She wanted him to go lower, and just the fact that that thought popped into her head was enough to have her pulling back. They stared at each other, and Dev finally smiled. “Hi.”
“Hi.”
He pressed his forehead against hers. “I missed you.”
“I missed you, too.” Oof . . . this was getting sappy, and she loved every second of it.
“How are you holding up?”
“Remarkably well.” This was stressful, but it had become ten times less so when he showed up.
“Good.” He held out his hand. It was an odd thrill to hold his hand, one she hadn’t really experienced with another man. She felt secure and happy, having him in her grip.
“Come, let’s find Adil Uncle, and then we can track down Luna. It would be good for you to see her one-on-one before she meets everyone.”
Because she was going to parent the girl when they got married. Phew.
If you get married.
Jia snuck a look at Dev’s elegant profile. It was weird how their marriage had become far more certain in her head as time went on.
They entered the gourmet kitchen to find both members of Dev’s household. Adil was tossing gummy bears at Luna, who was catching them with her mouth.
Jia straightened, trying to calm her sudden renewed nerves. In one sense, it was easier to face a Bollywood legend over the man and child who lived with her new fiancé. It seemed the stakes were higher with these two, as far as them liking her went.
“How many times have I told you two not to play this game? You could choke,” Dev said, in greeting.
“I’m not going to choke,” Luna said to Dev, but then she caught sight of Jia, and her eyes widened. “Uh, hi.”
Jia gave her brightest smile. She’s nervous, too. She’d raised hundreds of thousands of young women via the internet. Surely, she could win this one over. “Hello, Luna. It’s good to see you again. And you, Uncle.”
Dev’s uncle gave her a bright smile. He was dressed in a stained apron, which surprised her a little. She’d assumed Shweta Dixit would travel with a gourmet chef to tend to her, but except for Pinky and a silent man who had moved their car for them, Jia hadn’t seen any servants. “Hello, Jia. I am glad we could meet again, especially under such good circumstances. You look lovely, MashAllah.”
Dev shifted. “Jia’s family is in the living room. Come, why don’t we all go sit with them.” Dev’s suggestion was more of a command than an invitation, but neither of his family members moved.
Luna cleared her throat. “If you’ll notice, I’m covered in dirt. I was gardening with Aji.”
“And I have been cooking all day. I still have some things to finish.” Adil Uncle gestured to a cheese tray on the counter. “Why don’t you take that in to them in the meantime?”
Jia might have been insulted that neither of them wanted to meet her family, if she wasn’t quite familiar with the taste of anxiety and the fear of a poor reception. She placed her hand lightly on Dev’s arm. She almost got distracted by said arm, but caught herself in time. “I understand you might want to clean up, but it would be nice if you could come quickly. I’ve never done anything like this before and I’d like to have some friendly familiar faces from Dev’s side of the family in the room.”
Luna gave a fake yawn. “I’m kind of tired.”
Yes, she’d have to put in a bit of work to win the teen over.
Adil Uncle rubbed his neck. “I’m sure your parents are mostly here to meet Dev’s grandmother.”
Ah. Knowing what she knew about Dev’s parents and the contention between the two sides of his family, she wondered if Adil was a little insecure about his place. “They are here to meet all of Dev’s close family. You’re his elder. And frankly, they’ll have more in common with you. Your presence would probably put them at ease.”
“What Jia said,” Dev agreed gruffly. “Can you please go get dressed quickly?”
Adil opened his mouth, but whatever he was going to say was cut off by the back door banging open. A dark-haired man walked in. He looked like a lighter-skinned version of Dev’s late brother. He was dressed in bright orange swim trunks and a purple tank top.
Jia didn’t need an introduction. Arjun. The infamous, annoying Arjun.
Her hand curled into a fist at her side.
He appeared as startled to see them as they were to see him. His surprise flipped quickly to alarm when Dev took a step forward. “I was just getting my dinner and going upstairs!”
Adil cleared his throat and launched into motion. “Come, Luna. Let us get ready.”
“But I don’t—”
“No. We must be quick, your uncle and aunt are correct. Come on.” Adil helped her down and shuffled her out.
With no witnesses in the room, Dev took a step toward his cousin and growled. Straight up growled.
Oh damn, that was sexy. She hadn’t known he could growl.
Dev said something in Hindi, and Arjun’s face fell. Though she knew he was an actor and probably a manipulative asshole, given what he’d done to her, she couldn’t help but feel a beat of compassion for him.
Jia gave a mental sigh. As far as logistics went, she couldn’t avoid Dev’s family member, not if they were going to be together. She took a step toward Arjun. “I presume you’re the cousin.”
The man shuffled his feet and put his head down. At least he had the grace to look shamefaced. “I am.”
“I changed my mind. I’d like an apology.”
He took a deep breath. “I am extremely sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“Why did you do it?”
Arjun looked at Dev, as if to confirm that he could speak, and Jia snapped her fingers. “Look at me, please.”
He turned his gaze back to her. He really was a handsome guy, with his floofy hair and perfectly sculpted smooth face. She preferred Dev’s stern bearded look any day.
“It started off as a prank, with Rohan. And then, afterward, I think I thought I was helping Dev get a girl, because he needs to marry—”
“Enough,” Dev said quietly.
Arjun hung his head. “Anyway, there’s no excuse. I’m so sorry.”
Jia regarded him with frustration and annoyance. He sounded sincere, and matchmaking for Dev was a weirdly noble, if terribly misguided, act. When—if—she and Dev married, it wouldn’t make sense to hate his cousin. She had to somehow make peace with the guy, but she was still so angry with remembered mortification.
What would her sisters do? Her twin would forgive and forget. Noor and Zara would spend the next forty years passive aggressively poking at the guy. Sadia would quietly poison him and bury him in the ocean.
Jia had her own style, though, and she was learning how to embrace it. “Can I throw something at you?” Jia asked politely.
“I’m sorry?”
“I think I’d feel much better if I could throw something at you.”
Arjun looked at Dev askance, and Dev shrugged. If she hadn’t been standing so close to her fiancé, she might have missed the flash of impish glee in his eyes. Perhaps he also wanted someone to throw something at his handsome cousin. “I think that’s the least you owe her.”