She had anawarenessof Sam’s presence, as if her senses were suddenly heightened when he was around. Which was annoying, because the fact that he had flirted with her within five seconds of meeting her while he still had a girlfriend did not impress her in the least. Maybe some boys thought they were good-looking enough to get away with that, but Maya wasn’t buying it.
There probably wasn’t a functioning brain to go with that body, anyway. Not that she’d noticed Sam’s body. Or his hair. Definitely had not noticed the knee-weakening smile.
She’d only ever had one boyfriend, which might have been unusual for your average twenty-two-year-old college graduate, but it wasn’t necessarily unusual for a twenty-two-year-old first-generation Indian girl. Especially if her mother was Sunita Rao.
Maya had dated Vinay behind her mother’s back for about two months in her junior year of high school. She’d made the mistake of kissing him on school grounds on the day that her mother had parent-teacher conferences. When her mother caught them, she lectured Maya for days about her priorities, the dangers of falling in love so young and the fact that boys were not to be trusted, anyway. Sunita had made it abundantly clear that she would be the one to find Maya the proper mate—so Maya need not concern herself with it. She also called the boy’s parents and insisted that they rein in their son and keep him away from Maya, lest she call the authorities. Maya became the joke at school. As a result, she simply avoided boys and focused her energies on her studies, continuing to do so all through culinary school.
Ultimately, this was fine with Maya, as she had plans. She was getting out of the bakery. Her mother had opened it when Maya was about ten, a couple of years after Maya’s father had left them. The bakery had become their livelihood as well as their home. But while Maya loved baking, she wanted more from life than just running a small hometown bakery. So as for her mother finding her a husband, she figured she’d deal with that when the time came.
Sam continued to flirt with her as she placed the cookies on the cooling rack. Her back was to him when the thumping of rapid footsteps made her turn.
Niki emerged in the kitchen in herBlue’s Cluesnightgown, running as fast as her little feet could carry her. Her dark hair hung in her eyes, wild from sleep. “Maya! Sammy! Ben says he doesn’t feel good. He says his tummy hurts.”
Sam was at the steps before Maya could move. She gathered Niki and followed close behind. Ben had been in bed with a fever since Maya got to work. Niki must have woken up and gone to check on him, as was her habit.
“Ben,” Sam called out as he reached Ben’s room. “Hang on, buddy, I got you.” Sam leaned down and picked up a very green-looking little boy. “Hold on, okay? We have to use the bathroom in your mom and dad’s room.”
Maya and Niki cleared a path, but Sam had taken no more than three steps down the hall before Ben started to heave. Sam quickly ducked into the hall bathroom—the one being renovated—just in time for Ben to vomit all over the both of them and the unfinished tile job.
Maya froze.
Niki held her nose. “Ugh, Maya. It’s stinky.”
Maya put down the little girl. “Go wait in your room.” Niki scampered off and Maya grabbed a paper towel roll and a couple bath towels from the hall closet. When she returned, she found Sam sitting on the edge of the tub, Ben still in his arms. The vomiting had stopped, but Sam continued to hold the boy, and spoke in slow, soothing tones.
“Feel better, buddy?” Sam said.
Ben nodded. “I’m sorry, Sammy. I got it all over you.” Tears of shame filled his eyes.
“Oh, come on, now. That was some awesomely gross throw-up. Nothing to cry about.” Sam’s voice was soft and playful.
Ben smiled through his tears. “It really is gross, huh?”
“Trust me, I know!” He turned and caught Maya watching him. He flushed and promptly returned his attention to Ben, but in her surprise, she was unable to look away from him.
Sam picked up Ben. “Let’s get you into the tub.”
Maya reached out to help him.
“Stop.” Sam shook his head. “You’ll get it on you. I’ll just clean us both up in the tub.”
There wasn’t a trace of the playful or flirtatious Sam she’d known for the past few weeks. “You sure?”
“Yes. Just leave all that stuff here. I’ll take care of it.” He looked her in the eye. “Thanks.”
Maya put the paper towels and the bath towels where he indicated, but remained frozen to the spot.
“Are you going to watch me take my clothes off?” Sam winked. Ben giggled.
And he was back. Maya threw him a glare and turned on her heel.
“MAYA,DIDYOUBAKE? I smell cookies.” Niki was waiting in her room.
“Well, how about if we get you dressed and maybe you can have one?” Maya brushed aside some hair and found the little girl’s giggling face. “There you are!” Niki grinned.
This was Maya’s favorite part of the day. As Niki opened her closet, Maya leaned against the doorframe for a fashion show, keeping close tabs on the sounds coming from the bathroom.
“I want to wear a pink dress.”
