Puppa chuckled, rising to walk him to the door. “You are our lucky charm, Mr. Ethan. You’ve already saved us from having to close down.”
“Oh, wait!” Mumma exclaimed, her voice bright with excitement. She hurried to her room and returned a few moments later with something gripped in her hand.
“I have a little gift for you. A token of good luck and protection. And a small thank-you for the ride today.” She held out a key chain with a miniature figure of an elephant-headed Hindu deity. “This is Lord Ganesh. We pray to him to bless new beginnings and remove obstacles. He’ll keep you safe on your new motorcycle.”
Ethan took the key chain with a slight bow of his head. “Thank you, Mrs. Solanki. That’s very thoughtful.”
Mumma’s eyes sparkled as she clasped her hands together.
“Good night, Mr. Ethan,” Puppa said. “Priya will see you out. She might as well begin her hosting duties before we leave.” Priya shot him a withering look, but he just shrugged innocently.
“Good night,” Ethan replied, before following Priya down the stairs. She felt his gaze like a weight on her back. “Looks like I’ve become your official responsibility, Pri,” he said under his breath so only she could hear. “Just so you know, I fully intend to take advantage of the situation.”
A shiver rippled down Priya’s spine and her skin tingled, including parts of her that had no business joining the party.
As they reached the door, she spun to face him. “We’ll see who ends up taking advantage of who,” she said with a sly grin.
“Are you flirting with me, Priya Solanki?” Ethan asked, his voice dipping into a playful drawl.
Priya’s fingers clenched the doorknob a little tighter, her eyes flashing with the mischief she had planned for him. “Keep dreaming, Heathen Knight,” she said. But there was no mistaking the smug glint in Ethan’s expression—he definitely thought she was flirting.
And maybe she was. Just a teensy-weensy bit.
He stepped closer, his breath stirring the loose tendrils of hair around her face. “Oh, I will,” he murmured, his lips grazing her ear. “Good night, Pri.”
Heat rose in her cheeks, her heart thudding so loudly, she wondered if he could hear it. This wasn’t just playful teasing anymore. This was unmistakable. Ethan Knight was showing interest in her. How was this even happening? Priya pressed her hand against the doorframe.
Inhale. Exhale.
As Ethan stepped outside, she couldn’t resist stealing a quick glance at him.If that booty were a movie, it would totally kick ass at the box office.Catching herself, Priya gave her head a small shake.Nope. Not going there. Stick to the plan. Project Bye-Bye Knight isn’t going to execute itself.
“There’s a full moon tonight,” Priya called out after him. “All the ghosts and goblins are out to play. You might want to watch your back.”
Ethan paused, half turning to look at her. “I don’t have to.” He grinned. “Not when you’re already doing it for me.” He turned and walked away, his shadow stretching across the path to the coach house.
Priya locked the door and sagged against it, taking a moment to collect herself before facing her parents again. But the ridiculous smile on her face refused to fade. Reluctantly, she pushed herself off the door and headed back upstairs.
As she helped Mumma and Puppa tidy up, Priya’s attention shifted to the envelope containing the offer to purchase Moksha. With her parents leaving, she could clear the path and stall the renovations. Starting with Ethan. He was dreamy and captivating but a complication she didn’t need.
Or did she?
The warmth of his breath on her skin came rushing back, the low timbre of his voice, the cheeky grin that stirred something entirely inconvenient in her.
Priya glanced at her parents. They had no idea how they had turned her world upside down, first by accepting Ethan Knight’s offer and now by leaving her alone with him. She should have been annoyed—and shewas—but beneath that, a new thought bloomed. Why shouldn’t she make the most of it? Why couldn’t she stick to her planandhave a little fun while she was at it?
This wasn’t just any man. This was Ethan Knight—a walking, talking adrenaline shot. The kind of thrill you’d never find in the everyday slog of life. She was at rock bottom, freshly divorced, trying to piece her life together. And now life had dropped Ethan, of all people, straight into her lap. He was her first crush, her teenage obsession—and by some miracle, he seemed into her too. It was too perfect to pass up. What better way to bounce back from her divorce than by turning her fantasy into reality?
Nine
Priya waited untilthe apartment fell silent and her parents were fast asleep. Then, flashlight in hand, she eased open the door and stepped out into the cool night. Moonlight filtered through the trees, creating soft patches of light as she made her way to the coach house.
The stone building stood still and dark, its walls blending into the shadows. Riffling through the keys she had nabbed earlier, Priya let herself in through the side entrance that led to the storage area. The door opened with a mournful creak.
Inside, the air hit her like a wave, thick with the solemn scent of ashes and aged wood. A pang of familiarity swept over her, stirring childhood memories. She recalled the smell that clung to Puppa when he returned from the crematorium, covered in a fine layer of dust. It was a scent rooted in her family’s traditions, hanging in the air like a phantom that refused to fade.
Priya’s flashlight cut through the darkness, over rows of unclaimed cremated remains. Scanning the area, she spotted the exposed pipe she was looking for. Clenching the flashlight between her teeth, she stepped onto a shelf and climbed higher until she could reach it. Steadying herself with one hand, she struckthe flashlight’s metal body against the pipe again and again. Each clang reverberated through the coach house, hollow and eerie, like the tread of a shackled soul.
A sly grin tugged at Priya’s lips as she pictured Ethan bolting out of bed, his unflappable confidence shattered by the ghostly racket. Just as she was hitting her stride, the door flung open. Startled, she lost her footing, arms flailing for balance. Her hand shot out, grabbing an urn on the shelf, but it slipped from her fingers as she toppled backward. Priya landed hard on her backside, and the urn bounced off her head, its lid popping open.
