Call her. At night. Why? Omg, was he going to FaceTime her again?
Kamila tried to ask why, but when she opened her mouth, no noise came out.Smooth, Kamila.
Thankfully, Rohan was so unaffected he just kept talking. “We need to talk about food for the Aim High party. The caterer needs the final menu by Friday. I’d been hoping we could pop into their restaurant to try some of their food, but I don’t think there’s time. Maybe if you have some availability tonight, we can look over the menus and pick the food? I’m heading for a workout after this, but I can put it off. Or do you need to get home to your dad?”
He wanted to speak to her alone. Did he actually want to talk about kissing and not menus? Or, holy crustaceans, did he not want to talk about the kissing and actually do more of it?
Kamila bit her lip as she felt her panic rising. Why was she reacting this way? She didn’t normally overthink things. She needed to get over this. She couldn’t think straight.
“Maybe we can have a drink or”—he chuckled, looking at the bright tea in front of him—“more tea and discuss?”
Asha’s foot kicked her under the table. Her friend was clearly noticing Kamila’s little panic attack and was offering a little footsie support. Kamila was grateful. “Oh, I mean, yeah,” Kamila said. “I guess we need to do that. I’ve got a lot going on right now…You know how it is, with the prom, and Dad—”
“I get it, Kam,” Rohan said. “If you don’t think you have time, I can handle this. You need to look out for yourself and your father first. I’m sure Anil would understand.”
“No, no, I’m fine,” Kamila said. “I’m not backing out. It’s just tonight…” She needed an excuse right away. “I was planning to take Darcy to the dog park. The floral backpack I ordered for her came in, and I need some pictures for her Instagram.” Okay, that excuse didn’t do much to make Kamila seem like a normal, well-adjusted person. But it was the truth. She shrugged. “Darcy always looks great at dusk.”
He smiled warmly, that same caring and slightly amused smile he always had for her. But for some reason that same old Rohan smile only turned her stomach upside down this time. “I can squeeze in a quick workout and meet you at the dog park afterward. Eight thirty work for you?”
Kamila nodded. Then her stomach flipped again.
Troubling, to say the least.
Chapter 19
Kamila didn’t want to meet Rohan at the dog park. She couldn’t seem to think in a straight line since she’d first slid her lips over his early Saturday morning. And clearly, being around him just made it worse. But she knew the only chance of getting back to the way they were supposed to be was to talk to him. So even though she really wanted to go home and eat ice cream, she had no choice but to keep the date. Kissing him had been impulsive—now it was time to deal with it.
As was becoming the norm, Dad was watching a food reality show when she got home, this time with Rashida Aunty. After kissing both of them on the cheek, Kamila found Darcy in the dog bed.
“Hey, girl.” She picked up her sleepy dog. Darcy, of course, immediately smelled puppies on Kamila and looked at her like she was some sort of cheating charlatan. “Sorry, baby. I’ll make sure to check with you next time I have a play date with Potato.” She scratched Darcy’s ear and turned back to Dad and Rashida Aunty. “How was dinner?”
“Rashida brought eggplant and rotlis, and I made an omelet.”
“Dad! You should have had a salad with it!”
“We had salad, too,” Rashida Aunty said. “His omelet was so fluffy!”
“This man on TV showed how to make proper French-style eggs and I wanted to try it. Did you know eating eggs doesn’t increase cholesterol? It’s all the butter we usually cook them in. For years we all avoided eggs, but really, they’re fine. I’ll make you an omelet on Saturday. Rohan will be here for breakfast, right?”
“I don’t know.”
“You joining us for the show?” Rashida asked, heading toward the kitchen. “It’s patisserie week. I’m making some chai. I brought whole-wheat nankhatai for your father. I made it with less butter and added extra bran. Of course, I made the regular ones, too. Chocolate, because Jana will only eat chocolate cookies.” Rashida stuck her hand out the kitchen door with the plate of nankhatai.
“I’m sorry—I can’t stay,” Kamila said, taking one of the Indian cookies and eating it in two bites. She needed to leave soon before more talk of Jana put her on edge. She grabbed Darcy’s new backpack and her denim jacket, then switched her own cardigan for a matching denim jacket and added lipstick in the exact color of her dress. Her hair was a bit disappointing for Instagram selfies with Darcy, but whatever. She chose the purple leash to finish the look. “I’m meeting Rohan at the dog park to go over some of the details for the Aim High party.”
“I don’t know how he finds the time,” Rashida Aunty said as she put the kettle on. “He works such long hours. At dinner last night he said he—”
Kamila stepped into the kitchen. “You had dinner with Rohan last night?”
Rashida Aunty spooned some chai masala into a pot of water for tea. “He was taking Jana out for coffee, and I insisted he have dinner with us first. I don’t think he eats when he’s alone. It’s so great you three are still so close. If only Shelina and Zayan lived in Toronto, too! Who would have thought when we used to go on vacations all together that you would still be friends twenty years later?”
Dad called out from the living room that a baker was laminating dough, whatever that meant, so Rashida rushed back to finish watching British people make fancy French pastries with him.
Kamila stood near the door, watching them a moment, irritated that she was so rattled about Rohan seeing Jana alone the night before. There was nothing going on between them. Kamila knew that. She had no right to object to their friendship. She took a deep breath and headed to the door. “Okay, I’m leaving. Call me if you need anything.”
“Have fun, beti,” Dad said.
Kamila didn’t see Rohan when she got to the park. He was probably still at his climbing gym, which was fine. She was in no hurry to have this conversation. Might as well get some pictures of Darcy before he got there.
