Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors (The Rajes #1)(67)

Rajesh poured half a carton of cream and half a jar of sugar into his coffee and took a slurping sip. Really, it was a shame to let this guy near food. “The car seems to be your only asset, mate,” he said.

DJ heard Emma open and shut the bathroom door. Rajesh dug his fingers into the slice of frittata DJ had cut for Emma. “Even if you are okay with Emma’s hospital bills, what about the kitchen? We need prep work space. There’s no place to do it here.” He swept his eggy fingers in an arc, indicating the two-foot countertop.

DJ handed him a fork and a napkin.

“Why can’t you just keep on using Ashna Raje’s kitchen and keep giving her whatever she’s getting in return.” How a creep like Rajesh had descended from someone like Ammaji, DJ would never know.

Instead of punching Rajesh’s nose, he took a deep breath. “Ashna is getting new recipes and my eternal gratitude in return. Is there any woman in this universe whom you respect?” But of course he should not have asked the question. Because now that he had asked the question, he’d have to hear the answer, and nothing good could come of that.

“Respect them? What for? They don’t care about being respected anymore. Not like our mothers. They want you to be a man again. Haven’t you been on Twitter lately? Hashtag-WomenAgainstFeminism. Buy them things, pay for their dinner, and they don’t give a fig about respect.”

“I’m so glad Twitter’s not where I go to find women.”

“That’s because you don’t go anywhere to find women, mate. Not that you would ever find the paragon you’re looking for.”

“I’m not looking for anything.” How had he let himself get involved in this conversation?

“Of course you are. But what you’re looking for doesn’t exist.” He stuffed his face full of frittata and leaned his hip on the table. “You’re one of those blokes who wants someone he can put on a pedestal. But you also want someone who puts you on a pedestal too. That’s why, my friend, you’re going to be looking for a very long time. A woman is either a diva or a devi. Either you take care of her or she takes care of you. You can’t have both.” He wiggled his brows. “And that’s true when it comes to shagging them as well.”

“All right.” DJ pushed himself off his plastic chair and pulled himself up to his full height. Which put him at a good six inches above Ammaji’s fool grandson who straightened up but didn’t look in the least bit intimidated. “I did not need to hear that.”

DJ went into the kitchen and cut Emma another slice of frittata, just as Emma’s door opened. Thank the good Lord she hadn’t been here to hear Rajesh’s depraved soliloquy.

Rajesh shrugged. “Sure. My experience is wasted on you anyway. Come to think of it, that Ashna would be perfect for you. She’s just as uptight as you.”

Emma raised her brows at DJ as she sank into a chair.

DJ moved the bills aside, put the frittata in front of her, and dropped a kiss on her wet head. “Morning, love.” Then to Rajesh: “Thank you but I really meant I don’t need to discuss relationships with you. Ever.” Or anything else for that matter, truly.

“Fine, so let’s talk about your bills then. How are you going to afford a kitchen and pay for these bills if you don’t want to get a real job?”

Emma picked up the bills and smacked Rajesh upside the head with them. “He has a ‘real job,’ you wanker. If he didn’t, you’d be out on your arse, now wouldn’t you?” She shook the bills at him. “And he no longer has to worry about these, either. We’ve got it sorted.” She looked at DJ. “You aren’t actually taking advice from him are you? You know he’s a chocolate teapot—totally fecking useless.”

That made DJ smile. “I’m not looking for a real job, no.” He nudged the frittata he’d been experimenting with toward her. “Try this. I’m trying to see if it works as a cold appetizer.”

She took a bite and made a face. “I prefer my eggs hot.” But when he tried to take it back, she held on to the plate and kept eating. “Julia thinks she can have the video produced and online in a week.”

“You’ve made up your mind about this, yeah?” The plastic chair creaked as he sat down next to her.

Emma nodded, but she looked tired. “Are you going to go off on another rant about why I shouldn’t do it? Or did the blue-eyed Julia doll change your mind?” she said cheekily and he felt a blush rise up his neck.

“I don’t rant,” he said defensively. “And what good would it do me?”

Emma was about to respond when the doorbell rang.

Rajesh sauntered over to the door licking his fingers and opened it and did a double take so hard, he might have cracked his neck. “Oh hullo, hullo, who do we have here?” Mr. Sleazeball stepped too close to Julia and took both her hands in his as though he were some sort of posh bloke. Blech!

Julia smiled kindly. “Hello to you, too. I’m Julia. I’m here to interview Emma.” She threw DJ an amused look over Rajesh’s shoulder.

“I’m Raj. I’m a friend of the family’s and the camera loves me.” He threw a look at the camera hanging from Julia’s neck.

“Come on in,” DJ said before Rajesh embarrassed himself further.

To his surprise Julia reached up and gave him a quick hug. He returned it, albeit with all the requisite awkwardness befitting an Englishman.