She raised an eyebrow, a sly smirk coming across her lips. “That’s...kind of hot.”
thirty-eight
RIYA
“Hey! Look at you, all cute in your sundress.” Roshni drew an approving eye over Riya’s outfit.
“Thanks. Let me just finish getting all this out for Mom and Dad’s lunch,” Riya said, as she sliced cucumber, tomato and onion.
“I like you unemployed. More time for fun.” Roshni grinned.
“Like you have oodles of time tolunch.” Riya rolled her eyes.
“I’m the boss. I make my own schedule.”
Riya shook her head at her cousin as she put out the fixings for DIY chutney sandwiches. Her parents could eat when they were ready. She washed her hands and placed them on Roshni’s prominent belly. “You’re so big! Any minute now, huh? You sure you don’t have twins in there?”
“One heartbeat, sister.”
“And you really don’t know the gender?”
Roshni shook her head. “Nope. It really is the one true surprise you get in life, so Seb and I decided to wait.”
Riya quirked her mouth. “Made it impossible to buy baby-shower presents.”
Roshni waved a dismissive hand. “Green and yellow are fine. And it’s not like you don’t spoil Anand with gifts. Now you’ll have two to spoil.”
Riya grinned. “I got him something cool!”
“A fire truck?”
Riya felt a pang. Shehadgot him a fire truck, but then she’d returned it and got him a police car instead. Roshni was going to hate that siren.
“I’ll bring it by next week,” Riya said, “as a surprise for you both.” She felt cheered at the prospect of seeing her nephew.
“Riya, why did you really quit?” Roshni looked her cousin in the eye.
“It was for the best. End of story.” It was. What if someone died on her watch? What if it was her fault?
Roshni stared her down for a moment. “You worked so hard.”
“Don’t you need to eat?” Riya ignored Roshni’s comment, walking past her to grab her cross-body purse.
Roshni shook her head. “Let’s go.”
Riya had just unlocked her car when Dhillon appeared in the driveway. He was dressed in khaki shorts and a button-down. Casual, but not so casual that he looked like he was playing basketball with Ryan. He must be meeting someone. Riya’s heart fell.
But seeing him again softened her enough to remember that he actually loved her, even if he refused to do anything about it.
Dhillon stopped when he saw her. “Hey.”
She couldn’t see his eyes behind his sunglasses, but his mouth looked guilty. He was definitely going on another date.
She pressed her lips together and got in the car without saying a word. Talking to him was never going to help her move on. She slammed the door shut and pulled out of the driveway.
“Whoa! Pregnant lady sitting next to you.” Roshni gripped the dash.
Riya inhaled and calmed her driving.
