Page 56 of Everything She Wanted

“You know I’m okay with whatever your parents decide,” I say, hoping to get out of there as quickly as possible. I’m not, but I don’t want to make a fuss.

“I know. I just wanted to see you. Let’s go hang out for a bit.” He grabs my hand, but I pull back.

“I’m going to go say hi to your Dadi Ji first.”

He nods. “She’s just in the den, watching her dramas.”

“I know, I can hear them from here.” I walk over and smile. She’s wrapped up in the show but notices me as soon as I enter.

“Nisha, aaja, mere naal beh ja,” she says, patting the sofa cushion beside her.

“Okay, sure.” I sit down, give her a hug, nestle close to her, and start watching.

“What’s happening?” I ask as I take in the over-dramatic pause after a woman faints.

“It’s too complicated to get into it all.” She waves me off, but then continues. “See that woman? She’s jealous because she likes the groom too, but she shouldn’t want to be with him.”

Sounds familiar.

My phone vibrates with a text and I can’t help but grin as I see a lopsided photo of my nephew in a pink kurta pajama, my mom’s attempt at taking a photo. For the engagement ceremony, my family is wearing pink and Eshaan’s is wearing gold. They must have got his outfit today.

Excited for Massi’s party!

I react with a pink heart, then put my phone away as a smile blossoms on my lips.

Shaan comes in as the show ends, and I realize it’s nearly 11 p.m.

I say bye to his Dadi.

“I’ll drive you home,” says Shaan. He grabs his keys and we head to his car, but something is off. Dev, the douchebag, must have said something.

He’s silent as we pull away from the house, and I don’t speak either for most of the drive, but my heart is beating frantically in my chest until I almost can’t take it anymore. “Is everything alright?”

“You tell me.”

I lean back in my seat. I don’t have the time or energy for these games.

“Shaan, please. Tell you what, exactly?”

“Why don’t you start with where you were this evening?” He looks over at me, his eyes unimpressed.

“Oh, Jess and I went for drinks after work. You know that.”

“That’s the only person you had drinks with?” He glances over at me, his tone charged.

I shake my head. “Let me guess, Dev messaged you with some bullshit as per usual.”

“So, there wasn’t a guy all over you?”

I curse under my breath. “Give me a break.”

“So, he’s lying and made this shit up?”

“Jess left, and I had a drink with a colleague, that’s all.”

“I didn’t realize colleagues normally touch each other,” he adds sarcastically.

“He didn’t. I don’t know what Dev’s talking about.” I’m not sure how to explain the headache and the acupressure, but I know Shaan would turn it into something more anyway. He always does.