“I’m aware.” He shifted. There it was, that tug of longing followed by fear. How to tell his mom that while he deeply missed their hometown’s annual Sikh parade, and would give anything to attend it again, the event was too big and loud and crowded for him. He avoided such places to the point that he used to have to delegate security detail to other guards back when Katrina and Hardeep had gone to areas where there might be fireworks or intense crowds. “Mom—”
“It would mean so much to him. And to me. But really to him.”
“I see Grandpa all the time.” He kept the emotion out of his tone, which pleased him. He definitely saw his parents more, but he did see his grandfather quite a bit, even wentto the farm for monthly dinners with the whole family. He never stayed more than a night, but he went.
“He’s all alone and he’s getting older. This is all he wants.”
“Did he say that?”
The beat of silence told him that his grandfather hadn’t said anything of the sort to his only daughter.
Stubborn old man.
“He would have told me, but our calls have been so rushed lately. He’s out of the country for the next couple of weeks. He had to go to Mexico to work on that school he’s established.”
Is he well enough to make a trip like that?Mexico wasn’t far, but his grandfather wasn’t young. “Does he have someone with him?”
“Yes, he took a few employees.” His mother tried a different tack. “We’re all going to be there that night. It will be so apparent if my eldest isn’t here. What will people say? Come for me?”
His lips twisted. His mother played dirty. Yuba City was a relatively small and gossipy town. His absence would be felt.
“You can stay at the little house. It’s all yours. No one will bother you there. You can have your privacy and come to this one little award ceremony and then you can either go back to Santa Barbara or stay in your own home on the farm.”
When Jas was nineteen, his grandfather had deeded over the empty house his great-grandparents had built, as well as a small tract of the surrounding land. No one was living in it, his grandpa had said, so Jas might as well have it.
Deep nostalgia shot through Jas. He loved that house. Jas had known it was a lure and a bribe when his grandpa had given him the deed. A way to tie him to a business and life he didn’t want.
He had few emotional ties to the huge home his grandpa had built later in life and now lived in, so it was easier to pop in there for their monthly dinners and leave. The farm sat on hundreds of acres. He didn’t even have to see the little house.
Jas tugged at a loose thread on his comforter. Oh, but he missed every inch of that place.
It might be different now. You could go and see. Not the parade, but at least the house.
He shook that thought away. It would surely be too painful, and to what end? He and his grandfather narrowly avoided getting locked in their usual battle of wills during a once-a-month dinner. An extended visit would be rough.
“You don’t have to commit this minute. Think on it?” Tara asked.
He gritted his teeth.Tell her why you don’t want to go. Tell her about the loud noises, and the fireworks, and the heat, and the crush of people. His mother was kind and empathetic, a kindergarten teacher. She would understand. “Fine,” he said reluctantly. “I’ll think on it. No promises.”
“Good enough for now. I love you. Have a good night.”
“Good night. Love you too.” He hung up and sat there for a moment, taking a beat to collect himself. The doorbell roused him.
Who on earth would be looking for him at this hour?
Jas strode to the door and yanked it open to find Jia. He’d never seen the girl without a full face of makeup, a coordinated outfit, and a matching hijab, but tonight she wore lounge pants, a cotton shirt, and a scarf tied over her hair.
“What’s wrong?” he demanded when she didn’t speak, but merely stared at him.
“Um.” She dipped her gaze down his body and then back up, and he flushed as the cool air hit his bare chest.
“Hang on.” He shut the door, grabbed the shirt and shoes he’d taken off, and pulled them on. He was back in under a minute.
She snapped to attention and cleared her throat. “I’m sorry to bother you, but something’s come up, and, well... I hate tattling or anything, but Rhiannon’s on a flight across the ocean, and it seems like you’ve known Katrina the longest of all of us, so I thought I would come and see if we can—”
Jas cut off her rambling. “What’s wrong?” he repeated.
Jia bit her lower lip and looked torn. “Katrina said not to tell you.”
