‘And?’ Jacob leant closer, his eyes wide and expectant.
‘It’s good.’ She chewed hungrily. ‘It’sreallygood.’
‘Aha!’ He held his paratha to the air in victory. ‘I knew it!’
Olivia shoved another bite into her mouth, not caring about anything other than devouring every last morsel of the insanely delicious food.
‘Now, I forgot to ask.’ Jacob swallowed, wiping away the dusting of crumbs that had accumulated on his chin. ‘How’s your hotel working out? Did you survive the night OK?’
Flashbacks of her dingy room rudely interrupted the blissful sensation of her chai and paratha.
‘Erm … yeah … it was all right,’ she replied vaguely, her eyes not meeting his.
‘You hated it, didn’t you?’
‘No.’
‘Yes, you did!’ He grinned.
‘No, I didn’t!’
‘I don’t blame you, I told you that place was dodgy. Why don’t you move?’
‘It’s not that bad.’ She took another bite, playing for more time.
‘Uh-huh.’
‘And besides, moving feels like a lot of faff for a couple more nights. I’ll be fine.’
Jacob eyed her suspiciously over the top of his chai.
‘What’s that look for?’
‘Nothing.’
‘Yes, it is. Come on.’
‘I don’t know.’ He shrugged. ‘It feels crazy to me that you’d stay somewhere you hate just because it’s easier. You don’t strike me as a person that takes the easy route.’
Whether it was intended as a compliment or not, Olivia felt a bristle of pride at his words.
‘I don’t. But I am also someone who prioritizes, and spending time moving when I have a list of things to do here feels counterproductive.’
‘Oh yeah?’ He raised an eyebrow curiously. ‘Action-packed agenda, is it?’
‘You could say that.’
‘Come on, then, tell me.’
‘What?’
‘What’s on the agenda?’
‘You don’t want to know.’
‘Yes, I do! Or I wouldn’t have asked.’
‘Well’ – she finished the final bite of her food, her stomach leaping in sheer joy to be full – ‘today my plan was the Red Fort and Chandni Chowk. Tomorrow will be India Gate, Lodhi Gardens and the Raj Ghat. Then I have an early train to Agra the next morning.’
