I grin. “No taksie backsies.”
She narrows her eyes immediately. “Did you just—”
I raise a hand slightly in defense, smiling sheepishly. “My niece. I promise. I don’t use that language voluntarily.”
Her lips twitch. And then—She chuckles. It’s small. Brief. But it’s there. I mentally do a full victory dance and make a note to thank Rudrani later.
She exhales like she’s already tired of me. “I like white,” she answers finally, almost reluctantly. “You?”
“Brown,” I reply without thinking.
She glances at me again, a little surprised at how fast that answer came.
I don’t explain it.
I don’t tell her it’s because of the exact shade of her eyes. The way they catch light differently depending on her mood. The way they soften when she laughs and sharpen when she’s annoyed.
Yeah, not saying that out loud.
“You have a niece?” she asks after a moment.
I smile without realizing it. “Yeah. Rudrani. You might love her.”
“Why?” she asks, skeptical.
“Because she’s mean,” I say simply, glancing at her. “You’re both mean to me.” I pout slightly for effect.
She chuckles again, shaking her head. “In that case, I might.”
I grin. “What about you?” I ask. “Any tiny humans in your life who terrorize you?”
Her smile fades. Not dramatically. Just…quietly.
“None,” she says, shrugging lightly. I hum.
Wrong question.
I can feel it immediately—the shift in her. The way her shoulders stiffen just a little, the way her gaze drops for a second before she looks back out the window.
I hate that. Before I can change the topic, she speaks again. “When I said I have no one…” she says, turning slightly toward me, a small smile on her lips that doesn’t reach her eyes. “I meant no one.”
She shrugs like it’s nothing. Like it’s just a fact. Something in my chest tightens. “That’s bullshit,” I say, sharper than I intend. She looks at me, surprised. “You have me now,” I add, softer this time, glancing at her with a small grin.
Her expression shifts again. Confused. Amused. Guarded.
“Maybe,” she says, a hint of a smile returning. “You’re very irritating though.”
I smile. “Keep the compliments coming, Sunshine. I love them.”
She glares at me—but there’s a smile tugging at her lips. And a laugh bursts out of me. “Favorite food?” I ask, deciding to keep her talking.
She hums thoughtfully, her lips forming a slight pout as she thinks. And I swear to God, that expression alone should be illegal. “It has to be Maggi,” she says finally. “I eat it almost every day and I’m still not bored.”
I nearly slam the brakes. “Maggi every day?” I stare at her. “That’s not an acceptable diet, Ms. Vyas.”
She laughs, leaning back in her seat. “I know basic cooking. I just don’t like doing it.”
“That’s it,” I shake my head. “I will bring your lunch and dinner from now on.”
