Page 194 of Since You Stole My Heart

‘Every single one,’ Kusha replied with an eye roll. ‘Mom and Dad bribed him with family trips and foreign holidays, but he only ever wanted to come here.’

‘He should play tour guide for us then,’ Kashvi said.

Kusha pressed her lips together as she looked out the window again. ‘I don’t know if he remembers much. He hasn’t been back here in years.’

‘Why?’

Kusha dismissed it with a shrug.

Swayam guided the car through the thinning traffic before slowing on a quieter stretch of road. ‘Do you want to check in first or go straight to the bookstore?’

‘Bookstore, duh,’ Kashvi replied instantly.

‘I should’ve known,’ Swayam muttered, picking up speed.

He leaned forward to gesture towards a nearby hill where a cottage was tucked between the trees, its wide windows gleaming softly in the sunlight. ‘That’s where Ira lives, so we’re only about a minute away from the bookstore.’

Kashvi’s eyes lit up with excitement. She twisted in her seat to look out the back window, but when she didn’t spot Siya or her brothers, she frowned. ‘Where is Di? She needs to see this.’

Abhay looked up from his phone. ‘Dhruv and Vihaan are far away, but Siya, Mihu, and Luv should catch up in twenty minutes or so.’

Kashvi perked up. ‘That’s karma. I want to get there before them, so let’s go!’

Then something clicked in the back of her mind, and she narrowed her eyes at Swayam. ‘Wait. How do you know where Ira lives?’

‘I asked the bookstore owner,’ Swayam said, shooting her a sheepish look. Before she could press further, he announced, ‘We’re here.’

He eased the car into a corner parking spot, and they stepped out. The cool and crisp mountain air hit her, and Kashvi drew her beige coat tighter around herself.

A wide set of stone steps led up to a large Victorian bookstore built entirely from grey stone, ivy winding around the corners. The entrance was marked by a heavy wooden door with carved panels, and a simple wrought-iron sign hung above it.

The Inked Summit.

A flicker of nervous anticipation curled through Kashvi, and with her hand nestled in Swayam’s, they made their way up the stairs, everyone else following behind them.

The door opened with a soft chime, and rows of wide wooden shelves lined with books greeted them. A small coffee machine hissed quietly in one corner, the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafting through the air. A cluster of cushioned chairs was tucked into the other corner, forming a cosy and inviting reading nook near the far wall.

Kusha tugged at Abhay’s sleeve and pulled him and Raghav towards the business section.

‘What do you think?’ Swayam asked.

‘I think I’m in heaven,’ Kashvi whispered, awestruck.

Swayam pointed to a woman standing at the far end of the room, engaged in animated conversation with a group of local college kids. ‘Vedika!’

Vedika broke into a bright smile when she spotted them and gestured that she would join them in a moment.

Kashvi tilted her head slightly, studying the woman closely. ‘You know her?’

‘Yeah, she’s a friend,’ Swayam offered.

Kashvi observed the modest arrangement of chairs facing a low platform on one side of the room. It didn’t look like the setup she had expected. ‘This is a preview event, right?’

‘It is, but a very private one,’ he replied.

Vedika finally approached them, pulling her woollen scarf tighter around her.She pulled Swayam into a quick, familiar hug. ‘Finally, the guest of honour has arrived.’

Kashvi frowned at their interaction, but quickly composed herself when Vedika turned towards her with a warm smile. ‘And here is the lovely wife we’ve heard so much about. I can see why he’s so hopelessly whipped.’