Curious, Audrey darted after him, standing mere inches from him in the elevator and sensing that their fingers were millimeters from touching. Memory of their time on the plane filled her with another burst of affection and attraction, something she had to constantly try to stamp out.
Chapter Nine
Once outside, Jibril told her they’d be leaving the car behind for a while and proceeding on foot. “We’re going to dive into the depths of this city,” he said, rubbing his palms together conspiratorially. “Enough of these skyscrapers. Enough of these business meetings. It’s time for the grittiness of Ash-Kahlbi to be revealed.”
Audrey followed him down the street, walking in the dramatic shadows of the skyscrapers. Stuffing the notebook into her purse, she felt her heart humming with apprehension and excitement. This was it. She was finally seeing the world.
Ducking into a dark alleyway, the Sheikh led her down first one passageway and then another, darting left and right. The alleys went behind restaurants, and the air held the aroma of falafel and shawarma and melting cheese. Anxious and suddenly hungry, Audrey reached up and grabbed the Sheikh’s shirt, getting his attention.
“Mind if we get something to eat before we keep walking?” she asked, her voice soft. “Everything smells absolutely delicious.”
“I thought you’d never ask,” he said, grinning. He bolted left and then knocked his fist against an alleyway door, crying out, “Ammar! Hey, Ammar!”
A man appeared in the crack of the doorway, looking surprised, his cheeks red from the heat of the kitchen. At the sight of Jibril, he formed an elated smile, wrapping his jiggling, fatty arms around the Sheikh and crying out his name. “JIBRIL!” He spoke quickly in Arabic, his hands gesturing wildly.
“Calm down, Ammar,” Jibril said, laughing hard, placing his hand on his abdomen. “I’m sorry to scare you like this. I’m here with my—my friend”—he pointed toward Audrey, who grinned sheepishly—“and we were wondering if we could have some of your world-famous falafel sandwiches. To go, please.”
Ammar’s face was nearly consumed with his massive grin. He clapped a few times and then bellowed, “Anything for you, old friend!” Then he headed back into the kitchen, keeping the back door ajar.
“Are you in the habit of knocking on restaurant back doors and demanding meals?” Audrey asked Jibril, giggling.
“I’ve known him since we were kids,” Jibril said. “We used to wander these streets together, picking up scraps from restaurants, just whatever they had around. They knew my father was important, but they let us have our fun. Now I always like to come and pester him this way. It’s a nice way to keep the memories of our childhood alive.”
“That’s beautiful,” Audrey said.
Ammar appeared in the hallway, clinging to two steaming meals: falafel wrapped in pita bread and slathered in white and red sauces. “Here you are, pretty lady,” he said to Audrey, passing her a sandwich. “And for you, old friend.”
“Let me pay you this time,” Jibril said firmly.
“You know your money’s no good here. I don’t care if it’s from San Francisco or Los Angeles or New York. It holds no weight,” Ammar said. “We’ve been through too much. And besides, I want to show good hospitality to the lady.”
“I want to pay you, too,” Audrey said, laughing.
“Well, too bad. I’m sorry to burst your bubble,” Ammar said. “If you want to pay, you come in through the front, like a normal person. As it is, you’ll now be on your way. Explore, Jibril! Live the life you gave up on!” He gestured forth, toward the winding roads and alleyways. “Are you showing her the—”
“Of course,” Jibril said, cutting him off. “But I want it to be a surprise.”
Audrey eyed them both suspiciously before taking a small, tentative bite of the warm falafel. The tender, nutty flavor coated her tongue, warming her grumbling stomach and giving her new energy. Ammar watched the change unfold, his eyes showing his delight.
“She likes it.”
“Of course she does. As if you needed the ego boost,” Jibril said, taking a large bite of his sandwich.
Audrey and Jibril said their good-byes, with Audrey waving like an excited child before making her way through the alleyway behind the Sheikh, nibbling on falafel and feeling an overall sense of well-being. Was it the sun? The lack of rain? The sense that Jibril was revealing his true self, like a gift, in the midst of his gorgeous home city? She didn’t know.