“Do you own jeans?”
“Of course I own jeans.” He half turned to his dresser. “I think.”
“Okay, never mind. Lose the tie.”
He loosened the tie, feeling vaguely naked as he shed it. “Good?”
“Better. I can pull up a couple looks tonight and you can purchase whatever you need tomorrow. Personally, I think you need slimmer cut pants.”
He looked down at his legs self-consciously. All he’d wanted as a teenager was to wear baggy clothes to make his slender frame look bigger. It had taken him years not to feel odd in tighter-fitting clothing. “Thank you, Luna, I would appreciate that. Perhaps you could discuss this with my stylist. I am due for a refresh.” He’d skipped it this year, thanks to their strained finances.
“Speaking of clothes...” she said, giving him a bright smile. “Can I get some new clothes to fit into the school here?”
Aha. That’s why she was commenting on his clothes. “Of course.” He went to his closet and pulled out his black shoes. “I can take you to the store—”
“I’ll buy them online. I’ve gotten used to that.”
He sat in the chair next to the closet and put his shoes on. Adil Uncle would fuss on him for walking to the front door in them, but maybe he could escape detection. “Very well. Are you also buying slimmer cut pants?” he teased.
“More like sweatpants and tank tops.”
Dev nearly bit his tongue off to keep from sounding like a scandalized aunt. If the other children wore such casual clothes to learn in, his niece could as well. “Do you need a new backpack as well?”
She hesitated. “I feel bad spending so much.”
Dev came to his feet and tugged on her hair. “Nonsense. You’ve never shopped for school, have you? We must make sure you’re prepared. I should have thought of it last week.”
She named a brand he’d never heard of. “That’s what most of the girls use.”
“Then pick one up for yourself. Black, I suppose.”
“Actually, yellow seems to be the popular color.” She wrinkled her nose. “Two people asked me if I was from New York City. I guess they wear more colorful stuff here.”
“You should wear what you feel comfortable in.” He didn’t want his niece changing to please anyone.
“I feel comfortable not sticking out. Thanks, Kaka.”
There was an odd tremble in her voice. He nudged her chin up. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.” She hesitated. “Are you going on a date?”
He almost raked his hand through his hair before he remembered that it would muss it up. “Why would you think that?”
“Baba was always going on dates.”
The careful way she said that, without inflection, made up his mind for him. There was no need to tell Luna about Jia yet. “It’s not a date. Just a meeting with a friend.”
“Oh. Okay.”
“Try to go to bed before midnight or so?” He didn’t bother enforcing a bedtime on the weekends. “And no—”
“No phone after ten, got it. Have fun.”
With the woman he’d been obsessed with for the better part of a week?
No, not obsessed. He was impressed by her, he thoughther skin was luminous and perfect and she had the prettiest eyes he’d ever—
He cut himself off. “I’ll try.”
