“But you definitely regretted it when we started making out,” she replied. “That’s why you faked your emergency call.”
“I didn’t fake it,” he said. And because he knew the time for lying was long past, he added, “My family has an SOS ring tone. That way my parents, my aunts, my uncles, all of whom are physicians or professors, know to drop everything, including their patients, because there is something wrong.”
Kareena’s eyes widened. “Pineapple,” she said.
“Excuse me?”
“Pineapple. That’s our SOS text with our dad so he knows it’s an emergency and has to stop in the middle of seeing patients. I’m assuming while I was tied up with my sweater vest, that phone ping was your Pineapple.”
“Exactly,” he said with an exhale of relief. “I really was going to come back.”
She shook her head. “I think it was meant to be. Dr. Dil’s philosophy really doesn’t jibe with mine,” she added ruefully.
Prem knew that she was right, even though he hated it. He could never give her what she wanted. In all his years on earth, he’d never told anyone that he loved them. Hell, he hadn’t even told his parents his feelings for them. The words always seemed so trivial, and he wasn’t going to start using them now. He couldn’t start now.
He held out the half-eaten bag of nuts, and after glancing down at it, and back at his face, she took the packet, shook out a small palmful, and handed the bag back.
“I started the show three years ago as a way to raise money,” Prem said. “My friend owns the network as part of his portfolio of shows. He heard from management they needed someone to fill a spot, and I thought it would be a good way to get the message out to as many people as possible about community health. It started as a small audience, but just enough to plant the seeds for my community health center.”
Kareena’s eyebrow arched. “The South Asian community health center you’re trying to build downtown?”
Prem nodded. “That’s the one.”
“This health center. It means everything to me.”
“Why?” Kareena asked.
“Because. It’s important.”
“Ahh,” Kareena said. “Maybe one day you’ll tell me the whole story.”
He grinned. “Yeah, I hope so.”
“I lost . . . I lost someone who meant a lot to me,” he said. “She had a tumor, and it killed her because she wasn’t getting the medical treatment she needed. I was busy finishing up my cardiology fellowship and I had some part to blame in not helping her get in front of the right specialists.”
Kareena slipped her glasses back onto her face and pushed them up the bridge of her nose. “But she did see doctors, right? What did they say? What was their excuse? I hope you held them accountable.” She waited for him to answer with those big brown eyes framed by long, thick dark lashes.
“Her family didn’t want to make waves.”
“Bullshit,” she said.
How could she still look so beautiful with smudges under her eyes and exhaustion etched in the lines of her face? But she still burned brilliantly. Gori would’ve liked her.
“Are you going to let me tell my story or not?”
She tossed back the remaining nuts she had. After chewing and swallowing, she said, “Okay, Dr. Prem Verma. I’ll listen, but please tell me it has nothing to do with my aunties.”
He grinned. “It has something to do with your aunties.”
“Damn it, Prem—”
“Hear me out. The building I want for my community health center is available, but I have to put in the deposit by September. I was close. So close to having the funds for it all. But after our argument, my largest donor backed out. If I can work on my reputation, there is a chance I can get him back.”
“And how are you going to do that?”
“It’s a long shot, and to be honest, it sounds ridiculous, but I’m going to prove to him that I believe in everything I say on the show,” he said. “A stable relationship demonstrates that commitment and communication work. It’ll last long enough for me to get the money I need.”
Understanding blanketed her face, her mouth gaping open. “Seriously?”
“Seriously,” he said. “And if I can’t convince my biggest donor into recommitting to my center, then I’m going to leverage the relationship with my mother. I know you understand since you’re in the same position with your dad.”
Kareena was already shaking her head, strands of her dark hair falling around her face. “I get what you’re trying to do, but no one who knows us is going to believe us. Not to mention, this is cheating. I want my mom’s house, but I’m also trying to find someone I can spend my life with. My parents had a love marriage, and if my mother were alive, I know that she’d want that for me, too. Otherwise, it feels like betrayal if I inherit the house through deceit.”
“And you think the cinnamon idiot from today could be your true love?”
She wrinkled her nose and shook her head. “Obviously not.”
“Did your aunties set you up? If so, he’s a terrible rishta.”
“They paid for my online dating accounts. That’s where I found Dave. I am currently on the platinum plan on three different desi dating sites.”
He’d just tossed back another handful of nuts and almost choked. “God, that’s miserable.”
“How would you know? You’re a tall, desi dude with an M.D. The minute you got your degree, you became organic grass-fed filet mignon in a case of Costco-brand chuck roast.”
“The irony of comparing a Hindu to beef is not lost on me,” Prem said, amused.
The corner of Kareena’s mouth twitched. “Meanwhile, the more educated I get, the older I get, the faster people think my expiration date approaches. At least that’s what my aunties believe. So online dating is my only option.”
He dropped his feet to the floor and leaned in closer to her now. “Kareena, I know that you want a love story like your mom had, no matter how much I think love is a—”
“Don’t fucking start with me, Dr. Phil,” she said.
Prem held up a hand in surrender. “Rina, honey, what are you going to do if you can’t find someone in four months?”
Kareena quieted, and the seriousness in her expression had him pushing on.
“We know we have chemistry.”
“Prem—”
“We do,” he said. He wasn’t going to lie to both of them about that. Even now when he brushed his hand against hers, he felt a current straight up his arm. “And we also know that forever isn’t possible for us when we believe in different things. I can’t give you the love you want. All I’m asking you for is right now. A couple of dates, a couple of pictures, a big engagement announcement. In the end we both get the cash, then call it quits.”
“Why me?” Kareena blurted out. She motioned to her calamine-smeared face with fingers covered in peanut salt. “Your credentials are every Indian family’s wet dream. I’m sure you can find anyone that you can stand to be around.”
“It’ll take too long to find someone who won’t get the wrong idea,” he said quickly. “Since you know the truth about me, we aren’t going to have any problems.”