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Dina couldn’t help but roll her eyes. He was laying it on with a trowel now. Beside her, Lucky snorted. Arshad turned to him.

“Something wrong, Lucky?” Arshad asked.

“Plenty,” Lucky said. “I’m too hungry to get into it now. Let’s order. We’re here to eat, right? I was promised a fancy brunch.” He smiled at Aliyah, who smiled back shyly. Something in Dina’s gut tightened at the sight.

The server, sensing the group had dispensed with their preliminary conversation, approached the table and began taking orders. Afterward, Arshad resumed his charm offensive, this time targeting Aliyah.

“When do you start at Crescent Construction?” Arshad asked.

“Next month, inshallah,” she replied. Dina noticed her tone was cool when she addressed Arshad. A smarter woman than her, she thought ruefully. Dina had been entirely taken in by Arshad’s suavity at first. Then she paused, thinking: Was that even true? She had liked Arshad during law school, but her feelings hadn’t turned to attraction until after Lucky disappeared from her life.

“We’re hoping to give Aliyah more than one reason to stay in Chicago,” Yahya Uncle said, smiling at his niece.

“Did Mom and Dad put you up to this?” she asked her uncle before she turned to Dina. “A girl turns thirty and it’s like all the alarms went off in my mom’s head at once. It’s not that easy to find a nice, stable, available Muslim man these days.”

“You clearly bring a lot to the table,” Arshad said to Aliyah. “Just make sure whoever you marry signs a prenup so you’re protected from someone who would take advantage.” He looked at Lucky, his expression pointed.

“Good advice,” Dina hurried to interject. “My father had the same thought, which is why Arshad signed a prenup before our marriage too. He doesn’t get a penny if the marriage ends due to adultery or criminal offenses.”

Arshad laughed and reached for his glass of water. “Like I said, always a good idea to protect yourself,” he agreed.

“I’ll go check on our order,” Dina said and got up before anyone could object. She needed a break from her husband—and from the shimmering potential of whatever was happening between Lucky and Aliyah.

Chapter Twenty

Arshad was waiting for her in the small hallway outside the bathrooms.

“You’re not living up to your end of our bargain, Dina,” he said shortly.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Dina said, trying to edge past him, but he blocked her way.

“I set up this meeting to help Haq Law. Somehow Hania managed to land a whale. Samir’s family did eight figures in business last year alone. We need to take advantage while your sister still has Samir’s attention. Your father is counting on us.”

Dina stared at him, not sure where to start. “I don’t believe you. I’m starting to think you set this meeting up yourself,” she said slowly.

He huffed. “Your dad will be happy once we have a deal signed with Crescent. I’m looking ahead to the future.”

“Your future,” she corrected. “Does this deal have anything to do with that phone call you took at the mehndi?”

He shook his head, disdainful and dismissive as he usually was when there were no witnesses to his behavior. “You need to talk to someone, Dina, before these intrusive thoughts take over.”

“I’m having a thought right now,” Dina said, sticking out her middle finger. “Let’s see if you can pick up on it.”

“Just remember, the only reason I’m here is because you insisted we keep our private life to ourselves. You were the one who refused to tell your parents we separated and who wanted to keep playing happy couple even after we divorced. You owe me.”

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. “Do you enjoy this? All these games you play, trying to outmaneuver everyone around you, always competing and strategizing, never satisfied with what you have?”

Her ex-husband stared at her as if he didn’t understand the question. “Of course I do. This is what we do, Dina. We’re sharks, always hunting. If we stop, we die.”

She shook her head. “I don’t want to live like this anymore,” she said quietly.

He rolled his eyes. “It’s a little late to change strategy, Dina. I really don’t have time for your hysterics. Back me up when you get out there, sell this partnership between Haq Law and Crescent Construction, or else.” He walked away, leaving her fuming.

Dina spun around, not sure if she was about to march out of the restaurant or cry in the bathrooms—and came face-to-face with Aliyah, who had clearly overheard her conversation with Arshad.

“I tried to make as much noise as possible, but you and Arshad were really getting into it. I promise I didn’t hear much. Or anything,” Aliyah said, but her guilty expression proclaimed otherwise.

Dina sighed. “I would appreciate if you kept whatever you heard . . . or didn’t hear . . . to yourself,” she said.