“What are you talking about, Tim?” Asha asked.
“You know, ‘borrowing a cup of sugar…’” He winked suggestively. “An excuse to visit a hot neighbor.”
Kamila scrunched her nose. “Ew, Tim. I don’t think Rohan is looking to make Rashida Suleiman his Mrs. Robinson. You do realize we call her Aunty, don’t you?”
“Kamila!” Tim laughed loud. “Oh my god, I was talking about herdaughter!”
Damn it. She’d been hoping for no more mentions of Jana today.
“Jana’s in Tajikistan. She’ll be back soon, though, right, Kamila?” Asha said.
“She’s here. I met her at the park today.”
Kamila nearly dropped her drink. “What did you say?”
“I met Jana. She was walking at the park with her mother.”
Impossible. “No, you didn’t.”
He nodded. “I did. She introduced herself as Jana Suleiman. Tiny girl, right? Really pretty. Speaks very formally—almost like she has a British accent or something?”
An advanced degree at Oxford would do that.
Poop nuggets. This was bad. Did Rohan already know Jana was back? She put her hand on the table to steady herself.
Was his meeting in the area withJana? Was he actuallyborrowing a cup of sugar, after all?
“Tim, do you think Rohan could be…” She made a sour face. She couldn’t say it…It seemed too inexplicable. “Attractedto Jana?”
Tim shrugged. “I don’t really know what Rohan’s into, but Jana is objectively a beautiful woman. Highly educated, too, right? She’s fancy, like Rohan. Doctors, lawyers, and…what is it Jana does?”
Kamila’s shoulders slumped. “She has a PhD in comparative development and a master’s in nonprofit management.”
Tim nodded. “See? Fancy people. You’re the excellent matchmaker—they could be good together. Make your magic.”
Kamila shook her head. That would be a disaster of dizzying proportions. “If Rohan gets into a relationship again, we can say goodbye to all he does for Dad.”
And Jana? She was always taking off for far-flung places for one illustrious assignment after another. What if she took Rohan with her? And even if they stayed put in town, what—he’d start bringing Jana to Bollywood night? And,shudder, would Jana spend the night with him in the guest room so Rohan could have his meeting with Dad the next morning? Would Jana join Rohan in his criticism of Kamila’s cooking?
Forget Dad’s mental health—this could destroy Kamila’s own.
But Dad’s was, of course, more important. Those signs earlier—him putting himself down, alluding to the abuse Kamila had endured from her mother…Dad might be on the edge of a depressive episode. Kamila couldn’t risk anything upsetting him. Not now.
“Your family is strange, Kamila,” Tim said. “You guys takecodependentto the next level.”
Asha laughed loudly. “You don’t know a lot of Indians, do you?”
Kamila could think of nothing intelligent to say, so she emphasized her previous point. “Rohan can’t beintoJana.”
“You’re probably right,” Tim said. “You said you all grew up together? He probably thinks of her like a sister. Like he thinks of you.”
“Rohan doesnotthink of me as a sister.” Kamila frowned.
Asha shook her head. “No, he’s in his own category. He’s herRohan.”
Kamila rubbed her temples. She was getting a headache. She was seriously wondering if this whole entertaining-friends hobby of hers was good for her self-care.
Darcy started barking then—loudly. “Darcy! What are you freaking out about?”
