Dating Dr. Dil (If Shakespeare was an Auntie #1)(87)

Holy hell, Kareena was going to throw up. The aunties huddled around her as they all waited for the introductions and the greetings to begin.

Seconds before Prem and his friends reached them, Falguni Aunty spun Kareena around to face her and blurted out, “You’re going to make a lovely bride and groom.”

The other aunties gasped in horror.

“Beta?” Sonali Aunty said gently.

Before Kareena could respond, Dadi gripped her shoulders and pulled her close. “Beta? Are you engaged?”

“I knew I should’ve kept that appointment with the pandit,” Sonali Aunty said. “Now you’ll have to wait until after his vacation to get your janampatris reviewed!”

“Is this true?” Dadi asked quietly. She had tears in her eyes as she pressed closer to Kareena. “Is this . . . is this true?”

“Ah, we were supposed to announce it together—”

“Tell me, it’s not because of the house, is it?”

Kareena’s jaw dropped. Holy shit, her grandmother went in for the kill. “I mean, it would’ve been nicer to have time, but since the house is so important to me—”

“Chalo, no matter. As long as you’re engaged.”

The way her grandmother said those words had Kareena’s back going rigid. “Dadi, you know better than to say something that ridiculous.”

Dadi patted her hair and smiled at the guests. “I worried about you. That you’d be all alone, beta. Because you think it’s easier to be alone. Your wedding is going to be lovely with Prem. Look how handsome he is.”

“My wedding with Prem won’t be for a while.”

“What?” The aunties gasped as well.

This time Dadi spun around to face her. “This is too much, Kareena. This is too much, you’re giving me a tension headache and we haven’t even started yet!” She unzipped the clutch she’d tucked under one arm and pulled out the Asian Sensation vibrator, turning it to a high speed and resting the writhing sex toy against her neck. “So much tension!”

“A group of beautiful women shouldn’t look so distressed . . . oh my god, is that a—”

“Dude, Grandma has a vibrator,” Bunty whispered loudly.

At that moment, Kareena’s father walked over with two glasses of whiskey. “Prem! Here, have a drink.” He looked over at Dadi, his eyes bulging. “Ma! I told you to leave that at home!”

“It’s the only thing that relieves my tension,” she snapped back. “Your daughter is at fault for giving it to me in the first place!”

Kareena couldn’t handle this anymore. Loken’s family was staring. Her father was greeting Prem with joy. The aunties looked so unhappy for her as they waited for her reaction.

And Prem. He had a hesitant expression on his face. Bobbi and Veera had the same.

Kareena couldn’t stand there anymore, faking nice, pretending everything was going to be part of a happily ever after. That wasn’t real. None of this was real. It would break her heart to lose the house, but it would hurt even more to know that she’d settled for something less than she deserved. Prem couldn’t love her, and even if they got engaged, they got married, and they spent the rest of their lives together, she’d be constantly wishing he did.

“I have to go,” she blurted out. Then before anyone could stop her, she bolted out of the ballroom and through the double doors.





Chapter Thirty

Prem




Prem barely stepped out of the way in time for Kareena to come rushing through the crowd to the lobby. She looked like a stunning goddess, the queen dressed in black, come to slay. But instead, she was trying to escape.

“Runaway dulhan,” Deepak muttered. “Uncle? I’ll take that whiskey.”

Prem knew that something was bothering Kareena, that maybe she was having second thoughts about him, but her grand exit was definitely unexpected. He spun on his heels and strode after her. Behind him, he heard Bunty tell Kareena’s father, “I think she’s changed her mind.”

“About what?” Kareena’s father replied.

Prem caught up with Kareena just as she reached the parking lot. His hands brushed her arm, and he called her name again. “Rina, will you just stop and tell me what happened?”

She spun around, her lehenga billowing at her ankles, and the distinct sound of her payal punctuating her turn. Her eyes glittered with unshed tears.

“Do you love me?” she said.

His heart seized, and he couldn’t catch his breath. His mouth moved to form her name, but nothing came out. Yes, he thought. Yes, absolutely. Without question. From the moment he saw her at Phataka Grill. Through every conversation, every fight, every second since her birthday.

Her eyes filled with tears. “Oh god . . .”

Prem’s heart pounded, thudding like a stampede in his ears. He was losing her. He could tell that he was losing her. “I’m sorry, I can’t . . .”

“No, you won’t.” She wiped the tears off her cheeks, ignoring the burning and blurriness from her contacts. “I know you have the capacity to love. You loved Gori, so is it just me?”

He jerked back like she’d slapped him. “Gori and I were arranged to be married. We were compatible.”