‘Wow, so you weren’t lying about the whole planning situation.’
‘Nope.’ Olivia smiled sheepishly. ‘It’s kind of my thing.’
‘Your thing?’
‘You know, the thing I’m known for. Like I’m sure you’re known for your spontaneity and unrelenting humour,’ she quipped.
‘And don’t forget my devastating good looks.’
‘Ah, yes. That too, of course.’
‘And yours is being organized?’
‘Yes.’
‘Well’ – he shrugged – ‘I guess there could be worse things.’
‘Hey! I like being organized.’
‘I’m sure you do.’
‘It’s better than being incredibly irritating.’
‘Woah there, just a second ago I was devilishly handsome and hilarious.’ He placed a hand over his heart.
‘Those were your words, not mine.’
‘True, very true.’
A comfortable silence fell between them as they finished their chai. The heat and the noise were becoming ever so slightly more bearable now that Olivia was properly fed and watered.
She stole a glance at Jacob, who seemed so perfectly at home amidst the mayhem. Serene, unfazed and totally grounded, it was as though he was made from the chaos itself. His eyes met hers and she felt a jolt of electricity radiate through her core.
Admit it, you’ve had a nice time.
‘So, what’s the plan now, then?’ he asked. ‘Fancy tackling the market again? It will be quieter, I reckon.’
‘No,’ she replied, more firmly than she intended. ‘I think I ought to be heading back. It’s getting late and I need to prepare for tomorrow.’
‘Of course you do.’ Jacob tucked his hands into his pockets, as something that Olivia could have easily mistaken fordisappointment flickered across his face. ‘The agenda waits for nobody!’
Had she been too harsh? After all, he’d been nothing but kind to her since they’d met. Cocky, and way too curious for his own good, but kind nonetheless.
‘Exactly. But thank you for the food and, you know, saving my life and all that.’
‘Yeah, I have been great, haven’t I?’
Nope. She hadn’t been too harsh.
‘So great, in fact,’ he continued, his eyes glittering mischievously, ‘I wonder … what are you doing for dinner tomorrow?’
‘I’m not sure yet, why?’
‘There’s this place I haven’t been to before and I’ve been wanting to check it out for ages. I wondered whether you wanted to come too? We could celebrate me being the hero of today and you for making it through your Delhi experience alive and unscathed.’
Olivia looked down at the scab on her knee from where she’d fallen the previous day. Jacob’s eyes followed.
‘OK, mainly unscathed.’ He laughed.
