Sunday Snippet

Finding Our Morning

Mickie B. Ashling

All Rights Reserved 

They made the rounds, and Ginny was gratified to see the look of surprise—and admiration—from many of her father’s clients when they realized that here was the elusive daughter who was neither a nitwit nor an abomination. They were interested in her intelligent commentary on the game they’d observed, plying her with questions relating to quality stock and breeding, which she answered without hesitation.

She turned during one of the conversations and caught a glimpse of Dariush, who was on the other side of the room. He caught her eye, and she quickly lowered her gaze, focusing on her sandals. She didn’t know why, but her cheeks felt like they’d been singed in a brush fire. He surprised her by closing the gap with purposeful strides.

“Excuse me,” he said in a well-modulated voice with a hint of an accent. “I was wondering if I might introduce myself.”

Flattered by his attention, although definitely starstruck, Ginny tamped down her nerves, raised her chin, and extended her hand without hesitation.

“Ginny Tate,” she said softly.

He bowed, and for one insane second, she thought he was going to kiss the top of her hand, but he quickly straightened his back, and drank in her features with candid interest before offering, “My name is Dariush Akbari, but some of my friends call me David. I’ll answer to either.”

“David, it is,” Ginny responded, followed by an embarrassed giggle. He hadn’t released her hand and it threw her for a loop. Nonetheless, she masked her confusion with small talk. “Dariush suits you, but David rolls off my tongue a lot easier.”

When he chuckled at her unguarded response, a tiny dimple showed up on one cheek, softening his countenance dramatically. David’s winged eyebrows, slightly hooked nose, and piercing black eyes framed by curly, long lashes gave him a fierce look, but his generous mouth curved into a smile easily, and it offset her first impression.

“Don’t think twice about it,” he said graciously. “A lot of people struggle with my name.”

His reply furthered Ginny’s assessment. Despite his relationship to royalty, he appeared down-to-earth and approachable. “Did you switch to David on purpose?”

“I mostly use Dariush when I’m around other Persians. I’ve been living in your country for the last nine years,” David shared. “My name changed rather organically. Some days, I feel more American than Persian.”

“Persian?”

“The names Iran and Persia are often used interchangeably to describe the same country.”

“Why?”

“It’s complicated,” David explained. “Persia was the official name of my country prior to 1935. It was a part of the vast lands that made up the ancient Persian Empire. People within the country have long called it Iran, but in 1935, the name was officially acknowledged by the Western world.”

“So they are one and the same?”

“No,” David said patiently. “But I’d rather not go into specifics. Let’s just say I prefer the appellation, Persian rather than Iranian.”

Ginny didn’t understand the difference, but she was willing to call him whatever was necessary to keep him close. Was he even aware they were still holding hands?

PREORDER: FINDING OUR MORNING