Page 23 of Her Forbidden Prince
Rafi stared at his brother, noticing he wore a blue dress shirt and charcoal slacks.Rafi had donned a blue shirt in a slightly darker shade and similar charcoal slacks.No, they hadn’t coordinated their outfits.They were so alike, it was spooky sometimes.And that’s why he recognized the signs of frustration in his brother’s eyes.He understood and, oddly, was relieved that his twin was experiencing romantic challenges too.
He blurted, “You’ve met someone and you’re struggling to convince her that things can work out.”
There was a long silence while both brothers silently appreciated their deep connection.The silence was broken by Aida who sighed dramatically and wandered out of the room in search of more productive hands.
Slowly, Laith nodded, a frown forming.“Yeah,” he replied, leaning back again.“So what?Andi’s beautiful, intelligent, and absolutely amazing.She’ll eventually allow our relationship to go public.Only, I’m her boss and she has…concerns.”
Rafi grinned, happy for his brother.“Andi, huh?”
“Andrea, actually,” he replied with a frustrated tone.Then he perked up, leaning forward.“She’s…gorgeous!”Laith replied, smiling softly.“And funny and sexy and…everything.She’s the whole package.”
Rafi’s grin slowly faded to a thoughtful frown as he thought about Carys.She was all of that and so much more.The way she touched him, her smile, and…just every damn thing about her.
He rubbed a hand over his face, then sighed heavily.“I’ve met someone too.”He leaned back, resting his head on the back of his chair as he looked up at the ceiling.“She’s amazing.So creative and hot and…just a good person.”
“Congratulations!”Laith replied and Rafi didn’t hear even a hint of jealousy in his brother’s tone.“What’s the problem?”
Rafi shrugged.“I don’t know, exactly.”
“That sounds mysterious.”
Rafi thought about the situation for a moment, then nodded.“Yeah.It’s mysterious.Something happened in Carys’s past and she’s…wary.But she’s sweet and kind and…just so amazing that I can’t fathom who could have hurt her so deeply.”
“Everyone has a past,” his brother pointed out.
“Yeah, but some people are more hurt by their past than others.”
Laith’s eyes narrowed.“This is more than just a fling?”
After a pause, Rafi nodded.“Yeah,” he replied, nodding his head for emphasis.“I like her.She’s just…!”He tried to think of a single word to describe Carys.“Special,” came to mind.
“I get that,” Laith replied.“So, what are you going to do about it?We’re neck deep in this company’s mess right now.The financials are a catastrophe, the marketing…well, you’ve got that under control.Employee morale is in the dumps and the executive staff are fighting us every step of the way.”
Rafi’s frown lightened into a grin.“So, we have a few problems.The products are exceptionally good.You and your lady are rooting out the embezzlers, finding the corrupt vendors, and fixing the factory issues.I’ve been working with the legal team to renegotiate the most egregious contracts.”It was a relief to think about business instead of wondering what to do about Carys.
Laith agreed.“It’s still going to take at least a year to get things back on track.Two years to see a profit.”
“When have we ever turned away from a challenge?”he teased.
Laith laughed.“Never.So, what are you going to do about your lady?”
There was a pause, then Rafi grinned.“Figure her out,” he replied with a shrug.“It’s the only thing I can do.Because I can’t give her up.”
Laith poured himself a scotch, then filled his brother’s glass.“I guess we’re in the same boat.”
The brothers clinked glasses, laughed at the absurdity of their lives mirroring each other’s yet again, then got back to work.
Chapter 18
“What’s wrong?”Andi whispered, leaning closer to Carys while the rest of the lunch table continued to discuss the latest gripes about work, boyfriends, and the cost of living.It was a ritual that their group practiced every few months when the stars aligned, allowing all eight of them to meet up.
“Nothing,” Carys replied, but she couldn’t look at her friend.
“Something is definitely wrong.Margo just admitted to dumping Martin for thefifthtime and you didn’t say anything.”
Carys perked up slightly, looking around, but she didn’t bother to tune into the conversation.She didn’t have the energy.
“She’ll figure it out, eventually.”
