I run my fingers over it, but Nikhil stops me, his hand closing around mine.
“What is this?” I ask, but he doesn’t respond. Not with words. He just lifts my hand, running it down the line of the chain, until we reach the front. My fingers coast over something hard and round, and I pull his necklace out from under his shirt.
Two small gold loops hang like pendants on his chain, and all the air leaves my lungs.
It’s his ring. And mine.
“You kept them?” I ask softly.
“I wear them,” he says. A small, almost sheepish smile plays at the corners of his mouth. “I just never…I couldn’t…Even when I stopped wearing it on my hand it never felt right not to have it. I couldn’t seem to take it off.”
My lips return to his, closing the gap between us, and he returns my kiss with equal fervor.
“I wish I’d kept mine,” I tell him. “I wish I’d taken it with me.”
“It’s yours,” he says. “I’ve just been holding on to it. Keeping it safe. But it’s always been yours.I’vealways been yours.”
Our mouths meet again, and we stay that way for a long moment, until Nikhil breaks away.
“So,” he says, a moment later, slightly out of breath. “We’re still married.”
“Yeah,” I say, in a bit of a daze, still running my fingers over the rings. Still reeling. Still processing everything that’s happened.
“What does that mean for you?” Shadows cross his face. “With the race and with…yourex?” He says the word tentatively, hopefully, and I immediately reassure him.
“Yes. That’s…I ended things with Shake. And the race…Well.” I lift a shoulder. “I’m not running for office anymore either.”
Nikhil’s frame relaxes a fraction, then grows tense again. “What? Yes, you are. Why would that change anything? Why wouldn’t you—”
I sigh. “It was kind of a package deal. Me and him. Running together. Working with the advisory group. They were his contacts, so maybe they’ll keep working with Shake, but I don’t think they’d want to work with just me.”
Nikhil raises his eyebrows. “So, that’s it? You’re going to go back to your old job?”
“No. I’m going to move here. To be with you.”
His entire being brightens with joy, radiating pure sunshine. I bask in it for a moment, allowing it to scatter some of my lingering unease. I hadn’t fully thought through what might happen after I bought the inn back. I hadn’t allowed myself to hope that Nikhil and I might be able to mend things. But in this moment, I’m sure. I don’twant to go back to the job I had before. It was once everything I wanted, but I’ve done it for years now, and I don’t want to just advocate for my clients’ causes anymore. I want to do more.
Nikhil watches me for a while, and slowly his countenance dims. “But what about…Is there a new job you’re excited about? Something else you’d want to work on here?”
I falter. “I’ll…I’ll help you with the inn. I’ll help in some way. Any way. With the grants, like I said before. And I could…I don’t know. Do something.”
His eyes grow tender, but he slowly shakes his head. “No.” His lips curve into a soft smile. “You’re going to run for Congress.”
“No,” I say, even though his words make something leap within me. Make something come back to life. “No, this isn’t about me. This is about you. I’ve let my dreams lead the way this whole time, and I don’t want to do that again. I don’t want to—”
“This isn’t about me, Meena. This is aboutus. I love your dreams. I’ve always loved them. And I love them even more now that I understand them better. I love your mind and your heart and your strong will. I love your desire to help people and make a difference. I was never upset about you chasing your dreams. I supported your move to D.C. I wanted you to have everything you always wanted. I just worried I was holding you back.”
“You weren’t. You never could. And I don’t need to do this, Nikhil. I don’t have to—”
“Youwantto run,” he says. “So, you’re going to run. And I’m going to help you.”
I open my mouth, about to interject, but he keeps going.
“We’ll find out more about the Texas seat. Or any other race you’re interested in. We’ll contact other groups. I’m sure you have connections to some, and if you don’t, we’ll find others. We’ll talk to Elizabeth, and if she’s planning a run of her own, we can always talkto Alan.” He playfully raises an eyebrow. “Because he definitely won’t be able to resist spilling the beans.”
I laugh without meaning to, and he laughs in return.
“I don’t know how we’ll do it, Meena,” he says, a moment later, his hand returning to clasp mine. “And honestly, I know you don’t need my help. You could absolutely do this on your own if you wanted to, but I want to do this with you. I want to be there. I want to be by your side as you figure it out.”
