He laughed at the unexpected response. “Very well, Ms. Collins. You may restore my car. The deal will be the same as the one I negotiated with your father. You have six weeks to restore her to her former glory.”

“Six weeks and an unlimited budget.”

“Exactly. Someone on my staff will show you to your room. While you are employed here, you will be my guest in the palace.”

“I need to collect my things from the hotel.”

“They will be brought here to you.”

“Of course they will,” she murmured. “If the sun is a little too bright, can you move it?”

“With the right motivation.” He eyed her. “I do not appear to intimidate you. Why is that?”

“You’re just some guy with a car and a checkbook, Prince Qadir.”

“In other words, a job.”

“A really great job, but a job. When this is done, I’ll go home to my real life and you’ll have the sweetest ride in El Deharia. We’ll both get what we want.”

Qadir smiled. “I always do.”

Maggie refused to think about how much per minute she was paying on her calling card as the phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Jon, it’s me.”

“Did you get it?”

Maggie threw herself back on the massive bed in her large suite. A suite that was even bigger than the one at the hotel. “Of course. Was there any doubt?”

“He was expecting your dad.”

“I know, but I dazzled him with my charm.”

Jon laughed. “Maggie, you don’t have any charm. Did you bully him? I know you bullied him.”

“He’s a prince, which makes him immune to the whole bullying thing. Besides, I’m a nice person.”

“Mostly, but you’re also driven and determined. I know you.”

“Better than anyone,” she agreed, keeping her voice light despite the sudden tightness in her chest. Losing her dad had been the worst thing that had ever happened to her, but losing Jon had been nearly as bad. Jon had been her best friend, her first lover…pretty much everything.