Ajay knew that Zail had taken Sahar’s loss hard, but this was next level. He took a sip of his chai and sat on a counter stool.
“If I force my way into the CEO position without the support of our shareholders and board members, and we can’t deliver on the relocation software, then we’re going to lose money. Raj wants a meeting because she has a business proposition that could potentially mitigate our risk. I want to see what she has to say.”
“Sounds reasonable,” Hem said. “There is no harm in hearing her out. From what Mina says, she’s a smart businesswoman who created a successful enterprise out of nothing.”
“Fuck this. I’m not going to stand here and listen to you all talk about working with this woman.” Zail stormed out of the house without a backward look.
“He has feelings for Sahar,” Ajay said to Hem.
“Yeah, and he blames Raj for losing her,” Hem replied. “Do you think she’ll be at the Gupta wedding? We’ve never seen her at the desi society events before, but Uncle Frankie has invited every South Asian entrepreneur in the tristate area. She must be on the list.”
Ajay paused and thought about the way Raj had operated so far. “I think she’ll show depending on how our meeting goes. She wants something from us. She’ll make an appearance at the wedding just because she knows that we’ll be there.”
Hem grinned. “You’re going to play a game of cat and mouse, little brother.”
“Yup. I just don’t know who’s the cat and who’s the mouse. I don’t know if I care, either. Let’s get to the main house.”
Chapter Five
Rajneet
UNKNOWN NUMBER: It’s your bhai. We need to talk.
Raj stared at the text message for a moment longer before she blocked the number, turned her phone to Do Not Disturb, and tucked it back into her tote. She had no idea how her brother got her contact information, but she’d have to resource someone to find out.
When she left India and came to the US to study, he’d been one of the only people who supported her. He’d argued with their parents that he’d gone abroad to get his education, and she should be able to, as well. But then, when she didn’t want to go home to Punjab to fall in line and meet every expectation that had been laid at her feet since her birth, he’d turned his back on her. And after she’d opened RKH Collective, he’d ensured everyone else in her family did the same.
Her car slowed in front of a slate-gray building at the heart of Park Avenue.
“Here we are,” the driver said.
“Thank you. One hour.”
“I’ll be waiting for your text, ma’am.”
She stepped out of the car and into the balmy fall air. The weather meant nothing to the dramatic hustle of Midtown. Men and women in suits strode down the sidewalk with wireless earbuds and various sizes of leather bags, creating a frenetic movement that demanded everyone keep up. The sheer energy smelled like money and confirmed what she already knew: she had too much on her plate right now to lose focus on what mattered most to her.
Squaring her shoulders, she strode through the glass doors of Bharat’s office building with her tote hanging from her forearm.
The lobby was an architectural showpiece of glass and steel. Twisting pillars formed arches over a wide, oval concierge desk.
“Hello,” she said as she approached the first available attendee. “Rajneet Kaur Hothi. Here to see Mr. Ajay Singh in Bharat’s offices.”
“Just you?” the woman asked.
It wasn’t a strange question. She usually brought one of her assistants or even an executive with her, depending on the nature of the business meeting. She didn’t want to alarm anyone at RKH, though, so for the first time in years, she was on her own.
“Just me today.”
The woman took her ID, pointed a handheld camera at her for a picture, and printed out a visitor’s tag. “Elevators to the far right for floors forty-six to sixty-five. They’re expecting you.”
Raj made her way up to Bharat’s executive floor and stepped into a lobby that was encased in even more glass. A slender man of medium height in a suit and narrow black tie greeted her at the entrance.
“Ms. Hothi?” he asked, tablet in hand.
“That’s me.”
“I’m Rafael. Ajay’s EA. I can take you to him now.”
“Rafael, please call me Raj. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Lead the way.” She gestured toward the open workspace behind reception.
Raj didn’t know why she was so surprised that Ajay had a male EA. As someone who hated stereotypes about women in the workplace, she shouldn’t automatically believe stereotypes about Indian men, too. She knew enough professionals that she had to stop assuming they were all sexist predictable pigs. Ajay could have a male EA instead of an attractive woman supporting his sexist fantasies. But then again, Ajay wasn’t an average Punjabi man and he’d done nothing predictable.
They followed the perimeter of the floor until they reached the far corner office. The glass walls were covered with a privacy screen, but Raj could hear voices coming from behind the double doors.
Rafael entered first, then stepped aside for Raj.
The skyline was the first thing that she saw. The river, the harbor, and glinting steel stroked in sunlight. In front of it was a large mahogany desk with dual monitors. A matching table was situated in the corner with a Polycom unit and telepresence screens hanging on the wall above it. A couch and two armchairs bracketed a coffee table off to the right of the desk.
Ajay wasn’t alone. He stood from his high-back leather chair just as Mina and a man Raj didn’t recognize turned to face her. Hem, Mina’s boyfriend and the eldest Singh brother, leaned against the side of the desk.
“Sir,” Rafael began, “Ms. Hothi is here for your one o’clock. Raj, can I get you anything?”
“No thank you, Rafael. I appreciate it.”
He nodded and shut the door behind her quietly.
Raj turned back to the expectant faces and started with the familiar.
“Mina.”
Her best friend’s lips quirked. “Raj. I want to introduce you to my father, Tushar Kohli. Dad, this is my best friend, Raj.”
The older man extended a hand, but Raj brushed it away. “Uncle, family doesn’t greet family like that.” She kissed his cheek and gave him a friendly hug.
Tushar Kohli patted her shoulder and pulled away. His lips quirked in amusement. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
Raj turned to Hem. She grabbed her earlobes just like her mother used to when apologizing. “Sorry, yaar. I made a mistake and tried to fix it,” she said in Punjabi.
“Find a better way to fix it next time,” he responded in kind.
“You have my word.”
She pivoted to Ajay, who stood, arms crossed, watching her the whole time. The intensity of his stare had her hesitating, but she forced herself to relax. “Ajay Singh.”
“Rajneet Kaur Hothi.”
“Thank you for making the time to see me.”
“You called this meeting. I wasn’t sure what it was about, so I have Tushar, our head of Legal, and our outside counsel in attendance. Does that suit you?”