“Where are you going?”
He readjusted his tie, though he didn’t need it. “I have a—” He hesitated. He didn’t quite know how to explain Jia to Luna. So far, she hadn’t said anything about the photo of him and Jia in the press, which led him to believe she hadn’t seen it yet. Otherwise surely she would ask who the woman was, right?
He didn’t want her to get her hopes up that Jia might become a permanent fixture. He imagined Rohan had paraded more than one woman in and out of her young life. Plus, he didn’t know what to say. You see, when a man and a woman are both in public positions and/or one of them has an overprotective family, they have to occasionally pretend to like each other. “I have a work event, is all.”
Luna ran her gaze critically over him. “Where are you going?”
“Someplace private.” Jia had mentioned she had a place in mind.
“Is it trendy?”
“Probably.”
“Hmm.” She looked him up and down. “Are you sure you want to wear that?”
“You said I looked nice,” he protested.
“You look nice if you’re going to a business meeting.”
Ouch.
“Do you own jeans?”
“Of course I own jeans.” He half turned to his dresser. “I think.”
“Okay, never mind. Lose the tie.”
He loosened the tie, feeling vaguely naked as he shed it. “Good?”
“Better. I can pull up a couple looks tonight and you can purchase whatever you need tomorrow. Personally, I think you need slimmer cut pants.”
He looked down at his legs self-consciously. All he’d wanted as a teenager was to wear baggy clothes to make his slender frame look bigger. It had taken him years not to feel odd in tighter-fitting clothing. “Thank you, Luna, I would appreciate that. Perhaps you could discuss this with my stylist. I am due for a refresh.” He’d skipped it this year, thanks to their strained finances.
“Speaking of clothes . . .” she said, giving him a bright smile. “Can I get some new clothes to fit into the school here?”
Aha. That’s why she was commenting on his clothes. “Of course.” He went to his closet and pulled out his black shoes. “I can take you to the store—”
“I’ll buy them online. I’ve gotten used to that.”
He sat in the chair next to the closet and put his shoes on. Adil Uncle would fuss on him for walking to the front door in them, but maybe he could escape detection. “Very well. Are you also buying slimmer cut pants?” he teased.
“More like sweatpants and tank tops.”
Dev nearly bit his tongue off to keep from sounding like a scandalized aunt. If the other children wore such casual clothes to learn in, his niece could as well. “Do you need a new backpack as well?”
She hesitated. “I feel bad spending so much.”
Dev came to his feet and tugged on her hair. “Nonsense. You’ve never shopped for school, have you? We must make sure you’re prepared. I should have thought of it last week.”
She named a brand he’d never heard of. “That’s what most of the girls use.”
“Then pick one up for yourself. Black, I suppose.”
“Actually, yellow seems to be the popular color.” She wrinkled her nose. “Two people asked me if I was from New York City. I guess they wear more colorful stuff here.”
“You should wear what you feel comfortable in.” He didn’t want his niece changing to please anyone.
“I feel comfortable not sticking out. Thanks, Kaka.”
There was an odd tremble in her voice. He nudged her chin up. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.” She hesitated. “Are you going on a date?”
He almost raked his hand through his hair before he remembered that it would muss it up. “Why would you think that?”
“Baba was always going on dates.”
The careful way she said that, without inflection, made up his mind for him. There was no need to tell Luna about Jia yet. “It’s not a date. Just a meeting with a friend.”
“Oh. Okay.”
“Try to go to bed before midnight or so?” He didn’t bother enforcing a bedtime on the weekends. “And no—”
“No phone after ten, got it. Have fun.”
With the woman he’d been obsessed with for the better part of a week?
No, not obsessed. He was impressed by her, he thought her skin was luminous and perfect and she had the prettiest eyes he’d ever—
He cut himself off. “I’ll try.”
“HI, JIA!”
“Hi,” she said to her own voice, coming out of her phone. Jia put her bare feet up on the sofa.
“Look, you are bound to be a little nervous tonight, so I’m going to keep this short and sweet. This is business. Think of it as a photo shoot or a sketch. You have no feelings for this guy. Forget whatever feelings you had for his photos and words before—they weren’t him. He’s an actor, and you’re a professional too. Be cool.”
“I will be cool,” she whispered to herself and placed the phone in her lap. She would be cool! There was nothing to be not cool about. This was her plan, and it was a good, logical one. As logical as semimanipulating a man into fake dating her could be.
“And if all else fails, and you start to waver, or you feel attracted to him, think about your parents.”
Yeah, the thought of Farzana and Mohammad Ahmed should kill any hesitation or arousal.
Jia jumped when her front door buzzed. She didn’t know why she was startled. It was seven o’clock on the dot, and that was when she’d told Dev to meet her. He’d never be late.
She’d assumed, though, that he’d pull up outside and text her, the equivalent of honking his horn. But no, he’d come up, like a proper gentleman. If this was a real date, she’d be impressed. She was glad she’d already told the receptionist downstairs that he ought to be let in.
Jia caught her breath a little when she opened the door. Dev was adjusting his cuffs and glanced up, and it was like a picture-perfect GQ shot. He looked a little more casual today, but still as crisp as ever. “Hi,” she said.
“Hello.” He kept his eyes locked on hers. “You look lovely.”
She resisted the urge to fidget. She didn’t usually dither on her outfit choices, but it had taken her some time today to decide on the one-piece long-sleeved, wide-legged jumper. Her scarf matched it, and she’d tied a bow low at her nape, letting the fabric drape over her shoulder. “Thank you.” She gestured. “I just need to grab my purse. Come on in.”
He didn’t move. “I thought this was your studio? It looks like an apartment. It wouldn’t be proper for me to enter your home.”
She might have laughed at his earnestness except it was cute. “No. I mean, yes, it’s an apartment, but it’s not used as my apartment, it’s my office and photo studio. I live in Santa Barbara.”
“That’s far?”
“A little bit. I don’t mind the drive. I get to live with my two closest friends in the area, so it’s a pretty sweet deal.” She also paid under market rent, because getting Katrina to accept any money had been a significant challenge, but she would have paid any amount to live in the beautiful ocean view house.