When Life Gives You Lemons (Sun Tower, #1)

by Noor Sasha

“Do you love me even in your nightmares?” “You are my nightmare, Alina,” Azeer teases back with a sluggish smirk on his lips.

“I love you, too, Azeer. I love, love, love you. I love you so much that words can hardly do justice to the depth of my feelings.” My head dips and crowns Zoha with a kiss. “I love you for bringing this bundle of happiness into my life. I love you for allowing me to call her my daughter. For letting her call me Mama. I love you for making my dreams of becoming a mother come true.”

Finally, he draws back, his affectionate expression still lingering. “Question.” “Yes?” He narrows his eyes. “Do you love me more than the men in your books?” I snort. “Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves.”

“Don’t be mean,” I whisper. “None of this is his fault.” “Whoever makes you cry, directly or indirectly, is at fault.” He kisses away my tears, fixing his blazer over my shoulders.

I spin around to find him leaning in the doorway, arms and ankles casually crossed. It’s such a simple pose, yet its effect is mesmerizing. “Is this where you conducted your research, Dr. Khan?” “This, Alina jaan, is my gift to you.” My jaw drops to the Earth’s core. “You’re gifting me a library full of classics and romance novels?” He shrugs nonchalantly. Flashes me a lopsided grin. “The best for my blessing.”

My husband has surprised me with a library, a cornucopia filled with all my favourite books. “Azeer, I’m going to cry again!” “Please, don’t—” Too late.

“I love kissing you,” he murmurs softly. I wrap my arms back around his neck. “You are deserving of all my kisses, meri jaan.”

“Do you want to read a romance book with me for research purposes, Dr. Khan?” His brown eyes soften, and soon, I’m whisked up into his arms. “I’d even read blank pages with you, Alina jaan.”

“You have alarms for my medication time?” “Only because I know your empty head would forget.”

We can continue this later, but not while I’m on the phone with my sister,” I explain, my eyes locking with her impatient, doe-eyed ones. “Your friend is speaking another language, Asseer.” “It’s a natural reaction when you’re half naked and biting my skin like a fucking vampire, Nuisance.”

“I need you to know that no matter what you’re going through, every fibre of my being cherishes you, and I wouldn’t dream of changing a single thing about you,” Azeer whispers, his words like a balm to my fresh scars.

“I’m grateful to God for allowing me to exist in the exact timeline as you, Alina jaan.”

You could have any woman—” “Don’t finish that goddamn sentence, Alina.” Azeer turns me by the shoulders so we sit face to face. He cups my jaw from below and looks past the mirrors of my soul. “You are more than enough for me. You are everything I’ve ever wanted and more.” “Azeer—” “You. Are. Everything.”

“Would you choose me again?” “Gross, no.” But then she smiles and cuts off my riposte with her soft, plush lips. “In every universe, I’d choose you, Asseer.” “Don’t you dare forget it, Nuisance.”

I am so incredibly lucky to have him in my life, someone who understands my struggles and finds ways to support and help me through them. And I know that no matter what happens, this simple bathroom counter will always remind us of a safe space to share our thoughts and feelings.

Knowing my wife is swiping my credit card to make unnecessary, over-expensive purchases brings me joy.

She reaches inside the bowl without even looking and crushes the cupcake. Fuck me. “Ew, ew, ew! What the hell?” Alina wrings her head clean from the frosting, getting the crumbs and cream on my sweatpants. I don’t know if I want to choke her or choke her.

I snatch the bowl from her and pick out the ring. “Zoha, start recording.” “What’s going on?” “Shut it, Nuisance!” I turn off the movie and clear my throat, getting down on one knee. Fuck, okay. I’m doing this. Even if it wasn’t how I envisioned it. But then again, nothing with Alina has been how I envisioned it. “Alina Azlan—” “Oh my god,” she breathes out. “You’re actually doing this?” “Shut— Yes, Alina jaan. Yes, I am doing this. I’ve wanted to do this for a while now, so just let me do my thing. I’m really anxious right now, and I’m pretty sure I’ll start crying any second.”

You can do this. You can do this, Azeer. But my mouth feels like a desert, and she’s like a mirage of beauty sitting before me, making me feel like a teenager again. Alina takes the ring box from my hand and places it aside. “Sit down.” “But—” “Shut it, Asseer.

She sits Zoha onto my lap, quickly pulls my ring from my finger, and replaces it with her ring in the box. Then she gets down on one knee and . . . proposes to me. What the fuck? “Azeer Khan—” “No.” “Let me finish.” “You’re not proposing to me, Alina. That’s my job!” “Well, you failed, so I’m taking the reins and asking you to marry me again. Marry me on your own terms. Marry me because you choose to, not because you are forced to. Marry me and make me Zoha’s mother again. Make me your wife again. Give me your last name a trillion times.” She scoops my hand into her impossibly soft ones. “Will you marry me again, Azeer jaan?” Fuck, I think I am going to cry. “Say yes!” Zoha hisses, pushing the camera into my face. “Because if you don’t say yes, I’ll freakin’ force you—” “Yes,” I whisper. “Yes. God, yes, I’ll marry you, Alina jaan.”

“Alina Azlan, I wish to spend the rest of my years with you, and even if we don’t believe in the afterlife, I will spend all my years with you then, too. So, will you please, please marry me again?”

“Hmm, I don’t know. Let me think about it, and I’ll let you know in three to five business days.” Zoha giggles as I look into the camera with a deadpan expression. “My wife, ladies and gentle—” Suddenly, my mask is ripped from my face. Soft lips crash onto mine, and even softer arms wrap around my neck, slender fingers threading through my hair.

“I can’t wait to make you my husband again, meri jaan. Seriously, on our wedding night, I will give you the best blow—” My hand slaps over her mouth. “Keep it G-rated for now.” I peek at Zoha, sit...

Love was my biggest fear; now, it’s my greatest feat.

With a soft sigh, she rests her face in the crook of my neck, kissing my rapid pulse and wrapping her arm around Zoha. “All. Mine.” “Yours, Mama.” “Yours, Alina jaan.”