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feelings.
     
    “What about us?” he asked. “About me and Nadia? What do you think of us as clients?”
     
    “Oh,” Ella said loudly, slapping her leg. “You two are one of a kind. I mean,” she laughed. “You can’t be one of a kind when there are two of you. But you are two of a kind.”
     
    Karim smiled at her. He loved watching her talk, watching her smile.
     
    Ella went on unprompted. “I mean, you guys are okay. Well, you're okay. Nadia, though. I don’t know. I mean, what kind of bride doesn’t want to plan her own wedding?”
     
    Ella pushed herself to an upright position, spilling her drink as she did. Karim smiled and took the drink out of her hand as she continued to speak, more animated this time. “I guess it’s just that I don’t get you. I mean, here you are planning the wedding, and she’s, she’s…” Ella stopped and looked at Karim questioningly. “Where is she again?”
     
    Karim laughed at the seriousness on her face. “She’s in Miami,” he said softly, not willing to offer any further explanation.
     
    “Right, Miami!” Ella slapped her leg again. “And she left you here to handle everything. What kind of person does that?”
     
    “I really don’t mind,” Karim said, sitting up to face Ella. “In fact, I’d rather it be that way. I’ve always been a 'take charge' sort of guy. I guess that was just part of my upbringing. When you grow up in a royal family, you’re raised with certain responsibilities and expectations. And one of them is to take care of things that need to be taken care of.”
     
    “Well, that’s very nice of you,” Ella said. She looked away and then flopped against the bed again.
     
    Karim looked over at her as the wind continued to howl. “What is it? What do you mean that’s very nice of me?”
     
    “It’s just,” Ella’s face got red as she spoke. “It’s just that...it’s very nice of you to take such good care of Nadia.”
     
    Karim was unsure where Ella was going with this. He could see the conversation had just taken a turn in a different direction. At that moment, Ella closed her eyes, and he glimpsed tears forming in the corners.
     
    “Ella,” he said, leaning in close.
     
    She felt his hot breath on her cheek and realized she longed for what Nadia had. The tears sprang from the corners of her eyes as he spoke.
     
    “What is it, Ella?” Karim said softly. He reached out a finger to wipe her tears away, but stopped himself. He pulled his hand back just as she opened her mouth to speak.
     
    “She’s just so lucky to have someone who loves her so much,” Ella said, almost wailing the words as she spoke. “I see that all the time. It’s not all bad, you know. Not all the clients I have are jerks. Many of them are really, truly in love. When I work with those people who are head over heels, that's when I get sad.”
     
    The tears fell quicker now and Karim felt his heart ache for Ella’s pain. He wanted to tell her not to think like that. He wanted to tell her that there was someone out there for her. He wanted to tell her, but he couldn’t.
     
    “Even though I don’t know you and Nadia, I can tell that you love her very much,” Ella said. She cried softly, unable to stop the tears falling. She didn’t know why she was sharing all of this with Karim. Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe her fear of the storm. Maybe it was just that he was so damned easy to talk to.
     
    Karim got up off the bed and began pacing the room.
     
    “What is it?” Ella asked, confused at his reaction.
     
    “It’s nothing,” he said curtly, avoiding eye contact.
     
    Karim was pacing like a wild animal. He wanted to tell Ella everything. He wanted to be honest with her. There was something about her that made him want to be true, to bare all his secrets. But he knew he couldn’t. He had made a promise and he had sworn to keep that promise, no matter what.
     
    Feeling frustrated and trapped, he took another long sip of his drink,