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He ignored it like he ignored every other distraction. He’d engineered this moment for a reason and he needed to make the most of it. Or else, this would have been for nothing. This marriage would have been for nothing.
Veda laughed, that familiar tinkle of sound, and he turned instinctively towards her. Priyanka and Aadhya stood with her and the trio seemed to be discussing something that had Veda’s entire face lighting up.
And suddenly, distractions be damned, there was nothing Agastya wanted more than for her to light up like that when she saw him. He was about to walk over and join the girls when his father came over and put an arm around his shoulder, shepherding him towards someone he wanted Agastya to meet. Sighing, Agastya went.
The reception seemed to go on forever. Veda and he sat beside each other for dinner, endless courses of meals that left him feeling strangely full though he’d barely taken a bite of anything placed in front of him.
She was right there, her beautiful profile and slim, dancer’s body, all he saw every time he turned his head even the slightest. He forced himself not to turn in her direction, instead addressing the senior members of their cabinet who were seated to his right.
He worked through the dinner and through the rest of the evening. At some point, the crowd started to thin and then his parents were making their excuses, telling everyone that they were old and it was time to go home.
A lot of giggles and titters ensued as his mother announced that the newlyweds were tired too and would need to leave. Agastya’s jaw clenched at the ribald comments and lewd jokes some of the older uncles muttered amongst each other. Ignoring them, he held out a hand to his bride who was still seated in the chair beside where he stood.
She gathered the large skirts of her lehenga and stood, making it a point not to take his outstretched hand. They muttered their goodbyes and left. Fatigue and stress simmered in a toxic mix within him as he followed his silent, irate bride out of the hall and to the Bentley that awaited them. A uniformed driver held the door open as Veda slid into the rear seat. Agastya waited for her to be seated before walking around the car and getting in from the other side.
The car doors shut behind them, sealing them into its darkened interior with silence their only companion. Veda kept her head turned, eyes on the road as the car sped through the fairly empty roads taking them to the hotel they were booked into for the night. A former palace, it was a lavish, opulent space.
It was a good thing his parents had booked the suite. There was enough space in it for Veda to sulk and ignore him. Enough space for him to escape into a corner and try to make sense of the mess that was both his personal and professional life. A mess of his own making.
The car drew into the hotel foyer and they stepped out on opposite sides, making their way into the lobby. Ganesh who’d followed with the security detail took over the check in process and within minutes, they were being ushered into the elevators and down the corridor that led to the suite.
And then finally, after hours of people and talk and all that came with it, the door to the suite shut behind everyone, leaving them alone. Veda stood in front of the large French doors leading to the balcony, her slim body framed by the night sky. Her skirts pooled around her feet, a puddle of red. She didn’t turn around. She didn’t look back. She didn’t say a word.
“Veda-“
“No,” she said, cutting him off, still not turning around. Her gaze stayed fixed on the world outside. A dark, quiet world cloaked in the velvet sheath of night.
“No,” she repeated. “I don’t want to hear it.”
“Hear what?” Agastya walked over to where she stood, shoving his hands in his pockets to keep from reaching for her. He stared out through the glass too, trying to see what she saw and seeing nothing.
“Any of the excuses you plan to make. Any of the platitudes you expect to use to soothe my temper.”
Agastya shrugged. “I wasn’t planning to do any of that.”
Her shoulders stiffened. “What were you going to say then?”
“I was going to ask you if you wanted to order something from room service. You didn’t eat much at dinner.”
She shifted subtly beside him, her gaze scanning his profile. “You noticed,” she said quietly.
“Of course I did.”
“I didn’t think you were aware of me at all through this whole day,” she exhaled. “Our wedding day. And not once did you look at me like you wanted to.”
“I’m always aware of you.” The admission cost him, but he offered it to her. “I don’t need to look at you to be aware of you.”
Veda stilled, her large, beautiful eyes fastened on him.
“You are?” she asked, hope saturating the words.
“Always, Veda. For years now.”
Her hands clenched in the heavy folds of her ornate skirts. “Years?” she whispered.
“Years,” he confirmed.
“You’ve wanted me for years?” she asked, stepping closer.
