Jana knew she often rubbed people the wrong way. That her introversion and her, well…awkwardnessaround people were seen as curt or pretentious. But most of the time, she just didn’t know what to say or how to fit in with others. It was like everyone spoke some social language that she’d never learned. She used to have a few close friends whom she’d known since university, but not since Imani was born. She was fine, though. Jana wasn’t really a social person. She had Imani, and that was enough. She hoped to stay on the sidelines at this wedding. Be there to support Rohan and Kamila and get some good, quality alone time with her daughter. She needed this recharge.
But after getting no sleep at all on the seven-hour flight, Jana was sore, cranky, and tired by the time they landed. Imani was even worse. Mom had slept on the plane, so at least she had a bit of spring in her step.
They had a few hours to kill in Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam before their evening flight to Tanzania. The rest of the bridal party, who’d been in Amsterdam for a few days, was booked on the same flight to Africa, so Kamila had messaged her that they would all see each other in the airport. Jana would have preferred not to have to socialize while she was feeling like such crap. She didn’t have much of a choice, though.
Jana, her mother, and Imani were navigating the busy hallway of the airport toward the gate for their next flight when Imani suddenly shrieked.
Jana instinctively reached for her daughter. She didn’t know whether to drop to the floor, run for cover, or inspect Imani for injuries. Jana realized, in horror, what her daughter had screamed about the moment Imani broke free from her arms and started running.
Imani was leaping straight into the arms of her father.Anil Malek.
Ugh.
Chapter 3
Whatare you doing here?” Jana asked as she caught up with her daughter, who was now in Anil’s arms and hugging him, her little legs kicking with joy. Imani was a complete daddy’s girl.
Anil Malek flashed his always charming, never irritable smile at Jana. His charcoal gray T-shirt was stretched over his solid arms, and he had a leather bag hanging off his shoulder. Jana cringed when she saw#GROOMSPLATOONprinted on his shirt. He was clearly here as part of a wedding party. Maybe it was someone else’s wedding? Amsterdam was a popular bachelor party spot.
“Last-minute change of plans,” he said. “I shuffled some meetings around and extended my project timetable so I could be one of Rohan’s groomsmen. I hated missing the wedding of two of my closest friends.”
Jana tried to ignore the pounding of her heart in her throat. Of course he did. The man was nothing if not adaptable. “And you didn’t tell us because…”
He smiled at Imani. “I wanted to surprise Mini,” he said, using the nickname he’d given Imani as an infant. He rubbed her back, then tickled her stomach. Imani shrieked with glee again.
“How wonderful!” Mom beamed at Anil. She was as happy to see him as Imani was. “Now you can all be together as a family for this trip!”
Jana didn’t glare at her mother. There was no point. She did glare at Anil, though—not that he noticed. He was currently listening intently to Imani as she told him all about Peppa Pig’s trip to Italy.
Jana couldn’t bethatsurprised he was here. Months ago, when Kamila had asked Jana to be in her wedding party, she’d also asked Jana if it would be okay if Rohan asked Anil to be a groomsman. Rohan and Anil had gone to university together and had become close again since Anil permanently moved to Toronto to be near Imani. But when Jana looked at Anil’s schedule on their co-parenting app, she saw that the timing of the wedding conflicted with his long-planned trip to D.C. to start a nonprofit there. So Jana confirmed to Kamila that she’d be honored to stand alongside her at her wedding, happily assuming that Anil would say no when Rohan asked him. Which he did. So this wasn’t supposed to happen. Jana hadn’t traveled with Anil Malek since that spring when Imani was conceived, and she preferred to keep it that way.
She looked away from him quickly. Even after so many years, looking at Anil too long hurt too much.
“C’mon,” he said. “The wedding party is all at the gate. I saw that your flight landed so I came to find you.” He plucked Imani’s bag out of Jana’s arm and started walking.
Jana fumbled with her own bag and followed Anil through the busy airport. Her heart was still racing, and her legs felt weak, but that could just have been because of the lack of sleep. Then again, Jana’s body always reacted this way when she saw Anil.
Thankfully, she didn’t see him often. In fact, they’d barely had face-to-face contact since their daughter was born, despite sharing custody. With the help of an excellent family lawyer, Jana had an ironclad co-parenting agreement hammered out that spelled out their fifty-fifty custody before Imani was even born. Their daughter usually switched back and forth between their homes each week, unless one parent was traveling. Neither parent paid child support, but they shared major expenses. They communicated and coordinated schedules through a comprehensive co-parenting app. The arrangement worked.
Jana and Anil had never really had a conflict about Imani, but that didn’t mean any of it was easy for Jana. She loved her daughter fiercely, but she was not fond of the child’s father. At all. Which was why she avoided him whenever possible. Mom was usually the one home when Anil picked up or dropped off Imani. She was a healthy, adaptable kid, so they’d rarely needed to have long conversations about parenting. A quick message was all that was needed to let Anil know that Imani hadn’t slept well the night before, or that she’d been at the playground so she needed her hair washed before bed.
Now Jana wondered if avoiding the man for so long had been a mistake. Maybe she needed to desensitize herself so her body wouldn’t react like this to seeing him.
“How was she on the flight?” Anil asked as they walked. He’d put Imani down and was holding her hand as they crossed the terminal.
Jana shrugged. “She didn’t sleep much. Hopefully she’ll pass out on the next one.”
He chuckled at Imani, then glanced at Jana. “You both look exhausted.”
Jana tried not to scowl at him. Of course,hedidn’t look exhausted. He looked great. It wasn’t fair that he was fresh-faced and cheery while Jana probably resembled a used tissue. He’d had a full night’s sleep in a hotel in Amsterdam and hadn’t just gotten off a transcontinental flight with a preschooler with insomnia.
But he always looked this good. And it always annoyed Jana.
Anil wasn’t particularly tall, but he was a large man—wide shoulders and big hands. He’d been wearing his hair either closely cropped or shaved completely off to combat his hairline for years, and Jana had been surprised at how much she liked that bald head back when they were together. Years of watchingStar Trek: The Next Generationwith her father had given her a bit of a bald fetish.
Hehadchanged in the last five years, though. He wasn’t as muscular as he used to be, and his waistline had thickened since becoming a father, but with his new dark-framed glasses, he gave off a worldly intellectual vibe now. The man still looked so much better than he had any right to look. Even now, years after their disastrous relationship, if Jana concentrated, she could feel the soft stubble on his head tickling her palms. She could remember how it felt to curl up on that broad chest. She wished the memories didn’t feel so fresh. Honestly, her life would be so much easier if she weren’t still so attracted to Anil Malek.
Not that she would ever admit that to anyone.
