Almasi straightened up, glowering. She looked Mr. Kofi k.u.mi dead in the eye and said, "My husband pleasures me perfectly well, thank you." Then, with a shove, she pushed him out of her doorway. "Now, if you will excuse me, sir, I have a store visit and I need to get dressed." She opened the door and quickly stepped in, shutting it behind her immediately lest he get any ideas.

Mr. Kofi k.u.mi's m.u.f.fled voice rang softly from behind the door. "Think about my offer," he said. "There is absolutely no pressure to take it. But this month will come and go, and you will be bored, I know. You deserve a little more pleasure in your life, Almasi. Do remember that." And then she heard the sound of his footsteps as he left the hallway and walked quietly down the stairs.

Gross. What an absolute sc.u.mbag! A good for nothing pig! As if she would ever accept that kind of an offer. Marrying a man for one month and getting a bursary of a million dollars for it was one thing; sleeping with that man's business partner's brother was another thing entirely.

Almasi shook her head. She had been so busy with keeping up wifely appearances for Mr. Arko k.u.mi that she hadn't written in a week now, and it was time for her to go back to her diary and let that comforting habit of putting pen across paper help her to clear her mind. After dressing herself quickly, she walked down the stairs to the lounge where she always wrote when she had time. She looked at the bookshelf, but the diary wasn't there. Where was it? She always kept it...

Oh. Oh, no. No, no, no, no, no.

She slowly turned to the desk. There was a large ink stain and a broken pen. Her diary was gone, and Almasi knew exactly who had taken it.

Chapter3.

Jacob whistled to himself as he drank his second cup of coffee. It was an early morning for him, and he needed the caffeine to make a fresh start while he reviewed his papers before the next jewelry shop visit. He had not slept well the night before-Almasi had been tossing and turning and muttering in her sleep all night long, and it was hard for him to get any rest in the same bed as her. He didn't really mind; although they hadn't had the chance to talk much, he was falling in love with his wife more and more every day.

He heard footsteps behind him, and turned around to see a tired looking Almasi standing in the doorway.

"Good morning, my dear," Jacob said cheerfully. "Don't worry, I won't spill coffee on you again. Although, if I hadn't the first time, we never would've met." He frowned a little. "I noticed you had a fitful sleep last night. What's wrong?"

She came toward him and he stood up, wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her. After the kiss, she replied vaguely, "Nothing. Just nightmares. It's just a silly thing. There's no need to worry." She gave him a convincing smile, and he smiled back.

"Ah. Take care of yourself, Almasi! I can have the cook brew you a tea to ward off those nightmares." He sat back down in his chair. "In the meantime, though, I need to make a couple of phone calls before we visit the next store. Could you give me a moment?" He didn't turn around or wait for a response. Almasi sighed, and turned to leave the room.

Her strange interaction the previous day with Mr. Kofi k.u.mi was not important, she told herself. And maybe he didn't have her diary after all. Perhaps a member of the cleaning staff had put it away somewhere else. And had she even left it open? She couldn't remember, but it was possible that she had closed it and it had locked automatically when she had gotten up in her haste to clean off the ink on that first day of the visit.

So it was possible that the diary was not even in dangerous hands. Maybe Kofi k.u.mi didn't know anything. But if he had the diary and could get a way into it, her secret would be revealed. It was probably better not to say anything unless he mentioned it.

She resolved to avoid talking to Mr. Kofi k.u.mi as much as was possible without coming off as rude. There were only three more weeks left to this visit. It was possible. She would make it be possible. She could do it. At least... she hoped that she could do it.

It was becoming more and more difficult to avoid Mr. Kofi k.u.mi, Almasi found, because he always seemed to turn up where she was. He didn't interrupt her near her bathroom anymore, which was a blessing. She guessed that he had taken the cue from her anger when he had shown up to proposition her. But, in spite of her refusal of his advances, Mr. Kofi k.u.mi seemed determined to get Almasi to give him the kind of attention he wanted.

He started with little things-talking to her and asking her questions in front of the others, so that she had no choice but to answer or else risk coming off as totally rude and insubordinate. He would ask her completely harmless questions at first. He would ask her about the weather, or her opinion on the food. Is it not nice and sunny out today, Almasi? Is this trout not delicious? What are your views on the diamond industry, Almasi? He would constantly try to engage with her like that, and he always did it when Mr. Arko k.u.mi was within earshot. She had no choice but to respond politely and to give the most ba.n.a.l and harmless answers. And all this time, whenever Mr. Kofi k.u.mi asked her a question, she could see his eyes sparkle dangerously. He was going to get what he wanted. This man may be lazy when it came to matters of business and finance deals, but in matters of pleasure, Mr. Kofi k.u.mi always got what he went after. And he was going after Almasi at an alarming intensity.

The worst part was that Jacob never seemed to notice anything strange about Mr. Kofi k.u.mi's behavior. And every time Almasi had a moment alone with her husband, she was unable to bring herself to tell him. She knew that he knew about the diary, but what would he think of her being so careless with it? What would he say if he knew that, on the very first day of the business visit from k.u.mi Diamonds, she'd sneaked off to write in her frivolous little book?

Almasi had grown to love Jacob so much, but she continued to see herself as a mere p.a.w.n in his game. If she messed up-if he found out that she had messed up-she could lose not only her one million dollars, but the respect of the man she adored the most in the world. And so Almasi kept quiet about Mr. Kofi k.u.mi and his fearsome intentions, instead choosing to play it safe and pretend to Jacob that everything was fine. Jacob had enough on his mind. He didn't deserve the trouble that it would cause him if he discovered this... this ridiculous and above all terrifying situation.

So Almasi played the game. She didn't flinch when Mr. Kofi k.u.mi leaned in to talk to her, whispering jokes and observations about the boring diamond deal. She smiled graciously when he talked to her across the dinner table. She laughed at his jokes, answered his questions, and treated him as if nothing had ever happened in that upstairs hall when she had stepped out of the shower earlier in the week.

She kept up appearances of normality, as much as it pained her deeply. But she had no choice, she reminded herself every day. She had to do it, or else risk losing everything.

Jacob continued to be engrossed in the deal with Mr. Arko k.u.mi. The man was severe, but not without his charms, and Jacob reflected to himself that k.u.mi Diamonds would be a fantastic business ally. Although he did not have much time to be close with Almasi except when they were in bed at night, he did notice how close she seemed to be growing with Mr. Kofi k.u.mi. Jacob was a little bit jealous, in spite of himself, although he would never admit it to anyone.

He knew Almasi was faithful to him... right? That hadn't been part of the contract, the s.e.x, or the love, but Almasi was an honest woman, and she was also being paid very, very, well for her cooperation in this game. It was feeling less and less like a game to Jacob, he reflected to himself in a quiet moment. It really felt as if... no. That was silly.

But he could not help but feel as if he truly was married to the woman he would be with forever. When he looked into Almasi's eyes, he knew in his heart that she felt the same way. Maybe... maybe he could propose something to her. After the k.u.mi Diamonds business deal was sealed, of course. Maybe she would choose to stay if he asked. He was in love with her, and he knew that it had come about in a strange and unconventional way.

He didn't want to lose his smart, beautiful, and cunning wife. He had a connection with her now, far beyond anything in the contract they had signed at the Tall Oaks restaurant on that fateful afternoon that now seemed so long ago. If he could get her to stay... he would be living with the one true love of his life every day for the rest of both of their lives. The idea of being with his love was more precious than a thousand diamond deals.

Jacob showed Almasi his love in small, everyday ways. It was too risky at this point to talk about it aloud, or things could get awkward and bad between them at this crucial point in the diamond deal, but he could still tell her he loved her in ways that didn't need words.

His nonverbal acts of adoration made their way to her in his soft, sensual morning kisses, in bringing her coffee when she looked tired (he had it made just as he knew she liked it-strong, no sugar, two creams), in the nightly heated, pa.s.sionate s.e.x that was rapidly becoming something that he could almost call lovemaking.

It was love that they were making, with the bond between them growing, and Jacob was becoming more and more elated knowing that his wife's smiles were for him and him alone, and that he was the only one who had ever and would ever touch her beautiful body.

And did he ever touch her body. They were going through condoms like n.o.body's business--Jacob laughed to himself, thinking that his next business deal ought to be with a contraceptive trade. But Almasi was his one and only now. He would see about the future. For now, he was blissfully in love with Almasi, and he knew that at the end of the month, nothing would get in the way of them staying together forever.

What Jacob couldn't see was how Mr. Kofi k.u.mi was getting in their way. He was worming himself in between them, slowly but surely. One afternoon, just before lunch, he apprehended Almasi when she was alone in her lounge, reading a book.

He stood in the doorway, and she looked up and frowned. n.o.body was around, so she didn't have to pretend to appreciate his slimy advances. "What do you want?" she asked.

Mr. Kofi k.u.mi tutted. "Now, now, Almasi," he said, her name sounding like an animal trapped on his lips. "Is that a way to talk to a man? The brother of your husband's future business partner? I don't think that my dear brother Arko would approve if he heard you using such a tone." He smiled coldly and stepped into the lounge, shutting the door behind him. What was he doing?

"My apologies, Mr. k.u.mi," said Almasi, emphasizing the formality and distance of the name she was using when she addressed him. "How can I help you?" She wanted to get back to her book; a history of the gold mining trade. But Mr. Kofi k.u.mi was demanding her attention now. She closed the book, glancing down to remember her page number. Then she looked up at him, directly in the eyes. He smiled.

"You do love your books, Almasi," he began. He walked toward the desk. "Hmm. An ink stain. What a pity. It looks like a real mahogany desk, too," he said. He then looked up at her, his laugh lines crinkling even as his eyes expressed an air of danger, of menace. "Have you been writing in your diary at all lately, Almasi?"

Almasi froze. How could she answer this without revealing that it had gone missing? She still didn't know for certain that Mr. Kofi k.u.mi had it, or that he knew anything about her secret contract with Jacob. She had to play dumb. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I have," she said evenly.

"Then you must have gotten a new one," said Mr. Kofi k.u.mi. "Because this..." he retrieved a small book from his pocket. "This has been in my possession for three and a half weeks now."

Almasi's heart sank. She stood up, reaching for her precious diary. "Give it back!" she exclaimed, but he held it high, too high for her to reach.

"Aha, not so fast, Almasi," said Mr. Kofi k.u.mi. "I have found some... interesting things written in these pages." Seeing the look on her face, he chuckled. "Yes, I have read it. Don't look so shocked. Picking a lock isn't that difficult when a man has motivation." He stepped closer to her, and she took an instinctive step back and nearly tripped onto the sofa where she had been sitting. "Would you like to hear one of the most interesting pa.s.sages I found?"

"Please, I beg you," began Almasi, but Mr. Kofi k.u.mi was already flipping through her diary, and in a moment, he began reading softly.

"July tenth," he began in a mocking high tone, imitating Almasi's voice. "I cannot believe what has just happened to me. I have struck gold. Or diamonds, as the case may be." He paused. "Clever," he said. "You have a way with words, Almasi. Maybe you should've studied language or journalism instead of commerce."

He chuckled to himself and continued. "A man ran into me this morning. Literally. He spilled my coffee all over my shirt, and I started cussing him out before I looked up and saw who he was-Jacob Adamson, the CEO for the company I'm interning at! I was so embarra.s.sed, but he was very gracious. He invited me to lunch. I didn't understand why.

He is Jacob fricking Adamson, and I'm... just me. But when I got to the restaurant (and it was a fancy one, too!) he had brought his a.s.sistant with him. I was even more confused. Why were there two men there? But then the a.s.sistant, Jeremy, started explaining the situation, and I couldn't believe my ears. They needed a nice black girl to marry Jacob-to marry him!-because of a diamond deal he was bringing in from Africa.

It was some sort of gesture of good faith, showing family values and blah blah blah. Anyway, they were offering me this role. It seemed crazy to accept, but then they said it was only for a month, and that I would be reimbursed. And oh my G.o.d, how! They are giving me a million dollars to be Jacob Adamson's wife for a month.

One. Million. Dollars. I can't believe it! This will pay off my student loans, and maybe the connection will secure me a job in the future. This has been the weirdest day of my life, but if a billionaire decides that he wants to give me a million dollars in exchange for getting fake married... why not take him up on his offer?"

Mr. Kofi k.u.mi stopped reading then. "There's more, and I could go on," he said, "But I am sure you are familiar with the rest. You wrote all about your personal fashion manager, the cook, the wedding... and..." he raised his eyebrows. "The intimate feelings you had."

Almasi was ashamed of herself, and angry at her own stupidity. Why had she trusted writing in that diary, as if a lock could protect her secrets? And it was bad enough that Mr. Kofi k.u.mi now knew her terrible secret about the marriage. Now, to add insult to injury, he was flaunting her innermost emotions in her face.

"So, Almasi," continued Mr. Kofi k.u.mi. He stepped even closer to her. "It would seem that you're in a bit of a tricky position right now, are you not?" He reached a hand to stroke her face, and she was too petrified to move away.

"You see, I have something that could very easily incriminate you to my brother. If this diary was to fall into his hands, all this," he gestured encompa.s.singly, "the diamond deal, the business partnership, and I daresay your husband's good graces-it all would be gone. Your lavish lifestyle would be no more. You would lose your money, your contract, and your reputation."

"So what are you suggesting?" Almasi asked cautiously, looking at him in fear.

"I want you, Almasi," said Mr. Kofi k.u.mi, he took her hand, and held it tight so she could not wrench it away. "Ever since the very first moment I laid eyes on you in the foyer, I have desired you in the strongest sense. You are beautiful, you are clever, you are educated, you know the ins and outs of commerce and business even better than I do..." he paused. "... and now you are also indebted to me for keeping your secret."

Almasi shuddered. This was too much. "I could never cheat on my husband," she said firmly. "I could never betray Jacob."

Mr. Kofi k.u.mi laughed. "Ah, but you already have betrayed him. You betrayed him the moment you left an open book with all of this arrangement's secrets sitting right within my reach. And anyway," he added. "Do you think he even really loves you? Be honest with yourself, Almasi. He is using you. Jacob Adamson is using you. You are his hired help, and nothing more than that, and I promise you that he will not hesitate to be rid of you when this deal is over.

And if he were to find out about your betrayal... I cannot think what he would say. You would never get your million dollars. You would be back out in the world with nothing, not even your precious internship. You would have nothing, and no opportunities to make anything of yourself."

"So what is the alternative?" asked Almasi. There were tears running down her face now. She had thought that Jacob had loved her, but Mr. Kofi k.u.mi's soft voice and harsh words reminded her that everyone could play games, and that those in the higher positions could play others to get what they wanted. It was her turn to play now, to save her marriage and Jacob's deal, even if it meant betraying him in a most intimate way. "What can I do to a.s.sure that my husband and your brother never find out what is written in my diary?"

"It's not just intimacy I want from you, Almasi," said Mr. Kofi k.u.mi. "No, it's more than that. I've seen your talents, seen your strong spirit and feisty nature. Such a woman is not to be used and thrown away, as Mr. Adamson no doubt intends to do with you. No. A woman like you deserves to be cherished, to be promised a permanent position next to her husband. That is why what I ask of you is more serious than s.e.xual favors." He looked into her fearful eyes. "I want you to come back to Ghana with me and be my wife."

What? What? This was crazy. This was too much. Almasi could never leave Jacob now. And yet, she reminded herself, you would have to leave him at the end of the month anyway. And what was her alternative? Allowing Mr. Kofi k.u.mi to hold this information over her and eventually take it to Jacob and Mr. Arko k.u.mi? It would ruin her, and it would ruin Jacob. Perhaps this was the best way. Perhaps this was the choice she would have to make.

Mr. Kofi k.u.mi could see her thinking. "I will give you time to decide," he said. "Today is Sat.u.r.day, and my brother and I will be leaving a week from Sunday. You can think about it. But I warn you, if you say no, I will have no choice but to reveal everything."

He put his hands on Almasi's waist, and she could feel his breath, he was so close. "We could be something together," he told her. "Something more real than anything you have with Mr. Adamson." He leaned in and kissed her full on the lips. Then he let go. "Just think about it." And with that, he pocketed the diary, turned, and left.

Almasi sank to the ground. This was an impossible situation. What could she possibly do? Either choice was a complete betrayal against Jacob. She felt nauseous. Slowly, shakily, she stood up, and walked out of the lounge, down the hall, up the stairs, and toward the master bedroom. No, she decided. Jacob might be in there.

So instead, Almasi turned and opened the door of the guest room where she had stayed the night before her wedding. It was still the same as it had been nearly a month ago, the sheets neatly folded, and everything kept in perfect condition. The soft pink of the floral wallpaper and the duvet were comforting. Almasi took off her shoes and threw them aside.

She crawled into the bed and buried herself under the big, fluffy blankets. She wanted to die. Everything was too much. She began sobbing, and eventually she tired herself out and fell asleep. She would deal with this impossible situation when she woke up.

Chapter4.

A quiet knock on the door and the turn of the doork.n.o.b were what eventually awoke Almasi. Looking up blearily, she saw none other than Yifeng come into the room and close the door behind her.

"Almasi!" the young woman exclaimed. "There you are! I was looking all over for you, and Mr. Adamson said he had no idea where you had gone. You need to get dressed for dinner. Here, don't worry. You only slept for a couple of hours, and we still have some time to get you all ready. I'll bring your outfit to this room. Let me know if you need anything! You look exhausted," she said sympathetically. Then Yifeng turned and left to get the dresses, closing the door behind her.

Almasi sighed. Not only did she have to face her tormentor, Mr. Kofi k.u.mi, but she also had to look at her beloved husband, Jacob with the knowledge that she would be making a decision about how she would betray him soon. She sighed and stood up, walking to the mirror.

She looked at herself, and saw that she was a mess. Yifeng had left her a basin of water with a washcloth, so she wiped the dried salty tears off her face and began to go about fixing her hair. There was no point in looking sloppy, she decided. Even though she felt awful on the inside, she could still be a beautiful woman on the exterior.

There were seven days left of the visit before Mr. Arko k.u.mi and Mr. Kofi k.u.mi were to return to Ghana, and five more jewelry shop tours before Mr. Arko k.u.mi would be making a decision. Jacob was nervous to start the meeting, but he was also confident that Mr. k.u.mi would agree to his business proposal. The diamond company owner had initially seemed severe and very, very intimidating, but he had turned out to be a reasonable man, even if he was a little too staunchly set in his traditional conservative ways.

Jacob reported the day's events to the ever-faithful Jeremy at the end of each and every day, and Jeremy always had some excellent insights about how to get into Mr. Arko k.u.mi's favor. It had, after all, been one of Jeremy's brilliant insights that had gotten Jacob and Almasi together in the first place, and for that, Jacob was more grateful than he allowed himself to show.

Although Jeremy had initially been snarky about it, it was true that this madcap scheme had found Jacob real love at last. Jacob had been doing a lot of thinking, and no small amount of planning, too. He decided that after all of this was over, after the deal with k.u.mi Diamonds was sealed and the business partners had left for Ghana, Jacob would have a special diamond engagement ring made for Almasi.

Even though they were already married, he was going to propose to her properly this time. He was going to look his beautiful wife in the eyes and ask her to stay with him forever, and this time, he was going to mean it.

He would take her honestly, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, and all the rest of it. All of the vows he had mindlessly made when they had had their quick chapel wedding... they were going to really mean something now.

They had come to mean so much to Jacob, and if he was reading it right, Almasi felt the very same way toward him. So he would propose to her again, and they would be wedded not just lawfully, but lovingly. Jacob smiled just to think of it. He was so, so deeply in love.

Dinner was served at 7:00 as per usual, and Almasi showed up just in time to be kissed on the cheek by her husband and to smile wanly at him before Mr. Arko k.u.mi arrived, with Mr. Kofi k.u.mi coming right behind him.

Throughout the meal, Mr. Kofi k.u.mi did not treat Almasi any differently than usual, but she could feel his eyes on her as she ate her grilled chicken with apricot glaze. Leave it to Mr. Kofi k.u.mi to spoil one of my favorite meals, she thought angrily.

Her heart sank. This was the man she would have to leave this house with in order to save Jacob's business deal, his partnership with k.u.mi Diamonds. This was the man she would have to spend her days with, in order to save the one she really loved.

So she bravely smiled back at him when he smiled at her, and she laughed at his jokes and answered his questions. If she angered him, Almasi knew that she and Jacob would both pay for it. It would be best to just play along. She didn't know how long she could make this charade last, but as long as she had to, she would do it for Jacob. There was too much at stake to abandon him now.

As long as Mr. Kofi k.u.mi had her diary, he had all of the power over her in this game. So Almasi miserably chewed her food and played along. This was agony. The worst part was that n.o.body else even had so much as an inkling that Mr. Kofi k.u.mi's intentions were so sinister. He was a charming man, far more friendly than his brother, and Almasi knew that everyone liked him, and so, therefore, she could find no easily explainable reason to avoid him.

He was smiling at her again, and she had to smile back through clenched teeth. He made a joke, and everybody laughed. Even Jacob. Poor Jacob. If only there were some way to know about Mr. Kofi k.u.mi's true intentions, he would not be laughing. But there was nothing, not one single thing that Almasi could do. She was completely stuck.

"What is on the agenda for tomorrow, Mr. Adamson?" asked Mr. Kofi k.u.mi in a totally amicable and innocent tone. d.a.m.n him, thought Almasi. d.a.m.n him and his false charms.

"We're going to visit the jewelry shop in Campbelford. It is about an hour's drive away, but it is worth it to see one of the biggest stores in the Adamson Jewelry Inc. franchise," Jacob replied.

"Yes," added Mr. Arko k.u.mi. "I hear that it is one of your most prolific chains. We will see if it lives up to its reputation," he said meaningfully.

"Oh, believe you me, it will, Mr. k.u.mi," said Jacob jovially. "Campbelford is such an interesting little town. It's tucked a short distance away from the city, but it's full of affluent people who love to spend money on jewelry. And," he added pointedly, "It's a demographic that would very much be interested in buying diamond rings, earrings, necklaces, tiaras. You name it. Diamonds are the trend in that area."

Mr. Arko k.u.mi nodded. "It sounds promising," he said. "We shall see." And with that he launched back into a story about mine negotiations, and Mr. Kofi k.u.mi did not speak any more for the rest of the meal. Almasi avoided him on the way back, and she managed to spend the rest of the evening without any contact. By the time she got to bed, she was tired, and after a little bit of kissing and fooling around with Jacob, she said that she needed to sleep for the next day's visit. Jacob kissed her fondly, saying that he was proud of his wife for making such wise decisions. He went to sleep smiling, and a tear rolled down her cheek as she laid awake, listening to her wonderful husband breathing. What was to become of this?

The next morning, Almasi and Jacob woke up at the same time, and after a few kisses, took their breakfast in bed, got up to shower and get dressed, and prepared themselves for the very important day ahead. They had taken to showering together, lathering each other's bodies sensuously with the fancy scented soaps from the mansion-lavender, rose, pine, vanilla, olive oil, and rosemary-and making love gently in the warm, humid shower.

Jacob loved the way Almasi's b.r.e.a.s.t.s gleamed in the water, how wet and supple they would get, and the feeling of her soft skin. He would watch her as she moisturized afterwards, rubbing lotions sensually over her skin. When they were together in the shower, Almasi enjoyed running her hands across Jacob's st.u.r.dy body and making him get hard in excitement.

It was so spontaneous, and they both felt so safe, that they would make love right then and there, throwing caution to the wind and allowing the water to caress them as they caressed each other.

Almasi sometimes sighed just thinking about the times that they often shared in that hot, wet place. It was like a sanctuary in each other's arms, a safe oasis where they could be one without the cares of the business deal getting in their way. It felt safe, and it felt like being at home.

This morning was busy, but they still fit in time for a quick session of lovemaking in the shower. Then Almasi went to her dressing room and put on the dress that Yifeng had selected for her, a soft green silk thing with a halter top. Almasi put a matching clip in her hair-a golden dragonfly studded with emeralds. She smiled at her reflection in the mirror. She knew she was beautiful, and she felt like she was in her own right as the lady of this fancy house.

Her good mood was a little bit dampened by the knowledge that she would be seeing Mr. Kofi k.u.mi today, and that she had come one day closer to having to make her choice. But she refused to let that thought ruin her morning. She was too beautiful and happy for that.

The limousine ride was long, and even though they were mostly going straight on the freeway, Almasi felt nauseous for the entire ride. She could not wait to get out of the limo. She made small talk, as was expected of her, but her mind was wandering elsewhere. G.o.d, why was she so nauseous? It took all of the power she had not to throw up right then and there, in that fancy limousine.

After about half an hour, she disengaged from the conversation, and n.o.body seemed to notice. Finally, they arrived in Campbelford, and she managed to regain her composure after a few minutes in the fresh air. The town of Campbelford was small, but full of wealthy seniors and young married couples with plenty of disposable income. There were lots of trees around, and Almasi could hear a river babbling somewhere nearby. It was a pretty place-she could see how someone might want to spend their summers there, or even their retirement.

The store that they were inspecting was large and s.p.a.cious, with a number of different departments and a whole other section upstairs. The staff members on duty there were well prepared for this visit-they had all been strictly briefed by Jeremy, who had visited a few days before to make sure that everything would run smoothly, because this was the store inspection that would seal the deal.

Jacob was more than just a little bit nervous, but there was no use in letting his mind unravel with the anxiety he was feeling inside. Instead, he channeled his energy into making the day go as well as it could. He glanced at Almasi and smiled. This was going to be okay. As long as he had his beautiful wife with him, Jacob could do anything he set his mind to.