I understood what she was saying, but an arranged marriage wasn’t a push; it was a shove off a high cliff and into the churning waves below.
“Is the solution really to marry me off to someone I don’t love? I don’t see how that’s helpful,” I said.
“You could grow to love them. Your parents had an arranged marriage, and they’ve been happy for many, many years.”
“They’re the exception, not the rule.” I placed my dosa back on the plate without eating it. I’d lost my appetite, and when I spoke again, my voice came out as a small whisper. “I’m scared, Nani.”
I felt like a kid again, waiting for my grandmother to bandage my wounds and make the world right once more.
“What if—” I broke off, my stomach bubbling with acid. “What if I can’t find The One? What if I have to spend the rest of my life with someone I merely tolerate? What if I find The OneafterI get married to someone else?”
My head swam with a thousand questions. I normally thrived under pressure, but my parents’ imposed deadline threatened to break me out in hives.
For some reason, an image of Sebastian surfaced in my mind. My pulse thundered, and I flicked the image away before it fully formed. We were talking about my future marriage; he had nothing to do with this.
Absolutely nothing.
My grandmother’s face softened. “I have faith in you, beti. If itwere Neha or Priya in this situation, I’d worry a little more. Neha is too rigid, and Priya is too impulsive. But you…” She placed her hand over mine, her touch reassuringly soft and warm. “You’re ruled by your headandyour heart. It’s a rare skill. It’ll guide you to the right place.”
“And if it doesn’t?”
“It will.”
I wished I had an ounce of my grandmother’s faith in myself.
Anyone else would’ve been comforted by her confidence, but anxiety clawed its way to the surface again, stoking whispers of expectations I couldn’t meet. The more people expected me to succeed, the more pressure I heaped on myself.
“That being said, I would advise you to meet people on your own instead of relying on your mother’s matchmaking,” my grandmother said. “Go out, have fun. Date for dating’s sake. Don’t put so much pressure on yourselforyour dates to be The One. Oftentimes, the perfect match finds us when we’re least expecting it.”
“I guess,” I said doubtfully. “Maybe I should take a page from the holiday rom-coms and walk around building corners with hot coffee until I accidentally spill it on some handsome, single CEO with a tragic backstory and a secret heart of gold.”
She blinked. “Uh, sure. Or you could go to a bar like a normal person. If you’re lucky, you’ll find yourself a rock musician. Then we can watch your mother melt down together.”
Despite my earlier melancholy, I burst into laughter. “Nani!”
“What?” Her expression was filled with innocence. “I’m old, and I’m stuck in this house most of the time. I have to find funsomewhere.”
That sparked a memory. “Speaking of finding stuff, did you ever find your diamond earring?” I asked. “The one you lost in the conservatory.”
She blinked again, her expression turning cagey. “Ah, no. I’m sure Diya will find it eventually.”
Diya returned with my eggs. She set them on the island and gave my grandmother a disapproving stare, which my grandmother ignored.
Weird.
But my mind soon circled back to the issue at hand. “I still need a date for Radhika’s wedding.” I doubted I’d find my perfect match at a bar, but I knew someone who’d met their spouse at a funeral. Anything was possible. “Maybe I need to expand my radius. Search outside New York.”
A sexy vacation fling that turned into long-term commitment. That could be fun.
“Maybe,” my grandmother said slowly. “Or maybe your match is closer than you think. It’s not always about new people and places. Sometimes, it’s about new perspectives.”
I frowned. “What does that mean?”
“You’re a smart girl.” She picked up her chai again, her eyes glittering over the rim of her mug. “You’ll figure it out.”
CHAPTER 18
Sebastian
