“Not at all,” Priya replied. “I’ve just had a lot to do. How about you? Hope your phone hasn’t been ringing off the hook at all hours of the night.” Her overly cheerful tone had a hint of snark, but she couldn’t help herself.
Ethan’s brow furrowed. “Hold on…Isthatwhy you bolted? Because you thought Sienna was calling me again?”
Priya’s cheeks burned, but she didn’t answer. She busied herself with opening the trunk. Ethan’s hand shot out, gripping her wrist.
“Why would you think something’s going on with me and Sienna after I told you we’re not romantically involved?”
“Because…Sienna’s stunning and talented. Everyone’s talking about your chemistry,” Priya admitted with a shaky breath. “But it’s not just that,” she added before he could respond. “I’ve been there before. My ex-husband cheated on me with a client. I thought I’d moved on, but I guess I’m still carrying it around.” She shrugged, finally meeting Ethan’s eyes.
He let her wrist go, his expression softening. “I’m sorry you went through that. But I’m not your ex, Pri.” He let out a deep breath, collecting his thoughts. “Look. I’m not in the habit of explaining myself, but that’s exactly what I’m going to do. Because you’re not just anyone to me, Pri. You remind me of who I was before everything changed, and that history? It’s something I’ve only ever shared with you.”
Priya nodded, swallowing hard as his words sank in.
“That call before you bolted?” He paused. “It wasn’t Sienna. It was Brooke. Sienna’s on location halfway across the world, in another time zone. Same as Brooke. That’s just how my life works. People call at odd hours. But here’s the thing,” he said, holding her gaze. “I can explain myself until I’m blue in the face, but it won’t matter if you’re going to take off whenever something triggers you. I can’t silence the doubts in your head, Priya. That’s something only you can do.”
Any response Priya could’ve offered was cut off by Puppa’s return. He dropped two potlas at her feet and grinned at her and Ethan, oblivious to the tension between them.
“We’re hauling more on this trip than we did when we moved from India to Canada. I’ve added a little extra baggage myself.”He chuckled, patting his belly, and headed back inside for the rest of the luggage.
Priya opened the trunk and reached for a suitcase, her fingers curling around the handle. Before she could lift it, Ethan took it from her hands. He loaded it into the car, then stacked the rest of the luggage to make sure everything fit.
“I’ll see if your parents have more to bring,” he said, disappearing into the house.
Priya stood rooted by the car, wondering how on earth she was going to drive him away when every word he said pulled her closer. Lost in thought, she was brought back to the moment by the sound of an approaching car.
A sleek black sedan, glossy as a crow’s wing, pulled into the driveway, its tinted windows giving no hint of who was inside. Priya blinked in surprise when the door opened, and Ravi Tiwari stepped out. Dressed to impress, Ravi’s sherwani shimmered with gold embroidery, his fitted pants giving the traditional outfit a stylish, modern edge.
“Hey.” Ravi’s face broke into a smile as he walked over, holding a bright red cardboard box.
“Hi, Ravi.” Priya wondered if his mother was watching from the car. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at your brother’s wedding?”
“I’m on my way. Anand Uncle said you and your parents won’t be attending?”
“That’s right,” Priya confirmed, gesturing toward the open trunk. “My parents are just about to leave town.”
“Well, I thought I’d drop off some sweets,” Ravi explained, holding out the box.
“That’s very kind of you.” Priya reached for the sweets, afamiliar cultural tradition for celebrating special events. “Thanks for coming by.”
But Ravi held on to the box as if it were a bargaining chip. “Actually, I was…uh…wondering if I could get your phone number.”
Ah, so that’s what this is about, Priya mused.Ravi found out we’re not going to the wedding and used the sweets as an excuse to swing by. No way does he have time for random visits on his brother’s big day.
As she tried to come up with a response, Ethan appeared by her side. He dropped the luggage he was carrying and leveled a pointed glare at Ravi, whose gaze bounced nervously between them.
Well, this is awkward, Priya thought, clearing her throat.Did Ethan catch Ravi asking for my number?
“As I was saying…” Ravi began, but as he spoke, Ethan took off his baseball cap, adjusted it, and placed it back on his head. Ravi’s jaw went slack in surprise.
“Wait. You’re Ethan Knight. Oh my god,” he blurted, his face a mix of shock and awe. Caught in a starstruck moment, Ravi redirected the sweets to Ethan. The box hovered awkwardly between the two men before Ethan accepted it.
“I’m Ravi Tiwari,” Ravi added. “Please enjoy the sweets in honor of my brother’s wedding today.”
“Ravi Tiwari? As in Priya’s dance partner from the other night?” Ethan asked, his eyes shifting to Priya.
“Yes, that’s me.” Ravi lit up, delighted that Ethan knew his name. “What brings you to Moksha?” he asked. “Is everything okay with your father?”
Ethan’s brow lifted. “My father is very much alive and well.”
