“But the wedding-“
“Tani has everyone with her,” Ved said briskly. “You have no one.”
Kabir closed his eyes on a groan. “Dad, I’m thirty five years old. I can take care of myself. I can nurse a –“ Kabir broke off.
“A hangover? A grievance? Whatever the hell is going on with you?” Ved finished for him. “I know you can. I’m still coming,” Ved continued. “We’ll hang out together, hit the bars…I’ll be your wingman,” he finished cheerfully much to Kabir’s horror.
Was this what his life had come to? His father as his wingman?
“Mom will kill me and Kim will string me up by my intestines if you fly out here for me, leaving them behind.” His sister was a vicious, feral animal when crossed as Kabir knew from previous experience.
“Probably.” Ved laughed. “But that’s your problem, not mine. I’ll send you my flight details once it’s booked.”
“DAD!” Kabir exhaled, defeatedly. “Don’t…Don’t book your tickets. I’ll come home.”
“You will?” Ved sounded gleeful.
“Don’t act like you didn’t know this would be the end result of all your emotional blackmail,” Kabir said glumly.
“Well, a man’s got to do what a man’s got to do. So, will you send me your flight details once it’s booked?”
Kabir rolled his eyes at the laughter in his father’s voice. “Yeah,” he grumbled. “I’ll get Rahul to do it.”
“Great. We’ll see you soon then,” Ved said warmly. “We’ve missed you, Kabir.”
Emotion slammed through him at the words. “I’ve missed you guys too, Dad,” he said huskily.
He disconnected the call, and stayed sitting on the side of the bed, blood dripping from his hand on to the white carpet below.
He was going home. He was going home to attend the wedding of the love of his miserable, fucking life. He was going to stand there, watch her marry someone else, and force his fucked up heart to be happy for her.
Something ruptured in his hand and blood started to flow more heavily, almost like his heart shattering had caused it pump more blood out.
He took a deep breath and stared out at the majestic sprawl of New York.
He was going back to Il Cuore.
Fuck his life. Well, at least this time around he knew how to hold a teacup.
CHAPTER 2
TANISHA
“Tani!”Her father’s roar had her jolting out of bed. She heard her mother murmur something to her father but whatever it was, it didn’t work. A sharp knock sounded on her bedroom door a second later.
“Tani?” His voice was softer this time but no less sharp.
She winced as she called out, “Yeah?”
The door opened a second later, her father’s frame filling the door. Behind him, her mother hovered, a worried look on her pretty face. Tani smiled wanly at her, her head pounding, and her mouth tasting like a ferret had died in it.
“Hey Pa. Ma!”
“Don’t ‘Hey Pa’ me!” Karam Bakshi’s famous glower made its appearance. “What are you still doing in bed?”
“Umm, I-“
“Don’t lie to me, Tani.” He folded his arms across his chest and glared at her. “You were supposed to meet Aakash and me at Thakkar Headquarters for your pitch presentation. Not only didyou not turn up, you didn’t pick up your phone, or answer any of the messages I sent.”
