Misfit in Love (Saints and Misfits #2) - S. K. Ali Page 0,20

and addresses Sarah. “Don’t get him involved in the prep. The guy can’t keep anything to himself. If you tell him it’s a secret, he’ll just avoid being around anyone and everyone, because he knows he’s going to leak the information.”

Really? I’m surprised. He’s always struck me as someone who you could trust with your biggest secret. Well, that was because he did keep mine before, the terrible secret of my assault, while helping me feel ready to talk about it.

But, of course, Nuah’s sister would know him best.

“He’s such a cutie,” Sarah says, writing on the purple clipboard she’s assigning Khadija. “He must be a hit at college, especially at the MSA, being so sweet and with those eyes.”

“Oh, I’m sure of it. Though he’s into someone. Majorly.” Khadija rubs her belly now in slow, circular motions and turns to me. “Don’t mind me. This is something I’ve read is good for the baby. You know, like a massage. Especially while I’m talking, so Maysarah knows it’s her mama who’s showing her this love.”

“Absolutely adore that name. Especially since it has SARAH in it,” Sarah laughs.

“It was Lateef’s choosing,” Khadija says. “He’s lucky I liked it right away.”

I want Khadija to back up.

Nuah. Into. Someone.

Me.

Nuah told his sister about me.

But how to get her to pedal back to the topic without giving myself away?

Lucky for me, Sarah saves the day. “You said he’s into someone? That’s so cute! Who?” She turns to me. “We get Nuah gossip! Which is rare. The guy keeps such a low profile.”

“I don’t know who it is. All he said is that she’s really hard to get. And he’s worried about that.”

“Khadija. I’m so shocked you wouldn’t ask details. Come on, what kind of big sis are you?” Sarah tut-tuts and crosses off something on the clipboard. “When Dawud grows up and confides something like that in me, I will immediately set out to amass a wiki’s worth of information on the girl.”

“He told me just as we were arriving here, like literally five minutes before we opened the car door. I’ll take my big-sis cred back, thanks.” She stands and stretches. “And that, girls, is not the most comfortable chair. Especially for my butt right now.”

I hope I’m not turning red, or even slightly pink. Though I don’t know if anyone would see. It’s almost Maghrib, so there’s darkness descending.

He talked about me to his sister right before he got here.

Something that feels like it’s flicking on and off takes over my body. I pull my knees up close to my chest and hug them to keep the feeling from exploding out of me.

It’s joy.

How am I going to make sure I don’t burst with joy being around him this weekend?

But he thinks I’m hard to get.

No. I’m going to make sure he knows that’s not true.

I’m going to let myself be got.

“Janna? Have you heard anything we’re saying? About organizing Logan, Luke, and Dawud to pass out the wedding favors?” Sarah waves her hand in front of my face.

“That’s on my clipboard. I already know about that.” I let go of my legs and stand up slowly to join Khadija. The floorboards are definitely not good for butts, even unpregnant ones, either.

“But could you update it that they’re to pass them out the minute the nikah is done? Because I’m adding a slip of paper with a dua we want everyone to say right after, so we have to make sure people have it on them. So they can join Amu.”

I write this to-do down in my phone, smiling at the thought of seeing my uncle again. Besides officiating, he’s also giving the wedding sermon—which I helped him edit.

A message pings on my phone. It’s an unfamiliar number.

I open it just as Sarah’s phone rings. She takes a look at the ID and moves off the gazebo to answer.

My message is from Haytham.

Taking votes for movie night: Star Wars or Stardust?

Princess Bride

Oh ok

It’s on the movie schedule

Sorry, didn’t know there was a schedule

On the basement fridge

Right. Ok setting up princess bride

Before I click off, I hesitate on whether to save Haytham’s contact on my phone.

When I look up from adding it, Khadija’s staring at Sarah. Well, Sarah’s back.

She’s wandering farther and farther away, phone to her ear, not toward the water or the house but to the far right of the house, where the neatly mowed field ends at the beginning of the forest that leads to a second beach, one with