Her mouth fell open and she stared back at him. He was letting her go? That easily? After acting so jealous? After all the gifts he’d gotten her?

“Goodbye Volkan,” she said, backing away from him.

He didn’t speak or try to stop her. He just watched as she turned her back on him and walked away.

Chapter Nine

“Mother.”

Volkan approached Narin Kartel where she was sitting elegantly in a chair on the patio next to the pool, her legs crossed at the ankles and tucked under the chair, a porcelain teacup with a delicate rose pattern next to her lacquer-tipped nails. The backdrop of the massive, white-painted, glass-windowed house behind her looked like it could be a postcard. The Black Sea, which was at the back of the property, sparkled a spectacular blue, finishing the image.

“Volkan,” she said, pleasure at seeing her eldest son clear in her voice. “You’re home early.”

“Yes, I finished my business in Canada and wanted to discuss something with you.”

He leaned down to kiss her cheek and she kissed him back before he dropped onto the outdoor sofa next to the chair his mother occupied. Spreading his arms across the back cushion, he breathed in the scent of salty sea air and the sweet fragrance of the estate’s hibiscus bushes, while simultaneously enjoying the sunshine on his face. He didn’t mind travelling, but his heart lay in his home country.

Narin gazed at her son with pride. “It’s always a good day when my son is in residence. What did you want to discuss?”

“I’m getting married.”

She stilled, but her expression didn’t change. Her face was smooth and pleasant, but Volkan knew his mother, knew she had her opinions. He could sense her worry at the prospect of him getting remarried.

He pushed forward. “She’s Canadian, from Ontario. A student of archaeology. When she graduates in a few months, she’ll come here to live and we’ll have the wedding shortly after. Do you think you can have everything ready in time?”

At the mention of a wedding, her eyes lit up with anticipation. “Of course I can put together a wedding on short notice. Who do you think you’re talking to?”

Volkan chuckled and leaned back in his seat, relaxing. Mention the prospect of planning a large, elaborate party and his mother instantly forgot all her previous reservations.

“What is your soon-to-be bride’s name?” Narin asked, pulling out her phone, opening her notes app, and looking at him expectantly.

Volkan grinned. “Her name is Yasmin Mahdi.” He spelled it for her.

“What does she like?” Narin asked, typing out Yasmin’s name. “What is her favourite colour? What’s her family like?”