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“Only you can answer that, Avi,” Sheena told her. “Maybe you ought to wait till you hear his side of the story and then decide how you truly feel about him. What if there really was more to that night that you don’t know of? You have a right to find out.”
Sheena was pragmatic as always and never ever minced her words.
“I’m scared, Sheena. I’m scared of what I will learn. I’m scared that he doesn’t know about Neil.”
“One step at a time, Avi. You’re thinking too far ahead as of now,” Sheena pointed out. “You have almost a week more to be with Dev. Hear him out first. Trust your instincts.”
“My instincts about him were wrong once,” Avantika whispered.
“What if they had never been wrong?”
Avantika gasped. Her head spun. Oh God! What if Sheena was right?
The door opened once again behind them, and Sheena looked over her shoulder at the woman entering the ladies room.
“Go away,” Sheena ordered, her voice dripping with authority. “Can’t you see it’s busy?”
The woman looked from Sheena to Avantika and back at Sheena. Sheena arched a brow, and the woman backed away, shutting the door behind her even though there were several vacant cubicles in the ladies room.
Avantika laughed. This was so like Sheena. Her friend was the eldest daughter of the Sehgals, an affluent business family from India. She was a princess born in the corporate world and never failed to act the part. Sheena Sehgal Mehra always got what she wanted and to hell with everything else.
Sheena made a call and spoke softly into her phone. The door opened again, and this time, Sheena’s husband, Rajiv Mehra, walked inside.
“Avi!” He rushed to her and enveloped her in a hug.
“Why are we meeting in the ladies room?” Avantika queried with a smile.
“Because we weren’t sure if Dev would allow you to meet us,” he replied, releasing her.
“Your brothers have been worried sick about you,” Rajiv informed her. “We all have been. Since your brothers aren’t allowed to be anywhere near you, Sheena and I flew to London to specifically check on how you were doing.”
She ought to have known her brothers would send someone to check on her.
Rajiv studied her from top-to-toe. “Say the word, Avi, and I’ll get you out from here in a moment. He’ll never ever find you again.”
Her heart soared. She truly had wonderful friends.
“I have to finish this, Rajiv,” she breathed out. “Only I can do it. No one else. Besides, it’s just a few more days, and he…he’s not behaved badly with me at all. He’s annoying and difficult, but he’s also kind and thoughtful.”
“Really? Dev Luthra is kind and thoughtful?” Rajiv scoffed. “I can’t believe it.”
She nodded. “He is.”
“I suppose once you’re done with him, he goes away from your life forever,” Rajiv added.
Her heart pinched. God! What was happening to her? Why was she feeling a strange sense of loss, thinking that she’d probably never meet Dev again? That he’d be out of her life once and for all? She should be rejoicing at that; instead, her heart was heavy and sad. She had to hear Dev out. She’d decide on her next course of action later. And if he was innocent…then…then… God! Neil. What was she going to do?
She focused on Rajiv; he was watching her keenly. He was too sharp and too smart, and his next words proved it.
“What’s really going on, Avi?” he queried. “Has that fucker convinced you that he’s a nice guy? Do you like him?”
“Maybe. I’m not sure yet.”
Rajiv’s eyes rounded.
Avantika held a hand out. “You’re not to breathe a word about my indecision regardinghimto my brothers. If they learn I’m conflicted abouthim, then all hell will break loose. This stays between us, okay?”
Rajiv looked opposed to the idea, but Sheena laid a hand on his chest, stopping his protest.
