Page 2 of The Sheikh's Secret Family

“Al Salyah.” TJ shifted in his chair again, crossing one ankle over the opposite knee.

“I’ve heard of it,” Emelia said. This was true, although she didn’t know much about the country. “The capital is Adan, right? Are you from there?”

“Yeah,” TJ agreed. Uncrossing his legs, he quickly threw the question back to Emelia. “Where are you from?”

“I’m from Greenfield, which is about a two- or three-hour drive from here. But I like Boston much better.”

“Will you stay here after you graduate?”

“No way.” Emelia smiled, letting her heart fill with thoughts of her plans. Ever since she was a little girl, growing up in other people’s houses, she’d nurtured her dreams. They’d kept her going through a lot of hard times. “I’m studying languages so that I can travel. I’m planning to work for the State Department, or maybe an NGO; any organization that will let me see the world.”

“And where will you go?” TJ asked. He was leaning forward, his eyebrows slightly raised with interest. Emelia felt another moment of shyness. For all that she loved her dreams, she didn’t talk about them often. When she had, she was usually laughed at and asked how a girl with no family was planning to get anywhere. If TJ laughed at her, it was going to hurt. No matter that they’d just met.

“Everywhere,” she admitted. “France, Ecuador, Japan. Maybe Al Salyah.” She gave TJ a sideways smile and he grinned. “I really don’t mind. I want to see everything.”

“That sounds like a great plan,” TJ said, and Emelia felt her smile grow. “The freedom of being able to go wherever you want, see everything, be who you want to be… it sounds perfect.” It really did. Even better was meeting someone else who understood Emelia’s need to see the world outside of Massachusetts.

“What about you?” Emelia asked, leaning forward with enthusiasm. “Do you want to travel?”

Just then, another student shushed them loudly and Emelia’s cheeks turned red. Maybe they had been getting a little too loud.

“Sorry!” she whisper-shouted back. Then she turned to TJ. “We should probably go back to studying.”

“Or,” TJ countered, “we could get out of here. It’s almost dinnertime and I know a great restaurant just a few blocks from here.”

Emelia’s cheeks turned even redder, if that was possible. She never ate out. Mostly, she ate instant noodles and peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches, because they were cheap and that’s what she could afford. Plus, she should really study. Still, a part of her was aching to go with TJ and continue the conversation. It was rare to find someone who she could talk to this freely.

“It’ll be my treat,” TJ added and Emelia looked down, worried that he’d guessed that her hesitation was because of the cost. “Come on. I want to hear more about your traveling plans, and I need to pay you back for helping me with the French. I would have been totally lost without you.”

“All right, all right,” she said, flushing even redder. She started to gather up her things, sliding the papers and books into her too-heavy backpack in more of a jumble than usual. “But we’ll split the bill.”

TJ’s eyes widened in faux alarm. “If my mother knew that I invited a pretty girl out to dinner and didn’t pay for it, she would hit me with a shoe.”

Emelia giggled and shook her head. “Okay. I guess we wouldn’t want you to be attacked with a shoe.”

TJ shook his head solemnly. “We really wouldn’t. Come on!”

They spilled out into the night air, Emelia zipping her jacket up tightly and pulling her purple knit hat closer over her ears. It was dark already, even though it was barely past five, and there was a faint dusting of snow on the ground.

“So, you were telling me about your future plans,” Emelia prompted, shoving her hands deeper into her pockets to fend off the cold. She really needed a new jacket, but that wasn’t happening any time soon.

“Oh, right.” TJ paused for a moment before continuing. “Well, I’ll probably join the family business.”

“What’s the family business?” she asked. The fresh air felt so good after a day inside, even though it was cold enough to make her shiver. She hoped that the restaurant was close. It would be embarrassing if her teeth started to chatter on the way.

“You know, this and that,” TJ said vaguely, waving his hand as if to brush the question away.

Emelia was curious about whatthis and thatmight be, but she didn’t push. Maybe, like her, he wasn’t too excited to talk about his family.

“Turn left here,” he said, leading them down a side street with a gentle hand on Emelia’s elbow. This street was lined with bare trees that Emelia knew would be beautiful in spring, although they were a little creepy now. A minute later, they stopped in front of a Lebanese restaurant.

“Have you been here?” TJ asked, holding the door open for Emelia and waving her in out of the cold.

The only restaurant Emelia had been to since coming to college was a local fast-food place, but she wasn’t about to admit that. “I don’t think so.”

“I love it,” TJ said. “Lebanese food isn’t quite the same as Al Salyan food, but I still like to come here when I’m missing home.”

One of the waiters waved to TJ excitedly, as if to back up TJ’s point. He showed them to a table in the corner and handed over two menus, which TJ immediately put to the side, resting his elbows on the table and leaning forward.

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