She’s planning a trip? With Seth?He frowned.Is he her boyfriend? He resisted the urge to ask her about it. It was none of his business. And she’d told him earlier that she wasn’t dating anyone.
“Coming back inside?” he asked.
“Yeah, I’m sorry about that. It was just a friend of mine.”
Karthik nodded but didn’t say anything in response.
“Actually, that wedding I need a plus-one for?” Meghna continued. “It’s his.”
So, not a boyfriend, then. Something odd rushed through his body. It felt a lot like…relief? He rubbed his chest absently. It couldn’t be that. Maybe it was indigestion.
“Okay,” he said. “You still need to send me the date for that.”
“I do,” she replied. “I’ll send it tomorrow.” She smiled, slightly hesitant.
“I like your brother,” he said.
Her smile grew. “He’s a brat. But I love him,” she said. “It seemed like he liked you too.”
“I take it you haven’t told him about us? The truth, I mean.”
“No, but I will. Soon.” A determined look settled over her face.
“I know you told Ankita,” he said.
“How?”
“She threatened me.”
“What?” she exclaimed.
“It was a kind threat,” he reassured her. “As far as threats go.”
She breathed out a laugh. “That sounds like her.”
“She was looking for you, by the way,” he said.
She nodded, and they went back inside, the loud music immediately enveloping them. She moved in a hurry, but he placed a hand on her arm to catch her attention.
“I’m going to grab a drink and meet up with you in a bit,” he said. He didn’t know what Ankita wanted to discuss with Meghna, but he doubted she wanted him to tag along. “Want me to get you anything?”
She declined, and they parted ways. Karthik headed in the direction of the bar, hoping he’d be able to navigate his way there and back in one piece.
—
Meghna stepped back into the chaos of the room, slightly unsettled, though she couldn’t figure out why. The pulsing lights and overwhelming music did little to help her introspection. She scanned the room forAnkita, but she could only find her parents sitting where she’d left them.
“Mom, do you know where Ankita is?”
Her mother stood up and grasped Meghna’s hands. “Beta, we love Karthik. He seems so smart.” She waggled her eyebrows. “And looks it too.”
“Yes, he’s great. But did you see where Ankita went?”
“And it was nice of him to comeall the wayfrom New York.”
“So nice,” Meghna said. “But I was asking…”
“You’re lucky, you know? Not everyone can find someone like that.”
