Page 42 of You’re So Vein

“What if you’re in the middle of driving or performing heart surgery?” Komal asks as she helps herself to seconds.

“Doesn’t matter. It takes dedication to look this good.” He gestures to himself. “What’s your favourite way to work out? I’d like to train together with my wife.”

My wife.

The words stir something dark and feral inside me.

This must be the man Komal’s father has chosen for her. Normally, I respect Chirag Ahuja’s choices, but this man? This blustering show-off? This is who he thinks Komal wants to be with?

But maybe I’m wrong. Komal is always off rock climbing or hiking or doing some other adventurous exercise. Maybe this twit is exactly the kind of man who can tame her. They would certainly look beautiful together…

“It would be difficult to work out together,” Komal says sweetly, “since the only exercise I do is dancing naked in the forest during dionysian rituals and tearing the limbs off any man who wanders in unawares.”

Or maybe not.

I cover my mouth to stifle a laugh. But Komal’s date doesn’t appreciate her humour.

“Dancing isn’t the most effective exercise. It puts stress on your joints, and the cardiovascular benefits aren’t as good as other exercises. You should join me at my gym. I’ll have you doing pull-ups in no time—”

At the suggestion that Komal get all sweaty in gym shorts with this… this preposterous poseur, my stomach churns harder. I glance down at my watch, the one Hannah chose for me. I should be getting home, but I have to stay, just to make sure she’s…

Behind me, voices greet each other. Celeste and Dora have locked up their shops and meet on the green for a gossip. If I move out of my patch of shadow, they’re sure to see me. Likewise, I can’t cross the door of Komal’s office, or she’ll see me. I’m now trapped. Celeste’s voice catches my attention.

“—isn’t taking the risk seriously, but I’m concerned Beth may be right about him being the husker. He absolutely lost his shit that night at Sanctus – the same night that Alyra was killed.”

Does the Nevermore Coven know about that night? Now they think I killed those people. That’s why they’re spying on me. They must fear I’ll hurt Komal.

If I show myself now, skulking around her office, I’ll only confirm their suspicions.

So I retreat further into the shadows, clutching Hannah’s treats tightly, and listen, catching pieces of both conversations.

“—would have given over to hunger by now,” says Dora. “I’ve been working my own magic, searching for answers. So far, I see no reason to suspect him—”

“You should come on a hike with me this weekend, I’ll tell you more about my app ideas. I’m currently developing RageCycle, which is like Peloton but it only plays extremely loud metal music so people go harder, and Spottyr, which is like Uber but for gym spotters—”

My stomach seethes.

“What in Ishtar’s name is a gym spotter?” Komal asks, her voice muffled from eating. “Is that like birdwatching for fitness, where you hide in the bushes outside gyms and try to collect sightings of different fad diets?”

Her date’s voice darkens. “Are you making fun of me?”

“I would never,” she says in a sickly-sweet voice, one she often uses on me. That voice usually sends me into a blind rage, but tonight, when she’s using it on him, it makes my heart soar and my skull float off my shoulders. “I’m just not really into exercise. Sorry.”

She is definitely making fun of him. And she’s lying. Is Komal… not enjoying this date?

Why does that knowledge make my chest cave in?

Her date huffs. “When people say they don’t like exercise, what they really mean is that they don’t like discomfort.”

Komal nods vigorously as she reaches for her drink. “Yes. That’s it exactly. What did you think I meant?”

“Komal, I am CEO, CTO, CFO and Chief Guru of my company. My plan is to build a fitness tech empire. I’m going to be very rich and influential in the wellness space, and I need a wife who can embody the spirit of BurpeeSurprizz-with-two-z’s alongside me. From the amount of high-calorie food you’ve consumed in the short time we’ve been together, it seems like your father lied to me about your level of commitment—”

“Oh, no, I’m sorry.” Her tone changes instantly to another voice I recognise. The voice Komal uses when she’s bending over backwards to make someone happy, even when it’s a terrible idea. It’s a voice that always sets my teeth on edge because it’s not who she is. “Papa is no liar. I was being silly before. I do exercise—”

“Hello!” I step into the doorway, my heart jackhammering against my ribs. “I’ve got a delivery for Councillor Ahuja.”

What are you doing?