‘I see.’ Jacob nodded in understanding.
‘And there definitely isn’t time to go back there and have food before the boat ride.’
‘No, I don’t think there is.’ He shook his head in dismay. ‘What a devastating blow to the stuffed paratha business. I thought I’d made one of their best customers out of you.’
His gentle tease was enough to ease Olivia’s embarrassment.
‘I know, but at least I got to sample a very good one before abstaining.’
‘Itwastasty, wasn’t it?’ He smiled dreamily.
‘Don’t! I’m still hungry, remember.’
‘Sorry, I’ll keep that sacred memory to myself from now on.’
‘Thank you.’
Jacob chewed the corner of his mouth in deep contemplation.
‘What to do … what to do …’
Olivia was thinking the exact same thing. Why hadn’t she at least packed some emergency snacks?
‘I know!’ Jacob exclaimed.
‘You do?’
‘Yes. You don’t think you’re the only one with a brain for planning, do you?’
‘No,’ she lied.
‘Good, because I have come up with an ingenious, efficient and extremely creative answer to your problem.’
‘Really?’
‘Really! The only question is …’ Jacob turned, their knees knocking together as the tuk-tuk trundled along the bumpy roads. ‘Do you trust me?’
No.
‘Yes,’ she replied, unable to take her eyes off his. ‘But only because I am starving.’
‘Don’t worry, my lady, you won’t be for much longer!’ He leant forward and whispered something into the ear of the driver, who nodded in acknowledgement and jerked the little tuk-tuk off to the left. ‘Hold tight, we’re making a pit stop.’
*
Twenty minutes, a supermarket visit and one chai stop later, Olivia found herself sitting by the lake with what could only be described as a tourist’s dream picnic laid out in front of her. Multipacks of crisps, bags of peanuts, granola bars, packets of cakes and biscuits, and, of course, large slabs of melting chocolate spilled out from the grocery bag next to them. It was a junk food addict’s heaven, and despite her initial disgust, Olivia found that it hit the spot.
‘Pass me the rest of the chocolate – it’s got to go before it becomes too liquid.’
Olivia pushed the sticky packet in his direction. ‘You haven’t totally weaned yourself off the hard stuff since leaving Kushal, then?’
Jacob dipped his finger in the mush and scooped it up into his mouth.
‘Absolutely not – I’m too far gone. There’s no coming back from it now.’
‘You were only with him for a few weeks!’
‘Some people only take a day to change your life, Olivia.’ He smacked his lips together. ‘It’s not about time, it’s about impact.’
