page9 (1/1)

As they drove, Steph watched her mother’s face Elora’s expression istful as she laid eyes once again on the land of her birth

Steph placed a gentle hand on her ”

Elora looked down at her daughter, then, laying a reassuring hand on top of hers “He is kind hearted, good looking, and wealthy That is all you need to know for now The rest you will find out on your own”

Steph bit back a frustrated sigh as they drove on in silence, herwith his head drooping onto his chest, and the driver listening to music she had never heard before When they arrived at the hotel, her father jolted awake before paying the e to check into their room

“O’Hanlon,” her father told the man, who typed their name into the system

The clerk’s eyebrows lifted, and he looked back up at her father “It would seele with two queens, you have been upgraded to the lounge suite on the top floor”

Jerry looked down at his daughter with a glance of approval “He’s really trying to impress you, wouldn’t you say?”

“How do you know it’s him?” Steph countered

The further in she got, theIt was rooh to shower her and her parents with upgrades and gifts before the big day Could she really walk out on soh withsomeone she didn’t know? What if this was all just a shoay to win her parents’ trust so that he could do what he pleased to her and they would take his side? If her parents had been willing to give her even a small hint,with the elevator as they rode to the highest floor of the hotel

When her father opened the door, the view they were nificent The whole roo s, so they had a sweeping view of the majestic El Farah desert as winds whipped curls of sand off the tops of towering dunes The living room was spacious yet coed to be chic There were three bedrooms, and Steph picked the one across from the suite her parents took

They settled in co back in the living room

“Steph, we’re planning on checking out that land you about before Would you like to come?” Jerry asked

Steph let loose a huge yawn, stretching her ar to rest here for a while I don’t quite feel like walking around yet”

Elora lifted one dark eyebrow “But you always feel like walking”

Steph shrugged “Okay, well maybe I just want soest day of my life”

Her tone brooked no argu, relented Once Steph was sure they haddeep breaths as she tried to steady her nerves

She could do this She could er The raded them to a penthouse suite He clearly cared about her welfare and happiness, right? She was being silly There was nothing wrong with getting rown up in a culture that didn’t understand the merits of it

Steph paced around the suite, needing to get all her excess energy out While relaxing and watching s felt stiff and unused, and for ato clear her head Did people jog in El Farah?

Steph took autterly small as she did so It was silly to lose one’sOr was there? Did she really have no choice over her own future?

Feeling trapped, Steph came to a decision She found a notepad and pen and scribbled a note to her parents, telling thery and stepped out for some food, and not to wait up After her note ritten, she left it on the coffee table in front of an enor her purse and hotel key on the way out the door