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  They chatted for a little while longer, and then Madeline hung up the phone and sipped her wine in silence, staring at the blank screen of her flat-screen TV as she thought about Vanessa’s offer. Unlike Vanessa, Madeline had never really found the idea of living abroad appealing. She’d done a backpacking trip through Europe with Vanessa before they’d gone off to college, and while they’d had a ton of fun, it had also made her realize just how good she had it in the States. She’d been happy to return home. But when she’d gone to Dubai for the wedding, she had to admit she’d fallen in love with the gorgeous desert country, with its crazy architectural attractions and beautiful coastline. Surely living there for a few weeks wouldn’t be so bad, would it?

  Her phone buzzed, and she dug it out of her pocket to see that she had a text from Jason. Call me please. We can work this out.

  Madeline gritted her teeth, and she had to take a deep breath in through her nose lest she smash her own phone against the wall like she had Jason’s. He’d probably just replaced the phone she’d smashed at the AT&T store. Well, if he thought she was going to be flattered that he’d chosen to text her right away after getting service back, he could think again.

  But the fact that he was texting her did remind her that Jason knew her number, knew where she lived, and knew the places where she liked to hang out. If he still wanted to hang on to her, he could make it very hard for her to forget about him and move on if she were here. But if she were in Dubai, there was no chance of that happening. She could block his phone number and hop on a plane, and he wouldn’t know what the hell had happened.

  Decided, she got up from the couch and went to her bedroom to fire up her laptop. It was time for her to check out that job application.

  Chapter Three

  “Miss? We’re going to be landing soon.”

  Madeline moaned a little at the exotic sound of the flight attendant’s voice. Opening her eyes, she saw the dark-skinned woman smiling down at her, hands clasped in front of her conservative, ankle-length navy dress with the Emirates logo stitched onto the collar.

  “Would you like anything to eat or drink before we descend?” she asked politely.

  “Some seltzer, thanks.” Madeline pressed the button on the side of her leather seat and raised it back up to a sitting position. Now that she was awake again, her stomach was beginning to knot itself with nerves, and she didn’t think eating was a good idea. But seltzer would help settle her stomach a bit.

  “Very good, Miss Anthony. I’ll be right back.”

  As the flight attendant bustled away to retrieve her drink, Madeline looked out the window of the private jet Vanessa had insisted on sending for her. The clouds hovering outside her window were tinged with the reds, pinks and yellows of sunset, and Madeline bit her lip, wishing she hadn’t fallen asleep on the plane. She was going to be up all night at this rate, and she had to be up early the next morning for her new job.

  Jesus Christ. I’m starting a new job tomorrow. In Dubai.

  The flight attendant handed her the drink, and she sipped it slowly as she pondered how much life had changed. Just last week she was hunting for a job and frantically planning a wedding while desperately trying to save her failing relationship. Now there was no relationship and no wedding, but she had a job, at least temporarily. Her first real job since finishing her internship, and it was in a foreign country.

  Oh well. At least if you totally bomb out, you’ll have Vanessa to catch you.

  Madeline straightened her shoulders. She was not going to bomb out. Sure, maybe this job was only going to be for three weeks, but she was going to be working on a new IVF procedure that could potentially revolutionize the medical industry. If she pulled it off, it was going to look damn good on her resume. This was the sort of thing that could make or break her medical career, and she was not going to screw it up.

  No pressure.

  The pilot ordered Madeline and the flight attendant to put on their seat belts and prepare for landing, so she did as he asked and settled into her seat to watch the descent. As they descended through layers of cumulus and Dubai came into view, some of her anxiety began to melt away. She took in the sprawling city-state in awe, its gleaming skyscrapers and manmade islands jutting out of the desert country like a futuristic oasis. A river divided the city through the center, winding its way to the sparkling coastline. Spearing up through the heart of it all was the Burj Khalifa, and below it was the tropical blue waters of Dubai Fountain—two of the most famous attractions that drew tourists there year after year, or so she’d read. A burst of excitement brought a smile to her face—she wanted to ride up to the top of that tower. She could just imagine herself standing up there, looking down at this amazing city as the hot wind brushed against her cheeks and adrenaline pumped through her veins. She would have to make sure Vanessa took her there as soon as possible.

  As they drew closer to the airport, the spectacular view was lost amongst the snaking highways and clustered buildings. Soon enough, the plane’s wheels touched down on the tarmac, and as the plane raced across the runway, wind roaring outside the fuselage, Madeline’s pulse raced with excitement. She was finally here! As far away from Jason as she could get, and just a few minutes away from hugging her best friend. For someone who’d just broken up with her longtime fiancé, life wasn’t going too bad right now.

  As the pilot came to a complete stop and signaled it was okay to disembark, Madeline vowed that she was going to have as much fun as possible. True, she couldn’t be as wild and crazy as she could have if she’d gone to Vegas due to Dubai’s laws regarding alcohol consumption and dress code, but it was a beautiful country with lots to do and see. She was going to make the most of it. Plus, she was bound to find a hot guy or two along the way who could help her forget about Jason. The idea of actually having sex again made her tingle all over; it had been over a month since she and Jason had last attempted to have sex, which was a record for her. She wasn’t a slut, but she didn’t believe in celibacy, either. As far as she was concerned, sex was an excellent way to recharge both the mind and the body, so why avoid it?

  Let’s not get ahead of yourself, girl. You’re not here for sex.

  Pushing the thought aside, Madeline grabbed her purse, then brushed a hand down her jeans and sweater to make sure she looked decent. She considered grabbing the heavy jacket she’d boarded the plane with, but she knew temperatures were warmer here and decided to let the flight attendant, who was handling her luggage anyway, take care of it.

  “Maddy!” Vanessa cried as Madeline trotted down the small ramp leading to the tarmac. She was standing by a black SUV with the Emirates flag flying from its hood, and was flanked by a pair of bodyguards. Dressed in a pale pink abaya with golden flowers, her long blond hair pulled back in an elegant knot, she looked absolutely radiant. Her eyes sparkled and her cheeks were flushed.

  “Nessa!” Madeline grinned as her friend rushed over, meeting her halfway. They embraced, and Madeline inhaled Vanessa’s familiar, comforting vanilla scent. “Oh, I’m so glad to see you. You look so happy.”

  “Yeah, well I guess marriage can do that to you.” Vanessa’s eyes didn’t lose their sparkle as she pulled away. “How are you doing? Was the flight okay?”

  “As good as a fourteen-hour flight can be.” Madeline smiled at the flight attendant as she passed, who was rolling her luggage toward the SUV. One of the bodyguards stepped forward to take the bags from her. “The jet was very comfortable, and I was well taken care of. I appreciate you letting me use it.”

  “Anytime. You know I’m at your disposal…at least when I’m not at the hospital, anyway.” She laughed a little as they climbed into the SUV. “Between being Adir’s wife and doing my residency, I’m not sure where I find extra hours in the day.”

  “And now you’re going to be having a baby, too.” Madeline shook her head, amazed. “Who knew getting married could turn you into a superwoman?”

  Vanessa laughed as t
hey buckled up. “So, where are we dropping you off? Or do you want to come back to the palace with me? You know you can stay with us as long as you want.”

  “Thanks, but I found this amazing place to sublet on Airbnb and I couldn’t pass up the chance, so I snagged it.” Madeline smiled apologetically at Vanessa. She hadn’t wanted to rely on Vanessa entirely for the trip; she was already getting this great job from her, and using her jet. At least she could feel a little more like a local if she rented her own place instead of living at the palace, which was something most people never even dreamed of.

  “Oh alright. But if you change your mind, the offer stands. And you know you can come by any time.”

  Madeline squeezed Vanessa’s hand in thanks, then gave the driver the address to her rental. Settling back in her seat, she looked out the window as they drove through the streets, admiring the foreign architecture. The skyscrapers here were very impressive, and clustered between them were various shops, apartment complexes, industrial buildings and more. Soon enough, they pulled up in front of a towering blue-and-white skyscraper.

  “You’re staying at Jumeirah Lake Towers?” Vanessa sounded both impressed and appalled. “They’re really nice, but you’ve got to be spending a pretty penny!”

  Madeline shrugged. “Like I said, I got a great deal on Airbnb.” Her father also gave her a decent allowance every month—something that was supposed to end one year after she finished college, but she still had about nine months left and she was going to take advantage of it. “Don’t worry about it, Nessa. If I fall on hard times, you’re the first person I’ll run to.”

  “I’m not sure if that statement is comforting or not.”

  Madeline only shook her head as Vanessa followed her inside. One of the bodyguards helped carry her luggage into the elegant lobby, and Madeline stopped by the front desk to pick up her key, which her host had left there for her. They boarded a clear glass elevator, and Madeline pressed her nose to the cool glass as they rode up to the thirty-seventh floor, staring out at the beautiful coastline. The sun was almost completely gone, and twilight was settling on the horizon, painting the sky with shades of dusky purple mingling with the pinkish-red glow of sunset. A part of Madeline itched to dig her bikini out of her suitcase and go frolic in the waves lapping against the shore—the idea that she could even when she’d just come from the middle of a freezing winter was amazing to her—but she knew that she should probably focus on getting ready for work tomorrow.

  The elevator dinged, signaling their arrival on the thirty-seventh floor, and a little burst of excitement rushed through Madeline’s veins as she wheeled her suitcase out and headed toward her new, if temporary, apartment. She’d rented from Airbnb before, but never outside of the country, and she’d never leased an entire living space before. She’d Skyped with her host and gotten a video tour of the place via her tablet before she’d booked the place, but it was still going to be different seeing it in person.

  “Wow,” Vanessa said as Madeline opened the door. “This is pretty cute!”

  “I know, right?” Madeline took her second bag from the bodyguard, then close the door as he stationed himself out in the hallway to give them some privacy. It was basically a studio apartment—one long, rectangular room with a full but small kitchen to her left, a living room space with a flat-screen TV and a couch, and a queen-sized bed at the far end that was pressed right up against a picture window offering a fantastic view of the city. Despite the space’s size, it felt airy and spacious, with tall ceilings and white walls, and the red-orange accents in the form of the throw pillows on the couch, the rug beneath the coffee table, and the bedspread brightened up the place. There was even a wooden wardrobe in the far corner opposite the bed where she could hang up her things, and a matching dresser for her folded clothes. Directly to her right was a small bathroom that was walled from the rest of the room, but otherwise it was very much an open floor plan.

  “Do you need any help unpacking?” Vanessa asked as Madeline dragged her suitcases over to the bed.

  “Nah. I’ll take care of that later. You go ahead and put your feet up.” Madeline flopped back onto the bed with a groan. “This is the life.”

  Vanessa chuckled as she sat down on the couch. “I’m not pregnant yet,” she insisted.

  “Yeah, well, just you wait.” Madeline rolled onto her side and propped her head up on her hand as she stared at her best friend. “So do you and Adir still have time to rock climb amongst everything else you’re doing?”

  “Every weekend. And we still go to the same place I gave him lessons at even though I don’t work there anymore.” Vanessa winked. From what Madeline understood, Adir was a bit of an adrenaline junkie, and he’d met Vanessa a year and a half ago when he’d come to her place of employment. The two had been climbing together for a year before Adir finally took their relationship to the next level by getting Vanessa to agree to marry him if he beat her in a rock climbing race.

  “That must be really nice,” Madeline said, a little wistfully. “Jason and I weren’t really doing things together anymore toward the end of our relationship.”

  “Oh honey.” Vanessa reached over to pat Madeline’s hand. “You’ll find your soul mate sooner rather than later. Jason might have started out nice, but he was never that man. If I’ve learned anything over the past year, it’s that when you meet the man who’s right for you there’s nothing you can do about it, no matter how hard you try to resist fate.”

  Madeline laughed. “No kidding. I remember how hard you tried to keep Adir at arm’s length.”

  “I can’t believe I resisted him so hard.” Vanessa shook her head. “Imagine if I’d continued to be so stubborn and hadn’t given in? My life would be completely different.” She smiled, placing a hand against her belly.

  “You know, Adir wanted to come out to the airport to greet you, but even though he couldn’t make it he still wants to see you. What do you think about grabbing dinner tomorrow night, to celebrate your first day at your new job?”

  “That sounds great.” Madeline’s heart jumped a little at the idea of having dinner with Vanessa and her hunky husband. No, she wouldn’t even think about eyeing Adir for herself, but he was hot, and the emir. The idea of dining with royalty made her tingly all over, as if she were starstruck. Hopefully she’d get over that by the time she was done with her three-week contract. She did not want to continuously make a fool of herself in front of Adir, or Vanessa would never let her live it down.

  “Cool! I’ll text you the when and where after I confirm with Adir.” Vanessa stood up, then leaned down to press a kiss to Madeline’s forehead. “I’ve got some things to take care of at the palace, so I have to head out. See you tomorrow.”

  “See you.” Madeline hugged Vanessa, then showed her out. Locking the door behind her, she turned around and headed for her suitcases to start unpacking. She needed to look her best for tomorrow, after all.

  Chapter Four

  By the time Madeline left the research laboratory, she was exhausted but satisfied with her first day of work. She’d arrived promptly at eight in the morning, hopped up on several cups of Turkish coffee after a fairly sleepless night and full of nervous energy. Thankfully, her new boss, Aisha Kadul, had been very pleasant and understanding, and her fellow laboratory technicians had been quite friendly. She was the only foreigner in the lab, so they’d been eager to ask her questions about America. In fact, she probably spent more time talking about life in New York City than she did touring the lab and learning about the IVF project they were working on.

  She supposed she should be grateful she had an easy first day, she thought to herself as she flagged down a taxicab from the curb. Tomorrow she was sure the real work would start in earnest, and hopefully she would be better rested by then.

  The cab driver dropped her off at Jumeirah Towers, and she raced up to her apartment as fast as she could so she could change her clothes. Vanessa had texted her earlier in t
he day to tell her they were eating at Eau Zone, and a quick Google search told Madeline that it was an upscale restaurant at the Royal Mirage Hotel with an oasis theme and an elegant evening dress code. Figures that she would have to dress up on her first real night in Dubai…but at least they were going to be near the beach. Maybe she could sneak out onto the sand and dip her toes into the water if she were lucky.

  As soon as she was behind closed doors, Madeline ripped off the pinstriped skirt-suit she’d chosen for her first day at the lab, then jumped in the shower. The bathroom was a tight squeeze, with just enough room for a shower stall, sink, and toilet, but she supposed that was the trade-off for having a full kitchen in a studio apartment. After a quick towel off, she pulled on some basic white lingerie, then perused her newly filled closet for something to wear. Eventually she settled on a black sequined dress with short sleeves that allowed her to bare her arms while covering her shoulders, and a skirt that fell to just below her knees. Everything she had to wear in Dubai had to cover her shoulders and her knees, so she’d left a lot of her favorite dresses behind. Maybe once she got her first paycheck she would go shopping and expand her wardrobe. After all, once she got into the swing of things she planned on spending her evenings and weekends sightseeing, and damned if she wouldn’t look good while doing it.

  After a moment of deliberation, Madeline chose a black sequined choker and matching earrings, then slipped her feet into a pair of black pumps. If she did get a chance to go to the beach, she would just take them off anyway. Standing in front of the mirror hanging on the inside of her wardrobe, she spritzed her curly, jaw-length hair with leave-in conditioner and then ran her fingers through it, going for a bedhead look that she knew would draw attention to the warm highlights in her hair. Running out of time, she quickly applied her makeup, then grabbed her purse and ran out the door to catch another cab.