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“And what did you say?”
“I told him you’re not just any woman to me. You’re going to be my wife, so if I don’t show patience toward you and your work, who else will?”
I like Shyam’s fitting response to Vikram. I don’t understand why Prince Pompous is poking into my personal life.
“Now, if you don’t mind, can we discuss us?” Shyam asks, pressing my hand.
I nervously swallow. “Sure.” I withdraw my hand from his. I don’t know why I’m still uncomfortable with any kind of close proximity with Shyam. He’s a good man, I know. But I’m not prepared to take a step forward with him before marriage.
“Great. So…”
My phone rings loudly. I jerk in my seat and quickly lower the volume. The caller ID on my screen baffles me.
“Who’s calling?”
I disconnect the call.
“Who else?” I snap. “Talk of the devil and the devil calls! I don’t know why he’s calling me.”
“Maybe it’s important,” Shyam suggests.
I don’t agree. “You were saying something about our future?”
The call buzzes again. Shyam sighs in disappointment.
“Pick it up.”
I finally give in and answer the call.
“Never dare ignore my calls,” Vikram shouts, and before I can argue, he commands further. “I want to see you now. Come to Leela Mahal. Right away.”
“Now?” I protest. “You know I’m out with Shyam on a dinner date.”
“To hell with your dinner date, Maahi.”
I want to strangle his neck. How can he be so rude?
“Start for Leela Mahal now.”
“No, I won’t.”
He takes a few seconds to process my denial, and I brace for more curses, but he softens his tone—or at least pretends to. “Listen, Cub, I need to talk to you right now, and if you don’t come to Leela Mahal, I won’t mind coming to that restaurant where you are. The choice is yours.”
Saying that, he disconnects the call. I just gape at my phone screen. How insensitive can this man be?
“What did he say?” Shyam asks politely.
“He wants to talk about something urgent.”
“Now?”
“Yes,” I say, putting my phone back in my purse.
“Well, what do you want to do?”
Shyam has put the ball in my court, and I’m the decision maker now. If I leave, Shyam will be upset, though he wouldn’t show it on his face. If I don’t go, that Prince Pompous will show up and spoil my dinner. Either way, this dinner date is screwed.
“I think it’s important, or else he wouldn’t have called me on such short notice.”
