“What? What is it?” Bunty asked.
Prem could see her intensely beautiful face clearly from a short distance.
Wow.
Her shoulders were slumped, and that full curved mouth was set in a glossy pout. She’d piled that thick black hair on top of her head in a messy ponytail, and the glasses did nothing to hide her large brown eyes. Her prim and proper outfit was somehow sensual as her sweater vest clung to the swell of her breasts.
“What? What are you staring at?”
Prem cleared his throat and pounded a fist against his chest. “Uh, nothing.” Prem’s interest turned to amusement when the sexy librarian looked right at him. Her eyes widened. Hello, there. Yeah, same here.
Bunty turned back in his seat and rolled his shoulders as if he was trying to find a comfortable position in his suit coat. He was probably going to fidget all night, Prem mused. The guy was six four and almost three hundred pounds of muscle. In all the years he’d worked as a restaurateur, investor, and chef, he’d never been comfortable in a suit, no matter how great it fit.
“Do you want to send a drink over or something or are you going to continue to eye-fuck each other?”
“That’s so crude, man.”
“I call it like it is. But seriously, I’ll tell my bartender to get her something. It’ll be super undercover.”
He finally glanced back at Bunty. “I know this is your restaurant. You don’t have to flex.”
“That’s all I got,” Bunty said ruefully. “That, or I’m the son of Naan King, the frozen Naan empire, and being an award-winning chef suits me better.”
Prem grinned. Bunty would always be the Naan prince to him. Ever since they were kids in SoCal, his best friend would wear his title like a straitjacket instead of a letterman’s coat.
Bunty picked up his whiskey tumbler and swirled the amber liquid. “Listen, if you’re interested in a woman, which you haven’t been for three years, at least go talk to her.”
Prem glanced at the sexy librarian one more time. She was trying to pretend that he wasn’t there and nursed what looked like a mojito from one hand while scrolling on her phone with the other. Someone was going to approach her soon. He had no doubt about it.
“I can’t,” he finally said to Bunty. “I have a meeting with a potential investor after my talk show tomorrow, which means I have to go home early and prep.”
“Don’t you usually do your talk shows on Sundays?” Bunty asked.
“Usually, but I’m interviewing this high-maintenance influencer from the area, and she asked that we change the date and time of the taping because she’s planning her wedding or something. The producers wanted me to accommodate because she has a pretty big following.”
“That’s annoying as shit. I can see why you have to prep for her, but don’t worry about prepping for your investor pitch. You’ve been working at this for years now.”
“I’m too close to take chances,” Prem said. “The office that I want to buy is finally on the market.”
“Oh yeah? You get your name on the list?”
“I did.” Prem thought about the perfect location for his health clinic in downtown Jersey City. The accessibility routes. The parking that was almost unheard of in that location. “I have to have the full deposit ready to go in four months to close on it, though.”
“Do you have a lot left to raise?”
“Not much after the bank, you and Deepak, my own funds, and Gregory at LTD Financial.” Prem named a figure that had Bunty nodding.
“I wish I could give you more, but I’m tied up until I can finish my expansion plans on the East Coast.”
“Don’t even worry about it,” Prem said. “You and Deepak have already invested enough. Like I said. I’m close. After years of planning, my center can finally open its doors.”
It was almost surreal to say those words. He’d been focused on his goal for three years, ever since Gori’s death.
Because of her death.
He was already connecting with his network of physicians to bring in specialists who were as passionate as he was about caring for the South Asian immigrant community. Word was getting out, and the support was immense.
All thanks to The Dr. Dil Show. He hated being a TV personality for a local South Asian television network, but he’d done it purely for the exposure and the connections. What started out as a ten-minute spotlight turned into a half-hour live talk show where Prem discussed hot topics affecting the South Asian community with guest speakers. Thankfully, the show set up the speakers and the topics, and all he had to do was approve of each agenda, stick to the script, and show up on time, but the impact on his professional career was huge.
He’d never be the surgeon his parents wanted him to be, but he was going to make a difference. And he’d be happy.
“What are you going to do with your mom?” Bunty asked. “Between your job at that cardiology center, and your TV show, you are already strapped for time.”
Prem gave him the finger. “Don’t start on me.”
“I’m just stating the obvious,” Bunty said with a laugh. “The cardiologist who believes that love isn’t a necessary emotion for a partnership.”
“It’s backed by science, asshole. That’s what made Gori and me a great match before she died. That’s why a large percentage of South Asian immigrants today actually pursue an arranged match like their immigrant parents.”
“Are you sure it’s not because our parents raised a bunch of anxious overachievers?” Bunty asked.
“Practical overachievers. Look, people who think that love can sustain a relationship believe in a toxic emotion that doesn’t last. Love makes people depressed, insecure, and sometimes isolated, which affects heart health, as well as the midbrain and frontal cortex. It’s like a chocolate craving that releases dopamine. Too much is bad for the body, and bad for our emotions.”
Bunty grunted. “Fuck you, chocolate is never bad.”
“My point is love has absolutely nothing to do with a happy relationship. Communication, mutual respect, physical intimacy. Complementary goals and ambitions.”
Prem looked over at the bar and locked eyes with Sexy Librarian again. She was trying superhard to ignore him, and the feeling was mutual.
Bunty laughed. “Dude, I can’t sit here and watch you with a woman for another hour. Get yourself together and go talk to her. I’m sure you remember how. I’m going to go check on my kitchen.” With those parting words, he stood, and crossed the restaurant toward the double doors in the back.
Sexy Librarian watched Bunty go, and then she glanced in Prem’s direction before looking down at her phone again.
What the hell, he thought as he stood. He could review his notes for his show later. His pulse beat just a little faster than normal as he wove through tables and approached the bar. Bunty was right when he said that it had been a long time since he’d approached a woman. But like his mother reminded him, Gori had been gone for a while. He’d barely allowed himself the time and space for relationships since. Not to say that this would be anything serious, but what was the harm in trying?
Prem grinned when the sexy sweater vest librarian woman looked up and did a double take at his approach. She turned left to right, eyes widening.