“Your mom said she was cooking tonight. I need a homemade meal,” Ryan said.
“Ryan,” Sarika called from the kitchen, “if you’re going to eat here, you have to help.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Ryan immediately started for the kitchen. “It smells amazing.”
“Go, Dhillon. You’ll be late,” Hetal warned.
“Yeah, Dhillon. Go,” Ryan echoed. “And then text me after.”
His stomach was in knots. Did he really want to do this?
“Fine, I’m leaving.” He took another step toward the door. “Don’t forget to feed Lucky.” The whole room went silent. Emptiness overcame him for a moment. This was his family. He could call and reschedule his date and just stay here with the people he loved and enjoy a fabulous evening in the comfort of his home.
As if he could read his mind, Ryan spoke. “Dude. If you leave her waiting, you’ll never get her into—”
“I’m going, I’m going.” Dhillon raised his hands in surrender. There was no need to allow Ryan to finish that sentence with his mom and sister right there.He walked out the door, keys in hand, down the steps to the driveway. He pushed the button to unlock his door when he heard Radha Auntie’s car beeping open at the same time. Momentarily confused, he looked over and saw Riya standing outside it, key fob in hand.
She looked heart-meltingly good. There was no other way to describe it. Riya was tough, always had been. But she wasn’t a tomboy. Dhillon had seen her dress up over the years, but her jobs required uniforms that were functional, and Riya was always happiest in jeans and a T-shirt.
Right now, she had on a cool blue summer dress that showed off her strong arms. Between the short length of the dress and her high heels, her beautiful brown legs were gorgeous and curvy, muscular and defined. Dhillon had no idea about makeup, but Riya glowed, her lips sparkling. Her wavy dark hair was down and flowing to the middle of her back, despite the humidity being at nearly 100 percent and the sun beating down from a cloudless sky.
She was going out. And not with her pregnant cousin. She was going out on a date. He clenched his jaw at the thought of another man holding her hand or making her laugh. He couldn’t even let himself imagine this other man actuallytouchingher. If he was honest, he couldn’t even stand the thought of another man evenlookingat her the way he was looking at her right now. Not to mention the thoughts that were swirling about in his head.
It didn’t matter. She didn’t want him.
“Hey,” he called, because why not torture himself a bit before he went out?
twenty-one
RIYA
“Hey.” Riya studied Dhillon much the same way he was studying her. He was looking at her like he’d never seen a woman before. Not to mention that he was most definitely not wearing his usual scrubs or shorts and a T-shirt. Dressed-up Dhillon was most definitely something. Navy blue button-down shirt, molded nicely across his broad chest, sleeves just tight enough to hint at what she knew were impressive biceps. The cuffs were turned up and folded a couple of times to reveal strong, roped forearms. He was almost as muscular as any of the guys she worked with. She drew her gaze down. Good blue jeans, which she already knew hugged his ass perfectly, and casual dress shoes. He had taken a minute or so with his hair and trimmed the scruff so it was the exact amount that looked sexy and not sloppy. She was certain if she stepped close to him, she’d be enveloped in his cologne, which always mixed so well with his natural scent.
He was going on a date. A fancy date. With a woman. Jealousy, instant and suffocating, pierced her heart. Nope. He didn’t want her. Which was why she was going on a date, too.
He was also flushed, his jaw ticking, and he was fidgeting with his keys. “What happened?” Riya furrowed her brow.
Dhillon shook his head. “Hiral Mama just convinced my mother to stop dating. She finally found a decent guy. She was happy.” He fisted his hand around his keys. “He just doesn’t understand how to be a brother.”
Riya was all too familiar with Hiral Mama’s holier-than-thou attitude. She’d never really liked him. She frowned. Dhillon was right: his mom deserved someone to share her life with. “Sorry. Want me to ask my mom to talk to her?”
His eyes landed on hers, slightly hopeful. “Yes, sure. She always listens to your mom.”
“Well, they’re, like, BFFs.” Riya did her best teenage impression, and it was awful. But it made Dhillon relax and chuckle, so mission accomplished.
“Hetal dressed you?” She smirked as she looked him up and down, hoping that the jealousy didn’t come through.
“Yes.” He raked his gaze over her, and Riya enjoyed that just a little too much. “You?”
“Roshni just left,” she confessed.
“You look—” His voice was gruff, and he didn’t finish his sentence, just cleared his throat.
“You, too,” she managed. “You going to the harbor?”
“Yes. How about you and...?”
“Akash. Little Italy.” She bobbed her head. This was ridiculous. She needed to get into her car and leave before she said something stupid. “What’s your date’s name?”Like that.
