Ella nodded, fear rising like a knot in her throat. She swallowed with difficulty, every fiber of her being wanting to see Khalid again.
She gazed out the window, wishing they’d arranged to ride back together in that air-conditioned car she’d wanted. They would have been out of contact, and someone else would be tapped to try to put out the oil fire. He’d be safe.
“When did the call come?” she asked.
“It happened last night. I suspect they called him once they saw what happened. He’s the world’s best, you know.”
“He should retire.”
Bethanne reached out and squeezed Ella’s hand. “I know, I’d feel that way if it were Rashid. But women can’t change men. My mother told me that fact years ago when explaining how she and my father married and then divorced. She had hoped having a family would be enough for him, but it never was. Some men are meant to do more adventurous things than others.”
“I’d hardly call putting out raging oil fires adventurous—more like exceedingly dangerous. Why couldn’t he have been a professor or accountant or something?”
Bethanne shrugged. “You might ask yourself why you’re engaged to the man. You knew what he did. Yet you plan to marry. It’s not going to get easier, but support is important.”
Ella couldn’t tell her why they were engaged. Apparently Rashid had kept Khalid’s secret. Ella couldn’t tell anyone she considered leaving Quishari because of Khalid. Maybe the decision would be taken from her. There was nothing she could do now but pray for his safety. She wished they’d ended the evening differently. That she had told him how much she cared. That she’d dare risk everything to let him know she loved him. Would she ever get that chance?
The flight seemed endless. She wanted more information. Could she call Khalid when they landed? She knew Bethanne was flying his crew back to Quraim Wadi Samil to pick him up and fly them all to Kuwait. He’d still be at the hotel. For a moment her mind went blank. What was the name of the hotel? She had to call him, tell him to be careful.
“Rashid will meet the plane,” Bethanne said after responding to flight control. She began descending. Ella could see the city, the blue of the Gulf beyond. But the beauty was lost, fear held her tightly. “He’s not going, is he?” Ella asked.
“No, he’s taking you home. I’ll be back late tonight. He didn’t want you to be alone.”
“Maybe I can work to take my mind off things,” she said. The truth was she couldn’t think about anything except Khalid and the danger he was facing.
“Go with Rashid. He’ll have the most current information about Khalid and the crew. Besides, he’s swinging by his mother’s place to update her. Dealing with Madame al Harum is enough to take anyone’s mind off troubles. That woman is a piece of work.”
Ella smiled despite her worry. “At least we have that in common. Do you think she’ll ever come around to accepting you?”
“My guess is once I have a baby or two.”
Ella blinked and gazed out the window. What if she and Khalid married and she had a baby? She remembered thinking about a little dark-eyed little girl, or a couple of rambunctious boys that looked just like Khalid. How would she ever stand it if they wanted to grow up to be oil firefighters.
“Madame al Harum must be beside herself with worry,” she said. “I would be if it were my son going to fight that fire.”
“I would never let a son of mine grow up to do that,” Bethanne said.
“Thought you said a woman can’t change a man.”
“Well, then I’d start with a little boy.”
Ella laughed. Then almost cried when she thought more about the danger Khalid faced. How he’d once been an adorable little boy, running at the beach, playing with his twin. How quickly those years must have flown by.
Rashid was standing beside a limo when the plane taxied up to the hangar. There were a half dozen men near him with duffel bags and crates. As soon as the engines were shut down, men began swarming around the plane, loading everything. It was being refueled even as Ella stepped down the stairs. Bethanne followed, then hugged Rashid tightly.
“I wish you’d let someone else fly the plane,” he said.
“I’m going. Don’t argue. It’s Khalid you should be worried about. I’ll pick him up and then take them all to Kuwait. I’ll be home late tonight. You take care of Ella. I think she’s in shock.”
“No, I’m fine. I think I should go home.”
“You’re coming with me,” Rashid said.
She looked at him, almost seeing Khalid. Certainly hearing that autocratic tone of his. They looked so alike, yet so different.
“Any news?” she asked.
“Nothing beyond what we learned earlier. Once we reach home we’ll call Khalid. He’s been talking with the oil field people so will have the latest intel. This all you have?” he asked as one of the men put her bag in the trunk of the limo.
“Yes. It was a short trip.” Too short if it was to be the last time she saw Khalid.
Ella went with Rashid to his mother’s home. He did not speak on the ride except to try to reassure her that Khalid knew what he was doing and wouldn’t take any foolish risks. “Especially now,” Rashid said.
Ella nodded, wishing they’d never embarked on this stupid fake engagement. Everyone thought he’d be extra careful, but Rashid knew Khalid had no special reason to be extra cautious. She knew he wouldn’t be foolhardy, but so many things could go wrong. What if there was another explosion and his suit was torn again. She couldn’t bear to think of the pain he’d go through while healing.
Or what if things went really, really wrong?
“My mother can be a bit difficult. We know she loves us. Sometimes I think it’s hard for a mother to realize her children are grown and have their own lives.”
Ella thought about her parents. “Sometimes they just want to control children forever.”
“Or maybe they get used to it and find it hard to let go.”
“Your mother doesn’t have to like me,” she said.
“No, but it would make family life so much more comfortable in the future, don’t you think? We do celebrate happy occasions together—holidays, birthdays.”
“Bethanne said once she was a grandmother, she’d come around.”
Rashid laughed. “That’s our hope. But not right away. I want her to myself for a while.”
Would Khalid ever want someone to himself for a while? She wished it would be her.
Madame al Harum was distraught when they arrived. She rushed to the door. “Have you heard anything more?”
“No, Mother,” Rashid said, giving her a hug. “He’s still in Quraim Wadi Samil. Bethanne just took off to get him. It’ll be a few hours before they’re in Kuwait.”
“Call him. I need to talk to him,” she ordered.
“You and Ella.”
The older woman looked at Ella as if seeing her for the first time. “Oh.” She frowned. “Of course.”
“We both want Khalid safely back,” Ella said.
Madame al Harum nodded. “Come, we will call him.”
Khalid had maps and charts spread around him when the phone rang.
“Al Harum,” he said, hoping this was another call from the site, updating the situation.
“Khalid, it’s your mother. I wanted to tell you to be careful.”
“I always am, Mother.” He leaned back in his chair, pressing his thumb and forefinger against his eyes. He’d been studying the layout of the oil field, where the pipes had been drilled and the safety protocols that were in place. He figured he could recite every fact about that field in his sleep.
Glancing at his watch, he noted the plane would be arriving in less than an hour. He had talked to his second in command before he boarded and all the gear they needed was either on the plane or being shipped directly to the fire.
“We will watch over Ella for you,” she said.
Khalid’s attention snapped back to his mother. Ella. He should have told her this morning before she left, but he’d already been involved in learning all he could from the source. He hadn’t wanted to interrupt the phone call to go tell her goodbye.
“She returned safely?” he asked.
“Yes. She’s here. Take care of yourself, son.”
Before Khalid could say anything, he heard Ella’s soft voice.
“Khalid?”
“Yes. You got back all right, I see.”
“I didn’t know until we were on the plane what was going on. I wished you had told me. You will be careful, won’t you?”
“I always am.” He was warmed by the concern in her voice.
“From what I’ve heard, this one is really bad.”
He heard a sound from his mother in the background.
“It does seem that way. I’ll know more when I get there, but so far, this is probably the most challenging one we’ve tried.”
“I guess I couldn’t talk you out of going?” she asked hopefully.
He laughed, picturing her with her pretty brown eyes, hair blowing in the sea breeze. “No, but I wish I didn’t have to leave you. Not that I’d take you to a fire. I enjoyed yesterday.” He wished he could pull her into his arms this moment and kiss her again. If he hadn’t already been on the phone, nothing would have stopped him from explaining this morning—and taking another kiss for luck.