And then she saw the paper turkeys covering every surface in the room. The festive fall garland, the leaves decorating the perfectly set table.

“It’s Thanksgiving,” Pepper said, rushing up and grabbing her hand. “We’re having a real Thanksgiving dinner.”

As’ad appeared. “The kitchen staff have done their best. They have never had a Thanksgiving dinner, so they apologize in advance if they didn’t get everything exactly as you would have it.”

Thanksgiving? Here? She’d willed herself not to think about the holiday, but it had been difficult and much of the day she’d felt sad. To walk into this was more than she could have imagined.

Dana and Nadine moved next to her. Kayleen crouched down to hug all three girls. Still holding them close, she looked up at As’ad.

“Thank you,” she said, delighted by the surprise and feeling oddly emotional. “You’re very thoughtful.”

“I cannot take all the credit. Lina reminded me of the holiday and the girls helped with the preparations. Are you pleased?”

She rose and smiled at him. “Very. Thank you.”

She’d never expected the gesture. As’ad wasn’t who or what she’d expected. There was a kindness in him, a caring and sensitivity she hadn’t thought possible. He was the classic handsome prince, yet he wasn’t indifferent or selfish. He could have chosen to spend his life going to parties and hanging out with models and stars. Instead he worked hard and took in orphans.

It occurred to her that he was a good man, the sort of man she admired. The kind of man the Mother Superior had told her to look for when she left for college. Kayleen hadn’t found anyone remotely fitting that description during her four years away. How odd she should find him now…here in El Deharia.

As’ad poured her a glass of wine as the girls dragged her to the table. “What are you thinking?” he asked, passing her the glass.

“That you’re very unexpected.”

“I could say the same about you.”

His low voice made her insides quiver.

They served themselves from the buffet and then settled at the table. Kayleen said grace, then took her first bite of turkey.

“It’s delicious. Dana, what do you think?” She looked at the girl and was surprised to see tears in her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. This is nice. Thank you.” A tear rolled down her cheek.

Pepper was crying, as well, and Nadine was sniffing into her napkin.

“I miss my mom and dad,” Nadine whimpered. “I want to go home and be with them.”

“Me, too,” Dana said, and turned her gaze to As’ad. “You’re the prince. Can’t you do something?”

Kayleen felt helpless. What could she possibly say to make the situation better? She felt awful for the girls, because she understood what they were going through. Holidays were always a mixed blessing-she’d loved the specialness of the day, but it had also reminded her of how alone she was. How she had no family, no one who loved her best.

As’ad put his arm around Dana, then kissed the top of her head. “If only I could,” he said quietly. “I know your pain and can tell you with time, it will get better.”

“You can’t know that,” the preteen told him, her voice thick with bitterness. “You can’t know anything about it.”

“I lost my mother when I was very young. Kayleen grew up with no family. We understand exactly what you are feeling.”

Dana seemed to deflate. “That doesn’t help. I know it should, but it doesn’t. I want to go home.”

As’ad stared at her for a long moment, then said, “When I was about your age, I ran away. I was angry at my father for not recognizing that I was growing up, practically a man. I was tired of being sent away to school every year, of being different. A prince. You’ll find that out as you grow. To be royal defines one.”

“I’m not royal,” Dana told him.

He smiled at her. “You are now. You are my daughter.”

Dana fiddled with her fork. “What happened when you ran away?”

“I decided to become a camel dealer.”

All three of the girls stared at him. Kayleen tried not to laugh. “Really?” she asked.

“Yes. I thought I could make a good living selling camels. I took several from the royal stable, thinking I would use them to start my business.”

Her lips twitched, but she was determined to be serious. “There’s a royal camel stable?”

His dark gaze settled on her, seeming to caress her with a warm, tender touch. “Of course. There is a royal everything.”

Pepper took a bite of turkey and chewed. “Can I see the royal camels?”

“Certainly.”

“Do they look different than regular camels?” Nadine asked.

“They wear very small crowns.”

Dana grinned. “They do not.”

As’ad laughed. “You’re right. But they are a special breed. And they are extremely stubborn. I did not know this when I first took them, but soon they were leading me into the desert, rather than the other way around.”

Nadine giggled. Dana joined in. “What happened?” she asked.

As’ad wove a funny tale about a boy and four stubborn, angry camels, a lost night in the desert and many disasters. By the time he was done, all three sisters had finished their dinner, gotten seconds and were eyeing the pie. The tears were gone, as were the bad memories.

This is what they would remember about their first Thanksgiving in El Deharia, Kayleen thought as she tucked them in and kissed them good-night. As’ad’s story would be a part of their history and they would remember it and him for the rest of their lives.

He’d escorted them down to their suite and had waited while they got ready for bed. As she walked back into her living room, she saw he’d started a fire in the fireplace and made himself at home on the large sofa across from the flickering flames.

“It’s not exactly chilly outside,” she told him, knowing it made sense to sit next to him, but suddenly feeling shy.

“I thought you would appreciate the ambience. More memories of home, but happy ones I hope.”

She walked over to the sofa and sat down at the far end. “There are a lot of happy ones,” she said, then turned to him. “Thank you for tonight. For the surprise and for helping the girls through a difficult time. This is their first holiday season without their parents and it’s going to be hard for them.”

“They will need both of us to get through,” he said.

“I agree.” She was a little surprised that he saw it that way, though. “I didn’t think you wanted much to do with them.”

“They are charming girls with much potential. I find I enjoy spending time with them.”

“I’m glad.”

“And you?” he asked, his dark gaze seeming to see into her soul. “What do you think of them?”

“I adore them. Why do you ask?”

“Because you plan to leave them.”

She opened her mouth, then closed it. Embarrassment made her stare at the fire. She battled guilt, as if she’d done something wrong. She knew she should have talked to him before-so he learned of her plans from her and not someone else. But she’d been afraid of what he would think of her.

“They told you,” she murmured.

“Dana said you planned to return home on your twenty-fifth birthday. That you would lock yourself away and teach at the convent school.”

When he said it, her dreams seemed small and pointless. “As you say, it’s my home.”

“A place we cannot always return to. What of your commitment to the girls?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I haven’t really thought anything through. This was planned a long time ago. I didn’t expect to be their nanny.”

“You are the one who insisted I adopt them. You are the most stable adult presence in their lives. Would you subject them to more upheaval by leaving them so soon after they came to be here? Are they nothing to you?”

“No. Of course not.” She hated what he was saying. “I don’t know what I was going to do. Of course I’d help you hire someone else. Someone to replace me.”

“Would you? Or was your plan to take them with you?”

She ducked her head. “I thought of that, too.”

“Did you think that would be allowed? This is El Deharia. No one may take royal children from the country without their parents’ permission. I will not give it.”

Kayleen could only stare at him. Of course. Thanks to her, he was their father and his rules applied. She hadn’t thought that part through, either.

“It’s all a mess.”

“No decision has to be made now,” he said. “We will find a solution together. Do you have any other secrets you are keeping from me?”

“What? No. Never. And I would have told you about leaving.” She leaned toward him. “As’ad, I wasn’t trying to trick you about anything. I was desperate for Tahir not to take the girls back to his village.”

Somehow he wasn’t at the far end of the sofa anymore, she thought as he reached out and lightly stroked her cheek. “I believe you.”

“Good, because it’s true. I just…” She had a hard time stringing words together. His touch was very distracting. “I love your country. It’s beautiful. I love the modern city and the wildness of the desert. I love your people, the kindness of them. You were right about Tahir only wanting to do the right thing, even if I don’t agree with him. I’ve been learning so much about the villages while researching my project for you. This is an amazing place.”

“But it is not home?”

She shook her head slowly. “I feel safe at the convent. That probably sounds stupid to a man like you.”

“Feeling safe is important, especially when one did not grow up with that benefit. But there is so much more for you to experience than what you will find behind the convent walls.”

“I like the convent walls.”

“They lock you in.”

“They shelter you.”

He smiled gently. “From life. That is not a good thing.”