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Suddenly, Jiya looked to the left and then to the right. She took a step forward, and then halted. Her eyes lifted up and up, until she found him.
Her lips began to curve, and then, she froze as her gaze swept past him to the woman by his side.
Kanika touched his arm. “Shall we go meet your parents?”
He looked down again, and Jiya had disappeared. He took a few deep breaths, settling himself before he allowed Kanika to lead him downstairs and into the swarming crowd. At least nowadays, he was okay to be in a throng of people for short periods. When he’d been younger, it had been way harder.
He spotted his parents almost immediately. They were chatting with a group of people. He headed toward them with Kanika clinging to his arm.
“So, what were you saying earlier?” she asked him with a smile. “I mean before we saw your parents enter.”
He paused. “I need to be honest with you.”
She smiled at a few of her acquaintances as they passed by. “About?”
“I think you may have gotten the wrong impression, Kanika.” He gave her a regretful look. “I didn’t mean to lead you on. I do enjoy your company, but we can only ever be friends.”
She pursed her lips. “Then why am I on a third date with you, with an invitation to a fourth for the gala tonight?”
He winced. “I apologize if I’ve hurt your feelings.”
“Is this about her?” She tipped her head to the side.
His gaze swept past her and fell on a white-hatted head standing by the fence, looking at the racing track all by herself.
He looked at Kanika. “It’s complicated.”
“When is it not?” She lifted a shoulder and dropped it. “I suppose I ought to have expected this since you couldn’t stop looking at her that night during our dinner. Then you invited me to the races, and I thought I was mistaken in that assumption, but now, here she isagain, and she’s caught your eyeagain. Jiya always had this air about her, thanks to her connections with India’s rich and famous. I ought to applaud her for her ingenuity. Look how cleverly she’s managed to snag your attention.”
He frowned. “Kanika, I know that you and Jiya haven’t been able to see eye-to-eye in the past, but please don’t classify what she and I share as something derogatory or something she may have planned. She hasn’t.”
Kanika stared at him for a long moment and then lowered her chin in a nod. “I apologize. I didn’t mean harm.” She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for being honest. Most men are not. I hope she knows how lucky she is.”
There was nothing he could say to that because this thing with Jiya was too new. It was too raw, and he didn’t know what to do about it. But he hadn’t wanted to lead Kanika on and give her false hope. She didn’t deserve that.
Finally, she said, “I see a couple of friends I’d like to meet with. It was fun hanging out with you.”
He was relieved by the graceful way she was handling the situation between them. “I hope you will attend the gala tonight.”
She backed a step from him. “I think it’s better I don’t. But, thank you.”
He went to his parents, glad that he’d sorted everything out with Kanika. His mom’s gaze swept past everyone and landed on him. Her eyes crinkled in delight. She gave him a wide smile, one he knew was reserved only for her sons. She left everyone and came to him.
“Rohan, there you are!” She captured him in an affectionate hug. “I’ve been looking for you.”
“Hello, Mom,” he kissed her cheek, “You look beautiful.”
And she did. Her burgundy dress and overcoat looked lovely on her. His mother was nearly sixty, yet she didn’t look a day over forty.
Her smile widened. “You’ve not met me for so long now.”
“I came to meet you as soon as you returned from your trip.”
She clucked her tongue. “That was hardly anything.”
He smiled. He’d spent the whole of that day with her. But to his mom, it wasn’t enough. Ever since he’d decided to move out of his parent’s home a few years ago, his mom constantly complained that he never spent enough time with her. He actually did spend a lot of time with her, but he knew she missed him. So, he understood where she came from. Tara Sharma Bali may not have birthed him, and she may have entered his life when he was already a teen, but she’d taught him how glorious a mother’s love could be.
“Tara,” his dad called out. “You monopolize him too much. Allow him to meet his dad as well.”
