Before she could reply, Tanya and Natasha walked in followed by Neil and Arjun. Tanya almost jumped in her excitement, while Neil was trying to slow her down. Natasha grinned at her friends and waved, and Arjun managed a half-smile.
“Wow, look who’s here.” Tanya rushed towards Armaan and hugged him. Something tugged at his heart at the cute woman’s uninhibited affection. He wanted this...this unconditional love, he realized with a bang. Not all those nameless women, who were ready to sleep with him anywhere, any time. Not anymore!
“Have you gotten shorter since I last saw you?” Armaan smirked, knowing it would irritate Tanya.
“I have to wear flats, at least for a while. Oh, how I miss my heels. My Jimmy Choos and Louboutins…”
Armaan looked at Neil with an expression that saidWhat brought this on?
Neil’s answering smirk only conveyed one thing.Serves you right!
“Ookkay!” He gently led her to the table. “Let’s start eating and discuss your shoes while we chew our food. For what it’s worth, you look pretty even short, darling.” He laughed and sat down even as she glared at him. Before Mia could leave, he caught her wrist. “Stay.”
Unwilling to put up a fight in front of their friends, Mia sat next to him. They started having the breakfast that Tom had kindly served. Just when he began to pass on the cups of coffee, Tanya nodded her head no.
“What happened? Don’t you love our coffee anymore?” Mia frowned, hating the thought of someone rejecting something from her restaurant.
Tanya immediately looked at her husband and bit her lip. “Do you want to say it?”
Before he could reply, Natasha caught on. “No way! Is it what I think it is?” She was grinning wide as she completed her question.
Tanya smiled back, a sparkle entering her eyes. “Yeah!”
“Woww. Oh, my God! I cannot imagine…” Natasha got up from her chair to hug the shorter woman. Mia too smiled and joined the hug.
Looking at the clueless Armaan, Neil finally filled in above the girl’s excited squeals and chatter. “I’m gonna be a daddy in seven months.” He grinned as if he’d conquered the whole world.
“Whoa! I mean...huh!” Armaan was at a loss of words.
“Congratulations, can’t believe this man.” Arjun slapped his friend’s back.
“I know right?” Neil continued to preen.
Armaan simply looked at him and then at Tanya. “Whoa, girl. This is so cool. I’d be an uncle, huh? Can’t believe this shit is happening.” He grinned and pulled her for a quick hug.
“Shhhhh…” Tanya hissed. “Don’t swear in front of my child. I swear, if her first word is a swear word instead of mamma, you’re dead!” She glared at Armaan for good measure.
Natasha stifled her laughter at Armaan’s confused expression. “What? But, where’s the kid? He’s just a mass of cells at this point.”
Tanya’s glare turned mean. “Don’t you dare call my child a “mass of cells”. SHE can hear everything from inside.” To his horror, Tanya’s eyes drenched with tears.
At the completely unexpected meltdown, Armaan almost ran out of the cafe but was thankfully saved by Neil, who put his hands around his wife’s shoulder. “Baby, ignore this asshole.”
“Neil! Not you too! No swearing.” Tanya sniffled.
“I know, I know, I’m sorry! I meant, this, huh, mother cracker.”
Immediately, she gave a watery giggle and melted against her husband. “Sounds good. We can invent some more until she grows up.”
“Someone, for the love of God and everything Holy, please pass me that coffee. I can’t deal with this on a Saturday morning.” Armaan looked at Mia for the caffeine and noticed her gaze, full of yearning, at Tanya and Neil. Frowning, he lightly touched her hand. “Coffee?” He asked her again, softly this time.
Startling against the cool touch, Mia quickly passed on the cup, simultaneously struggling to hide her reaction. “Let me refill the pot.” She got up and walked towards the kitchen.
Natasha looked at her friend with curiosity. From the corner of her eye, she also saw Armaan looking at Mia.Were they just friends?She wondered. Arjun shrugged, silently answering her unspoken question. Ha! Her man, as usual, understood her with an ease that left her breathless.
“I’ll be right back.” Armaan got up and followed Mia into the kitchen.
Mia turned around and almost bumped into a sinful-looking Armaan. Quickly, he caught her arms and steadied her. “Easy.”
