She’d wait outside so she didn’t look like the woman standing around waiting for her blind date. Kareena turned and ran straight into a brick-wall chest.
“Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to . . . oh no.”
Dr. Prem Verma, dressed in his hospital blue scrubs, grinned at her. “In all the coffee shops in all of New Jersey. Hello, Rina.”
She backed away, pressing a hand to her racing heart. “This can’t be happening.” He was so much taller than she remembered. She was five-seven, an easy five-nine with heels, and she still had to look up at him. “I’ve died and gone to hell.”
“Nope, you’re just in New Jersey.”
“You cannot be here,” Kareena hissed. She scanned the coffee shop, praying that no one was watching. “Go away before I pelt you with another drink.”
Instead of wariness, she saw a glint of challenge in his eyes. “Why so panicked? Is your date here yet?”
She froze. “How do you know I’m on a date?”
“Your sister found out from your grandmother and then told me.”
Kareena had to stop telling Dadi where she was going. That woman couldn’t keep a secret if her life depended on it.
She stepped in closer to his chest and drilled a finger between his impossibly hard pecs. “I don’t know what you’re trying to accomplish by being here today, but you need to leave. I don’t have time to deal with desi fuckboys.”
Prem’s broad shoulders straightened. “First, I am not a desi fuckboy. I may look gorgeous and have a medical degree, but I also have a sensitive side. Second, if you just give me a few minutes, then you don’t have to worry about your date at all.”
“Showing up is disrespecting my wishes, and that’s exactly what a desi fuckboy would do.”
“Something about you makes me think that you find a little disrespect sexy.”
Her cheeks warmed. “I fell for your cheesy jokes once, I’m not going to do it again.”
“Come on, you know you liked it,” he said. Prem winked this time.
Kareena pressed her finger harder against his pecs. Man, there was zero body fat there.
“What makes you think I’d ever want to waste another moment with you? Now if you’ll excuse me. I’m searching for true love.”
He gripped her finger, then pressed her hand flat against his chest. His skin was like hot fire under her palm. Prem then leaned in until their noses practically brushed. “It looks like your date isn’t here yet. Why don’t you sit and have a cup of coffee with me? We’ll call a temporary truce. We can talk about how our situations could be mutually beneficial.”
“I’d rather murder puppies,” she said, and pulled away from him. Her skin tingled.
Before she could step aside and exit the coffee shop, a man who looked like Dave’s profile pictures entered through the double doors behind Dr. Dil. He glanced at Prem, then at Kareena. His button-down shirt and slim-fit pants were in direct contrast to Prem’s scrubs. Like his pictures, he was clean-shaven with a trim haircut and a kind smile.
“Hi, Dave?”
He held out a hand to shake. “Yes, that’s me. I’m sorry, am I interrupting?”
“No, not at all.” Kareena ignored Prem’s rude muffled laugh and took Dave’s hand for the shake. She appreciated the handshake. There was no pressure, even though Dr. Dil obviously didn’t approve. “Just running into a . . . a total stranger.”
“Oh. Uh, okay? Should we find a seat?”
“Yeah, that works for me.” Kareena gave Prem one last dirty look and followed Dave across the coffee shop. She felt the prickle of Prem’s stare at the back of her neck and had to bite her lip to stop herself from shivering. Damn hormones. That’s all it was. There was nothing at all redeeming about Dr. Prem Verma, and the ache when she looked at him was probably a residual effect of prolonged abstinence.
Dave motioned to two armchairs facing each other next to the fireplace. It was a quiet corner, and casual enough that they didn’t have to worry about being too close to Dr. Dil.
“I can get drinks,” Dave asked after Kareena sat down. “What would you like?”
“A medium latte, please, with no foam. And definitely no cinnamon. Not even on top.”
He grinned at her, flashing straight white teeth. “For a second I was thinking you were going to give me a super complicated order. Half caf soy whatever. I was ready for it, too.”
Kareena smiled. “Medium latte, no foam, no cinnamon is as adventurous as I get.”
He nodded. “Yeah, now that you mention it, you look like a straight black coffee kind of person with that plain latte for special occasions.”
“Uh, I don’t—”
“I’m right, aren’t I? Dave said. He pointed a finger-gun at her. “I have made it a game to guess my date’s drink based on what I think their personality will be like. I’ll be right back.” Dave turned without another word and walked toward the counter.
Kareena whipped out her phone from her small bag.
Kareena: Do I look boring?
Bobbi: What?
Veera: No, of course not. Why? Aren’t you supposed to be on your date right now?
Kareena: I’m on my date. Dave. Hedge fund guy. Really nice teeth. He just said that I looked like the type to order black coffee, and then plain lattes with no foam for special occasions.
Bobbi: Did you tell him you freeze bottles of peppermint coffee creamer so when it’s the off-season, you always have it?
Veera: Or that you only order lattes to avoid an allergic reaction?
Kareena: I didn’t tell him any of those things! Ugh, I’m so off my game as it is. DR. DIL IS HERE.
Bobbi: What?
Veera: What??
Kareena: I’ll tell you later. For now, I’m counting this as a red flag. I need a way to weed out dates without wasting time. Three red flags you’re out.
She glanced up, and Prem was looking right at her from a small table across the café. He’d gotten what looked like iced black coffee, and smirked in that I-know-I-look-good way that drove her insane. No, she was not going to be attracted to someone who put her in this predicament in the first place.
Kareena put her phone away right as Dave returned with two large cups in hand.
“The mediums looked pretty puny, so I got you a large one. I hope that’s okay.”
“Oh, uh. Thanks.”
She took the cup from him and glanced around to see Prem sitting at one of the bistro tables directly in her line of sight. As if he knew that she was watching, he saluted her with his cup and went back to scrolling on his phone.
“I hope it’s not too much caffeine for you late at night,” Dave said. “I’m a night owl, so it doesn’t bother me. I didn’t even think about it.”
“Law school was where I lost my sensitivity to caffeine,” Kareena said with a smile. “I appreciate it.” She cupped her hands around her drink and sat straighter, remembering that she shouldn’t hunch during these things. Some magazine article once told her that hunching gave off signals of low confidence.
And Prem was still . . . there.
After a moment of staring at the floor, Kareena realized that they were dangerously close to creating an awkward silence.