Yes, I’m scared. Scared of what might happen if I open my heart to him. And yet, here I am, driving to meet him anyway.
Pulling into the parking lot, a flutter rises in my chest when I see him waiting in his car. Before I can even unbuckle my seatbelt, he’s already out, striding over to me with that smile that always makes my pulse race.
He reaches my door and pulls it open. “Hey, beautiful.”
Gulping, I look up at him. God, he’s making me seriously regret all the time I spent trying to resist him.
“Thanks,” I say awkwardly, stepping out of my car and trying to play it cool even as my heart pounds against my ribs.
“You ready for our first date?” he asks, that boyish grin tugging at his lips.
The word‘date’sends a sudden thrill rushing through me, and I quickly look away, hoping he doesn’t notice the blush creeping up my cheeks. Seriously, it’s like I have no freaking control over my overactive hormones with him.
Hesitantly, I turn to look up at him, a shy smile breaking free. “Yeah,” I say softly.
“But before that, can you tell me if you’re really hungry?”
I blink at his question before admitting, “Not really.” Which is not a lie. My nerves have tied my stomach in knots.
He leans in. “In that case, I want to take you somewhere first. It’s my favourite spot, and I want to share it with you.”
Curiosity sparks through me. “Where?”
“Well, that’s a surprise.”
I smile and gesture with my hands. “Lead the way.”
Grinning, he takes my hand and guides me to his car.
Once we’re both settled inside, Aditya starts the engine and pulls into the traffic.
As he drives, he glances over at me. “So, how’s the café?”
I turn slightly in my seat toward him, the familiar topic easing my nerves. “Good. Though just last week, the espresso machine broke down during the morning rush. I thought I was going to lose my mind.”
He chuckles, looking back at the road. “Bet you handled it like a pro.”
I roll my eyes, leaning back into the seat. “Barely. I was two seconds away from throwing the machine out the window. ButMili saved the day by bringing the technician on time. I don’t know what I’d do without her.”
He nods knowingly. “Good help is hard to find. I get that. Sometimes it feels like running a business is just putting out one fire after another.”
I look at him. “Speaking of which, how’s your business? Must be crazy pressure?”
His face lights up, a spark of pride in his eyes. “Yeah, something like that. We landed a pretty big project last month. It’s been... exhausting, but worth it. Though sometimes I wonder if I’m too obsessed with it.”
I study his profile as he drives through the streets.
“I can relate to you,” I say softly. “It’s hard to switch off. Sometimes I feel like my whole life is just the café.”
He shoots me a sideways smile, his voice dropping to a gentle murmur. “Maybe that’s why I like talking to you. Being with you. You’re just not like other women—always talking about expensive bags, holidays, and who wore what. With you...” He pauses, his eyes holding mine for a heartbeat before he turns his focus back to the road. “With you, it’s different. You’re real. And I don’t feel the need to pretend. It’s easy… honest. Like I can finally breathe.”
“Hmmm...” I say, my heart skipping a beat. I quickly look away, pretending to be fascinated by the passing trees outside the window. This man sure knows how to make my heart feel things it should be careful of.
He clears his throat. “So, any crazy stories to share?”
I laugh, grateful for the change in topic. “Oh, you wouldn’t believe the kinds of things that happen at the café...”
And just like that, the conversation flows easily for the rest of the drive.
