“I’m sorry,” she said, scrambling to her feet and helping him to his. His friend, who was laughing, righted the bike and stood. Hehad a broad grin on his face as he winked at Tani before moving off to greet Vikram who’d emerged from the house. The two clearly knew each other from before.
Jay stood stiffly at her side, trying to pat his flyaway hair down. “I didn’t know he’d be here,” he said now, the resentment in his voice drawing her attention. She followed his gaze to where Kabir stood with Vikram and the friend she’d toppled. Vikram and the friend were chatting. Kabir was staring at her. Only her. His gaze scanning her from afar to see if she was okay, if she’d been hurt by her tumble.
It didn’t escape her notice that her fiancé hadn’t asked the same question.
“What the fuck is he looking at you like that for?”
“He’s here for the wedding,” she said, ignoring Jay’s question and answering the previous one. What did he mean? Why wouldn’t Kabir be here? “Our wedding,” she forced herself to add, breaking her eye contact with Kabir as she said the words.
“Really? Isn’t he too busy and too famous for that?”
“For what, Jay?” Irritation sparked inside her at his tone. “For his family?” Whatever she may or may not feel for Kabir, may or may not think of him, Kabir was her family and always would be. And she wouldn’t stand for anyone suggesting otherwise. And yet, Kabir was the one who’d put distance between them, hadn’t he?
Her conflicting emotions made her tone sharp. Kabir’s gaze sharpened as it swung from Jay’s face to hers. One eyebrow quirked in voiceless question. She turned away from him though the movement made her heart hurt.
Jay looked down at her, his lips tightening at the annoyance in her face. But then he glanced over her shoulder and his face smoothed over, a small smile gracing it.
“Sorry babe,” he said, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her in for a hug. “Let’s try that again, shall we?” He nuzzled his nose to hers and said, “Hi.”
Tani relaxed, smiling up at him. “Hi.”
“Alright lovebirds.” Rehan popped up by her shoulder. “The old people are asking us to come in out of the sun.”
Tani rolled her eyes at him, turning and tugging at Jay’s hand to get him moving. Her skin prickled as they walked past Kabir and Vikram, her entire body reacting to Kabir’s presence. In his loose trackpants and vest, tattoos running down his arms and peeking out of the top of his vest, his hair shaggy and wild, his stubble making her fingers itch to sink into it, he was the temptation that landed angels in Hell.
Her gaze clashed with his stormy ones, a blink and the emotion disappeared, leaving only a blank void that made her want to slap him. Or kiss him.
She averted her gaze as she walked past him, Jay’s arm around her shoulders feeling heavier than normal. Her mother emerged from the depths of the farmhouse, looking elegant and composed as always, every hair in place. Tani made a vain attempt to tame her own corkscrew curls but they just kept springing up, one piercing her eye and making it water.
“Jay,” Shikha said, smiling. “Welcome. We’re just getting breakfast organised. Why don’t you and your friends make yourselves comfortable in the meantime?”
Jay introduced his friends to her mother and they followed her into the farmhouse to freshen up before breakfast. Tani hung back a little, waiting for them to be out of earshot before heading over to where the younger group was hanging around.
“Kabir,” she said, the minute she reached them. “A moment?”
“Oooh!” Rehan exclaimed like the ass he was. “You’re in trouble, bro.”
Vik smacked the back of his head to shut him up, his perceptive gaze scanning Tani’s face. Kabir’s expression was completely unreadable as he nodded, and stepped aside to follow her. Tani made her way to the vegetable garden in the distance. Rows of plants with bright, red tomatoes dotting them stretched out into the distance. There was a large banyan tree at the edge of the garden and Tani moved around it to ensure they were out of everyone’s line of sight.
Over the years, Kabir’s parents had expanded the farm, buying up the adjacent land and turning this into a full-fledged working farm that also housed the NGO, providing a safe haven to kids who needed one. Kids like Kabir.
When she was convinced they couldn’t be overheard or seen by anyone, she stopped abruptly. Kabir stopped a step behind her, as always perfectly tuned to her and her thoughts.
“I know what you think of him.” The curt words were devoid of all tact. “And I need you to stop.”
A muscle flexed in Kabir’s jaw, that stupid, sexy stubble dipping in even sexier shadows. His response was as inflexible as his expression. “Did you get yourself tested?”
Tani closed her eyes in frustration. “For God’s sake, Kabs, give it a rest. My fiancé did not drug me.”
“Did. You. Get. Yourself. Tested?”
“Yes.” The lie burst out of her, born of rage and frustration and hurt. “I did okay? I’m not a fool.”
Kabir’s eyes were hard and unforgiving, laser focused on her face. For a second, doubt swam through her. This was Kabir Kashyap. If there was one person who knew her better than she knew herself, it was him. But he didn’t call her out on her lie. He knew though. She knew with a gut deep certainty that he knew she was lying.
“Do you remember agreeing to marry him?” he asked, allowing her some grace by not poking at her lie.
“No. I was too drunk that night.” She met his eyes, holding them and letting him see her truth now. “But he asked me again the next evening and I said yes.”
