Staff Feature: Alyssa Schwarz
Clutching her camera to her chest, Emily side-stepped as two donkeys lumbered past. Tassels and tiny brass bells swung from their harnesses as they quickly disappeared into the bustling marketplace.
She snapped another photo, focusing her lens on the pyramids of golden turmeric, fiery paprika, and toasted cumin beside a display of Persian rugs which fluttered in the dry breeze.
A kaleidoscope of colors flashed with the click of a button, another souvenir to add to her collection. She’d edit the photos once she was back on the tour bus with the rest of her church’s group. It would be another long drive to the Dead Sea, and she aimed to make the most of her remaining time in the Holy City.
“Excuse me, how much for these silk scarves?” The peacock colors shimmered like the Mediterranean as the fabric slipped through her fingers. She didn’t have much room in her suitcase, but her mom would kill her if she didn’t bring home at least a few souvenirs.
The aged woman seated beside the display didn’t stir. Emily was debating whether or not to wake her when an older gentleman with a neatly trimmed beard shuffled forward.
“Assalam alaikum.” His silvery head dipped toward her in a slight bow.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know any Arabic.” Where was Josh when she needed him? As the missions director for their church, it seemed he spoke at least a dozen languages. A skill which he’d already used once or twice to come to her rescue in the past week. His broad shoulders and unusually tall height typically made it easy to spot him, but the congested alleys of the old city had swept him away with the rest of her group.
The man smiled at her, deepening the wrinkles in his olive skin. He pointed a finger at her, then the scarf, before slipping it from the rack.
“I’m sorry, I thought it was for sale and—”
She ground to a halt as he draped the jewel toned fabric across her shoulders. Another smile. Another flurry of foreign words she didn’t understand.
“Yes, it’s incredibly beautiful. How much?” She reached into her pocket and withdrew a handful of nickel and bronze coins.
The man pressed calloused hands over hers and shook his head. “No buy. Much beauty.”
“Yes, it is very beautiful.”
The man’s smile dipped, and again, he pointed at her. “Beauty.” He then motioned to himself and the sleeping woman beside them. “Son, handsome.”
“I’m sorry, what?” Despite the sheerness of the fabric, moisture pricked the back of her neck.
“Son, good man. Many camels. You meet.” His black eyes peered down at her in earnest.
Wait, what exactly was happening?
This man couldn’t possibly think she’d want to… what? Marry his son for a camel? That only happened in the movies, right? I mean, what kind of person expected a total stranger to marry their son? Emily took a step backward and bumped into the scarf display.
“I’m sure your son is a lovely man and will one day make another woman very happy.” Just not her. Oh, why hadn’t she listened to Josh and stayed with the group?
Scooting sideways toward the exit, she nearly jumped when a sturdy hand clasped her shoulder from behind. Whirring around, she collided with a solid chest, then looked up to see Josh peering down at her.
It took only a moment for his eyes to skip from her to the merchant and back, mouth dipping into a concerned line. “I thought we’d lost you. You okay?” He didn’t remove his hand, the solid weight a welcome comfort.
She nodded, face beginning to burn as she realized she’d have to fill him in. “I will be as soon as you tell this very nice man I don’t want to marry his son.”
Josh hiked an eyebrow. “This ought to be a good story.”
So much for being her hero. “Would you stop smiling at me like that? I’ll explain, just translate. Please.”
The sparkle in his eyes said he was holding back laughter as he turned to the older gentleman. Emily didn’t understand a word that passed between them, the rhythmic flow like a strange music as she listened to Josh wield words like magic.
The music stopped, along with the man’s smile. Josh nodded again, causing the man to toss up his hands and shuffle away.
“What did you say to him?” Emily whispered to Josh, who was currently grinning.
“I told him you were worth at least four camels. He doesn’t seem to agree, which is all the better for me.”
What? “You didn’t.” She wanted to knock the smirk right off his handsome face. “You’re supposed to be rescuing me, not selling me to the highest bidder.”
He nodded, causing a brown curl of hair to sweep over his forehead. “You’re absolutely correct. But the man did get something right, at least.”
“And what’s that?” The end of the scarf slipped from her shoulder, but before she could rehang it on the rack, Josh reached out and tucked it back in place.
He stilled as his fingers brushed her bare neck, face relaxing into the softest of smiles, making her chest constrict. “You are beautiful.”
Her face felt as warm as his looked. He held her gaze for another few seconds before clearing his throat and taking a step back. “What I meant to say was, the turquoise really brings out the color of your eyes.”
Mm-hmm. That was exactly why he looked like a sunburnt tourist right now. It didn’t take a translator to know what he’d meant, and she found she quite liked the thought of him getting tongue-tied because of her.
Emily looked up at him, noticing the dimples framing his mouth and the way his eyes grew more blue the longer they stood together in comfortable silence.
He smiled, then so did she.
Looks she wouldn’t be going home empty-handed after all.
Alyssa is the author of three novels and a novella in the Prescott Family Romance series. Her latest release, A Midsummer Romance, is part of the multi-author Summer in Wild Rose Ridge series, available now.
Connect with Alyssa on Facebook, Instagram, BookBub, Goodreads, Pinterest, or her website.
Spark Flash Fiction 