Through gritted teeth, he said, “If I’d wanted to screw you, I would’ve said so, Liya. But the fact that you think I’m that kind of guy is insulting.”
“Don’t be mad at me for calling you out,” I spat back.
“I’ve never met a woman who gets me so worked up in a matter of seconds with that smart-ass mouth.”
“I’m sure you’ve heard of what this mouth is good at, since you’re still here.”
Smoke nearly vented from his nostrils. “You think others demean you, but you’re the worst offender. You’re better than that. And I hope by the time the next decent guy comes around, you’ll know your self-worth.”
“Don’t you ever think that you have the right to talk to me that way.”
He scoffed. “I hope you grow up.”
“You better leave.”
He held his hands up and stepped back, but his anger did not dissipate. “I don’t know what you see in yourself, Liya, but I see a lot more.”
“Don’t try to make me feel bad for calling you out, for knowing who you really are. What’d you think? That making up some story of how suddenly my team wants to work overtime and backing me against the wall would make me drop my panties?”
He shoved his hands into his pockets, his chin lifted, and his gaze blazed down at me. “I didn’t make up a thing. Your own conduct made your team step up. I sure as hell wasn’t trying to get into your panties, either. I don’t play games.”
“You mean you don’t try. Not even flowers.”
“Flowers are done. Mike sent you flowers, remember? I did get you something, and it wasn’t a cheap bouquet that’ll die in three days.”
“And where exactly is this gift? At your place, right?”
“At yours, actually.”
I opened my mouth to snap at him, but he walked out and said, “You messed this up, Liya. We would’ve been good together. We could’ve had something real.”
I clenched and unclenched my fists, drowning the need to scream or run after him.
When my rage subsided, I calmly went to the labs, only to find that Jay had spoken the truth.
The labs were filled with team players willing to work overtime to keep the company afloat. And they did so with a smile.
Which also meant that I could go home on time and defuse my anger. Except, when I approached my front door, a box awaited me, the gift from Jay. And when I opened it, my anger erupted all over again.
Chapter Seventeen
Jay
I feel as though we don’t see you anymore during the week,” Ma said from my dining table.
I hurried through cooking, having forgotten that it was my turn to host our weekday dinner. Weekends were times that our family saw one another at gatherings and mandir, but Ma missed having both of her boys together for weekday dinners. Since I’d been helping Liya, that ungrateful woman, for the past few weeks, I’d skipped out on our meals, which upset Ma.
We’d always been close. Before Dad passed, we ate breakfast and dinner together every day.
After Dad passed, we still tried to be regular in weekly family meals. We kept up the tradition after Jahn married Shilpa, seeing that they lived with Ma and took care of her. It was something I really had to stop neglecting.
I was glad to be back with my family. Family dinners were times of reprieve from daily life, from hectic work, stressful mishaps, and women who drove me insane.
“Let me help,” Shilpa insisted, grabbing plates.
“Nope. Bhabhi, you sit, put your feet up,” I insisted.
She pouted. “Everyone talks like I’m incapacitated. Sitting around and eating ‘for two’ will make me lazy and large. I have to be active so I can push this baby out and recover faster.”
“Uh, please don’t talk to me about pushing anything out.”
She leaned a determined elbow on the counter, like she was about to throw down a daring bet. “You let me help cook or I will stand here and describe in graphic detail the glorious agony of labor.”
Jahn laughed. I hoped Ma would argue, seeing that she’d been the most concerned about Shilpa not exerting herself, but she also laughed.
“All right, geez. You play hardball.”
She smiled and took over, bumping me out of her way. “Don’t mess with a pregnant woman.”
“Oh, I won’t. Never again.”
Since Ma didn’t want Shilpa to do too much, she ended up helping, too. Jahn and I set the table, made lemonade and cha, but as we began our meal, someone rang the doorbell.
Before I pushed my chair back, the ring turned into a violent bang against the door.
Ma looked at me with concern, but I held my hand out. “It’s fine. I’m sure someone is at the wrong apartment.”
My family watched from the table as I checked the peephole. I groaned.
“Who is it?” Jahn asked, ready to jump to his feet.
“Liya.”
He grinned. “She sounds pissed.”
“You don’t know the half of it…”
I swung the door open and stepped out before she could bombard me, and my family, with more wild accusations.
She shoved a package into my arms and staggered away.
“What is this?” I took a few steps after her.
“Your so-called gift. I don’t want it,” she snapped.
“What am I supposed to do with these?”
She flicked her hand back, as if volleying my words back at me. “Return them.”
“Do you know how expensive return shipping is? Just take them. I bought them to replace your broken ones.”
Her face turned red. She was on fire.
“Damn, woman. Who the hell reacts like this to a gift?”
She seethed and said pointedly, “You don’t do flowers because they’re cheap. I guess you figured I was worth a little more. A high-priced lay?”
“You are freaking insane,” I gritted out.
“Oh, I was supposed to accept these Louboutin shoes from the kindness of your heart and not think I owe you something in exchange? It’s not like you’re the one who broke them. What kind of maniac buys a woman he barely knows fourteen-hundred-dollar shoes!”
“You need to keep your voice down, and I’m not a maniac. Unlike you. If you can’t accept them, then why didn’t you take them to work and drop them off at my office? Instead of raising all hell so my neighbors can hear?”
“And your family…” Shilpa said from the opened door, Ma and Jahn behind her.
My neck turned hot and Liya’s face looked even hotter. Embarrassment choked out whatever words we had left to throw at each other.
“Oh…I didn’t know you had family over,” Liya muttered.
Shilpa grinned. “Are you seriously mad that he bought you gorgeous shoes? I’d take them if my feet weren’t so swollen.”
Liya touched a hand to her chest. “I am so sorry for interrupting your dinner.”
“They get an apology and I don’t?” I asked.
She glared at me. “Shut. Up.”
“In front of my mother?” I asked, half offended.
Her face remained bright red as she faced Ma. “I am truly sorry. I’m going to leave.” She spun around and headed for the elevator.