AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Well, it’s time to do somethingdrastic,” Jiya said.
She only hoped that the decision she had taken wouldn’t backfire on her.
32
“This party is lovely, Rohan,” Aisha said. “Thank you for organizing it for me.”
Rohan smiled at his sister-in-law. “It’s entirely my pleasure.”
He exhaled and inhaled. He’d been standing in a corner, as usual, taking a break from all the crowd around him when Aisha had found him. He zoomed back in on Aditya as he made his way inside the party, meeting and greeting people, inching closer to…Jiya. Irritation sunk its claws into his skin.
“We had to invite Aditya,” Aisha explained, clearly noting where his attention was. “I hope you don’t mind.”
Rohan sighed. “It’s fine.”
Aditya was his brother’s oldest friend, and he couldn’t begrudge Rithwik and Aisha for inviting him.
Aisha nodded and swung her bangs away from her eyes. “Are you doing okay?”
Now that she understood his aversion to big crowds, she’d been like a mother hen, checking up on him every now and then.
“Yes, I’m fine. I can do this,” he said, giving her a reassuring nod. He had to do this. For Jiya!
His eyes returned to his favorite vision. Jiya. She was standing in her circle of close ones, Raashi, Shauna, and Akash, and he could see Janak Sehgal had also joined them. So had Rithwik. And Rohan’s parents. His parents?! His curiosity rose tenfold. He rubbed his lower lip. He wondered what they were all animatedly discussing.
“Why haven’t you spoken toheralready?” Aisha probed. “I can see you’re aching to. You haven’t stopped looking at her since she’s arrived.”
Rohan sighed. “I’m trying to come up with the right words and to find the right time to approach her.”
Aisha touched his arm. “Don’t wait too long, Rohan. If she truly loves you, then the words won’t matter, the time even less so. Just go to her already.”
He ran his eyes down Jiya. Fuck. She was so beautiful. That black and gold long strapless gown she was wearing went perfectly with the blood-red setup he’d deliberately organized…for her. He hoped that they could sort out their differences and move forward tonight. He prayed for her to accept him again. He prayed they’d have a dual celebration tonight—for Aisha’s birthday and for him and Jiya to announce to the world they were together.
Taking a deep breath, he walked toward Jiya. Her whole group turned and stared at him as he approached. But his eyes were only on her. Always her. Jiya’s eyes brightened as he came near, giving him hope. She lowered her lashes. When she looked at him again, her gaze was clear, steady. Resolved.
“Hello,” he greeted her.
She lowered her chin in a nod. Everyone in her group looked between him and her. He ignored them and focused on Jiya.
“Can we talk?” he asked. “In private...”
“Yes.” She didn’t even hesitate.
Jiya went with him easily, ramping up his hopes. Her fresh scent drifted over him, and he inhaled it, breathing it into his lungs. He took her inside the restaurant to a small office that Raashi had told him he could use. She was aware of his plans, as were Rithwik and Aisha.
Jiya looked around the small place and raised her eyes to meet his. “What are we doing here?”
“I finally figured out what it is that you truly want,” Rohan said.
Her brows arched. “What do you think I want?”
“You want to know me a hundred percent, with no secrets between us. You want me to be all in with you. You want me to be comfortable in your group of friends. You want me to allow people in. You want me to be friends with Raashi and Keya. You want me to believe in love and happily ever after. I know you never said all this aloud. But these are your unwritten rules, and except for the first, I’ve done everything else. And now, I’m ready to give you my everything.”
She angled her head, studying him, not saying anything.
“You know, Jiya,” he continued, “I finally opened up to my parents, Rithwik, and Raashi and Keya, too, about my past, about why I am the way I am. I want to tell—”
She shook her head. “Rohan, I don’t want you to do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable.”
