Page 60 of The Promise of a Traitor

“And you shaved!” She turned with a teasing smile to look at him. “I can see your face again.”

Surprise swirled through her as Advik flushed, looking uncomfortable. Aastha stopped walking, grabbing his arm and forcing him to stop too. Their families pulled away, not noticing that they’d fallen back.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, knowing him well enough to know every little nuance in his voice and expression.

“I thought you’d like to see the old Adi today,” he said, after a moment. “The one you fell in love with.”

An immeasurable wave of grief swept through her at the hurt she’d caused this man. If she spent the rest of her life making sure he never felt another second of it, it still wouldn’t be enough.

“Adi,” she said softly, reaching up to cup his face and draw his gaze to hers. “I love every Adi. The one I met in the café years ago, the one who taught me what it was to love with every single beat of my heart, the one who loved me even when I broke his heart, and the one who loves me so much today that he’s willing to take me and my very complicated baggage on. I love every version of you, every avatar, every grumpy, surly, broody, snarly…”

“Okay, okay, I get the message,” he said with a small smile.

He took her hand and kissed it.

“Aastha Di!” Amyra’s voice intruded on the moment.

Aastha pulled away from him, suddenly conscious of the people milling around them in the lobby of the hotel. “We should go,” she said breathlessly. “They’re waiting for us.”

Advik glanced over her head to the entrance of the hotel. “You go ahead. I’ll catch up. Some of my colleagues have just walked in.”

Aastha started to move away but he grabbed her again, pulled her close and kissed her forehead.

“I love you,” he murmured. “This time, it’s forever.”

A strange pang of dread swam through her, one that she couldn’t quite put her finger on. “I love you too,” she replied, determinedly squashing the unease drifting through her.

Advik kissed her, ignoring the whistles and catcalls ringing out around them. After a long moment, he released her, taking a small step back. Flushed and flustered, Aastha rested her palm against his chest, his heartbeat a thundering drum beneath it.

“Forever it is,” she whispered, before forcing herself to let go of him and head towards where her sister was waiting, grinning like an idiot. “Don’t take too long,” she tossed over her shoulder before walking away.

“I’ll be right there,” she heard him call out as she disappeared towards the elevator bank with Amyra.

It wasn’t until later, much later, as she sat on the stage alone, the ornate seat beside her empty, that she realised what it felt like to wait for someone who didn’t arrive when they said they would….that she realised just how Adi had felt when she’d disappeared on him.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Advik

He didn’t think it was possible to be this happy. It felt like his heart was going to burst out of his chest with the amount of happiness coursing through it. For the first time, in forever, it felt like everything was coming together for him. For them.

He walked over to where his teams from office were streaming in, already happy, boisterous, and more than ready to party.

“You guys have been pregaming,” he said with a smile as he reached them.

“Am I hallucinating guys or is the bridegroom waiting to escort us in? What special treatment!” Manish grinned at Advik, slapping him on the back. “Congratulations man. I can’t wait to meet Aastha.”

“I’m looking forward to her meeting you too,” Advik told him. “All of you. Shall we head to the ballroom?”

The group followed him, laughing and talking. It felt a lot like herding a gaggle of geese. Manish and he fell back, as Vedika and Daksh came over to take the larger group into the ballroom.

“Nervous?” Manish asked with a grin as they approached the bank of elevators.

“Not at all,” Advik said, watching the numbers above the elevator light up. “In fact,” he murmured, “I can’t wait.”

“So, is it a ceremonial engagement today? A puja and stuff or just the exchange of the rings?”

“A bit of both,” Advik answered as they got into the elevator. Another bunch of guests boarded with them and the short elevator ride was filled with shouted congratulations and hugs from everyone involved.