I get them on a Saturday sometimes, after work. But they’re generally all collapsed by Monday.’

On and on she chatted.

‘Still, they make my Sundays happy.’

They sat for ages at some traffic lights. He could see Layla driving the car behind him, Maaz the one in front, and yet it felt like just the two of them.

Finally Grace paused.

‘In Janana,’ he said, ‘where I am from, tulips were once considered more valuable than gold.’

‘No!’

‘True.’

‘Wow! Well, I’ll send Grace and Carter a bunch when they’re back from their honeymoon, they’ll be searching for a suitable vase, and...bingo!’

‘Bingo?’ He frowned as the lights changed to green and he pulled off.

‘Ta-da!’

His frown remained as he concentrated both on her words and the road.

‘They’ll remember my gift!’ she explained.

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