Without thinking too hard about it, she picked up the serving spoon from the dish in front of her.
"Nimisha, don't you dare—" Saroj started.
She threw it.
Her aim was terrible, the spoon tumbling through the air in a wobbly arc that would have missed Samarth's face by a foot even if he hadn't moved.
But he did move.
His hand shot up with reflexes honed by years of violence, catching the spoon effortlessly before it could complete its pathetic trajectory.
Bruno huffed.
The sound was distinctly... judgmental.
That aim couldn't hurt a fly, let alone him,the dog's expression seemed to say.
"Bhabhi's throwing skills need work," Shaurya said, laughing.
Samarth set the spoon down with controlled precision, his dark eyes fixed on his wife. "Are you finished?"
"Your brother dared me," Nimisha replied, keeping her voice even despite the heat creeping up her neck.
"Shaurya has always been an idiot."
"I'm right here, bhai."
Samarth ignored him, his attention still on Nimisha. There was something in his gaze she couldn't quite read—annoyance, yes, but something else. Curiosity, maybe?
She looked away first, reaching for her water glass.
Bruno had moved closer, positioning himself between her chair and Kabir's. The shift was subtle, but Nimisha noticed.
So did Kabir, whose smile tightened slightly.
"Stop being so judgy, Boo Berry," Nimisha murmured under her breath, so quietly only the dog could hear.
Bruno's ears perked. He turned his massive head to look at her, and she could have sworn amusement flickered in those dark eyes.
He scoffed softly—a sound that was pure canine disdain.
Samarth's gaze sharpened.
Had he heard?
His eyes moved from her to Bruno and back again, something calculating in his expression.
"What did you just call my dog?" he asked, his voice low.
Every conversation at the table stopped.
Nimisha's pulse quickened. "Nothing."
"You called him something."
"I didn't."
"She definitely did," Shaurya said helpfully. "I heard it. Sounded like 'Boo Berry.'"
