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PROLOGUE
12 years ago
Shimla
Winter was the best time of the year, truly. Fresh cold mountain air, warm jackets, hot beverages, long walks in the forest and…ice skating. She loved to ice skate. Eighteen-year-old Avantika Rajpoot waited every year for winter to set in Shimla, just so that she could skate. Gliding across the hard ice in the open air, surrounded by mountains on all sides, twirling on her metal blades, was so freeing. It was indeed the best feeling in the world.
She leapt in the air, doing a mid-air twirl and landed perfectly in his arms. She smiled, looking into his eyes.
“You caught me,” she said.
“Of course,” he replied. His handsome face pulled into a smile. “I will always catch you. I won’t let you fall, ever.”
Her heart soared. She loved him so much. Dev Luthra—he was the boy of her dreams. And she knew beyond a doubt that he loved her too. God! She was blessed. So fortunate. They skated together hand in hand for the next several minutes under the bright overhead lights, the mountains dark behind them against the night sky.
He flicked a hand, and music filled the air around them. It was her favorite song—I’ve had the time of my life—from the movie Dirty Dancing. Her heart lifted. Dev knew her better than anyone else in the world.
Leaving his hand, she skated around him. “I love skating. It makes me feel so free, especially when it’s just you and me together like this.”
“I know that. Why do you think I’ve kept up my good impression with the owners of this rink?”
She smiled. She was well aware of how Dev had charmed the owners of this rink to allow them this extra hour of skating after closing hours.
Nearing him, she put her arms around his, twirling him with her. “I love you, Mr. Luthra.”
“And I love you, Ms. Rajpoot. You are my forever and always. I will never stop loving you.”
His words sounded like a vow, carving themselves in her heart.
“Good. You better not forget that. After all, you have those gazillion girls fluttering around you everywhere you go.” She made an annoyed face. “My mom mentioned that you are Shimla’s most eligible bachelor. All the aunties are talking about you, and all their daughters are mooning over you.”
He laughed, the sound throaty, husky, and as always, hit her in the center of her chest.
“What can I say? I have so many admirers fighting for my attention.” Pure mischief was etched on his face. “You think I should do something about them?”
She hit his shoulder. “Stop teasing me.”
“Never. Teasing you is the highlight of my life.” He angled his head to study her. “Baby, I have eyes only for you.”
He held her hand, and they began to skate together. She took a moment to study the boy she loved so much.
Even at a mere twenty-one, Dev Luthra was considered a prime catch. Over six feet tall, with his gorgeous amber eyes, that sharp jaw and high cheekbones, he had the face of an angel and a personality that matched. He was warm and kind, and his smile—was a sight to behold, especially when he was with her. That’s when he smiled the brightest.
She held her phone aloft and snapped a picture of him, capturing his happy face.
“I really ought to put this on my social media and announce to the world that you’re mine,” she said. “As it is, my brothers already know about us.”
“I just…I just don’t want my dad to know as yet,” Dev said.
“Why?”
“Because…I don’t know. It’s just a gut feeling I have. He’s been off since a few days and has been moodier than ever. But we’ll tell everyone about us soon.” He smiled. “Now, show me the photo.”
She handed him her phone.
“You caught all my good angles. You really are a genius behind the camera, Avantika,” Dev said. “I’m so glad you decided to follow your passion for photography and study it. I can’t wait for you to move to Delhi as well. Our colleges aren’t that far away, and we can meet more often.”
They began to skate again, holding hands.
