late September, someone had apparently forgotten to tell Mother Nature, for the temperatures were still hovering near the 90s. In spite of the excellent air-conditioning system, it was getting warmer by the minute in his office.
"It's not necessary to go over the finances, Faith." He waved away her concern. "Purchase anything you need. Kadid will take care of all the necessary paperwork." Ali got up, went to his desk and pressed the intercom. "Kadid, could you come in please?"
Faith had learned that the elderly assistant had been with Ali since his birth. She and Kadid had become fast friends.
In the past few days, she'd found Kadid to be helpful and cooperative, not to mention exceedingly kind and totally devoted to Ali, which, she had to admit, she found surprising.
Kadid readily kept her supplied with cold colas during the day while she worked; something she considered fuel to keep her going. And she praised him regularly for it.
Yesterday, Kadid had even sat for a moment and shared a cola with her, no doubt breaking some sort of royal protocol.
A moment later the double doors opened and Kadid came in. "Ms. Martin." Smiling, he gave a slight bow in a way she found totally charming.
While Ali dressed in Western business clothing, Kadid dressed in traditional garb. Flowing cotton pants, shirt, loose moccasin-type shoes, and a long, almost floor-length sleeveless robe all in a sedate shade of beige.
She smiled in genuine warmth. "Hello, Kadid."
"Kadid, Faith will be purchasing some computer equipment for the company. Please see to it that she has the clearance to spend whatever amount necessary."
Kadid nodded. "Of course," he said, turning to Faith with another smile. "I shall take care of it immediately, Ms. Martin." In spite of her insistence that he call her Faith, he retained his thoroughly formal manner.
Looking hesitant, Kadid took a step closer to Ali to speak privately. "I beg your pardon, Sheik El-Etra, but Mrs. Jourdan's in the waiting room. She does not have an appointment, but she is…concerned about a matter and asked if she could wait to see you."
"Maureen is here?" Ali frowned, then walked around to the front of his desk. "Please show her in." He turned to Faith. "You do not mind? This should only take a moment. Maureen is a very old and very dear friend, not to mention a client." He straightened his tie, smoothed down his collar. "If she's upset I need to see her."
"Not at all." Faith leaned back in her chair, oddly surprised that a man like Ali would take the time to personally soothe the concerns of one client. She would think he'd leave the day-to-day business to his staff.
"Show her in immediately, Kadid."
A few moments later, Kadid led a woman of about seventy into the room. Smartly dressed, she wore a sapphire-blue suit that seemed to match her eyes, and carried a wolf's-head cane that she leaned on heavily. Her shock of silver hair was cropped close, but elegantly styled.
"Maureen." With a look of pure adoration that transformed his arrogant face into something almost breathtaking, Ali went to her, took her free hand in his and kissed it gallantly, making the woman smile. "It is good to see you." He kissed her hand again, and Faith could see the genuine affection radiating from him. Curious, she couldn't help but watch. "It's been too long."
"It's good to see you, too, Ali." She kissed his cheek in return. "And you're as much of a charming rascal as ever," she said, giving his hand an affectionate squeeze.
"I saw your parents at Joe Colton's birthday party last night. It was good to see them again." The woman's brows drew into a frown. "You heard about the attempt on Joe's life?"
Ali nodded. "Yes, I did. I spoke with my father late last night and he told me about it." The attempt on Joe Colton's life, in his own home, at his own birthday party was simply beyond comprehension.
"I can't possibly imagine why anyone would want to hurt Joe Colton."
"Neither can I," Ali concurred with a
"It's not necessary to go over the finances, Faith." He waved away her concern. "Purchase anything you need. Kadid will take care of all the necessary paperwork." Ali got up, went to his desk and pressed the intercom. "Kadid, could you come in please?"
Faith had learned that the elderly assistant had been with Ali since his birth. She and Kadid had become fast friends.
In the past few days, she'd found Kadid to be helpful and cooperative, not to mention exceedingly kind and totally devoted to Ali, which, she had to admit, she found surprising.
Kadid readily kept her supplied with cold colas during the day while she worked; something she considered fuel to keep her going. And she praised him regularly for it.
Yesterday, Kadid had even sat for a moment and shared a cola with her, no doubt breaking some sort of royal protocol.
A moment later the double doors opened and Kadid came in. "Ms. Martin." Smiling, he gave a slight bow in a way she found totally charming.
While Ali dressed in Western business clothing, Kadid dressed in traditional garb. Flowing cotton pants, shirt, loose moccasin-type shoes, and a long, almost floor-length sleeveless robe all in a sedate shade of beige.
She smiled in genuine warmth. "Hello, Kadid."
"Kadid, Faith will be purchasing some computer equipment for the company. Please see to it that she has the clearance to spend whatever amount necessary."
Kadid nodded. "Of course," he said, turning to Faith with another smile. "I shall take care of it immediately, Ms. Martin." In spite of her insistence that he call her Faith, he retained his thoroughly formal manner.
Looking hesitant, Kadid took a step closer to Ali to speak privately. "I beg your pardon, Sheik El-Etra, but Mrs. Jourdan's in the waiting room. She does not have an appointment, but she is…concerned about a matter and asked if she could wait to see you."
"Maureen is here?" Ali frowned, then walked around to the front of his desk. "Please show her in." He turned to Faith. "You do not mind? This should only take a moment. Maureen is a very old and very dear friend, not to mention a client." He straightened his tie, smoothed down his collar. "If she's upset I need to see her."
"Not at all." Faith leaned back in her chair, oddly surprised that a man like Ali would take the time to personally soothe the concerns of one client. She would think he'd leave the day-to-day business to his staff.
"Show her in immediately, Kadid."
A few moments later, Kadid led a woman of about seventy into the room. Smartly dressed, she wore a sapphire-blue suit that seemed to match her eyes, and carried a wolf's-head cane that she leaned on heavily. Her shock of silver hair was cropped close, but elegantly styled.
"Maureen." With a look of pure adoration that transformed his arrogant face into something almost breathtaking, Ali went to her, took her free hand in his and kissed it gallantly, making the woman smile. "It is good to see you." He kissed her hand again, and Faith could see the genuine affection radiating from him. Curious, she couldn't help but watch. "It's been too long."
"It's good to see you, too, Ali." She kissed his cheek in return. "And you're as much of a charming rascal as ever," she said, giving his hand an affectionate squeeze.
"I saw your parents at Joe Colton's birthday party last night. It was good to see them again." The woman's brows drew into a frown. "You heard about the attempt on Joe's life?"
Ali nodded. "Yes, I did. I spoke with my father late last night and he told me about it." The attempt on Joe Colton's life, in his own home, at his own birthday party was simply beyond comprehension.
"I can't possibly imagine why anyone would want to hurt Joe Colton."
"Neither can I," Ali concurred with a
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