Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors (The Rajes #1)(68)

“How are you, Emma dear?” she asked, setting her tripod down.

“Peachy,” Emma said flatly. “Especially the part where everyone keeps asking me that. It’s just bloody lovely.”

Julia took it on the chin and DJ had to be impressed. She was just so even-keeled and approachable. There wasn’t anything confusing about her and he found that restful.

As for his sister, dear God, let Julia be right—let getting out her feelings on camera set her head straight.

“I was just trying to convince Darcy that we’re going to make a killing with this video. I’m going to leave him a rich man.”

Julia walked to DJ and rubbed his arm. A comfort that failed to comfort him. “I’m sorry. But she’s right. This will help, won’t it? To pay the bills.”

“Thanks,” he said. “We’re going to be fine with the bills. I have some good gigs coming up. We’ll crunch the numbers somehow.”

Rajesh shouldered his way between Julia and DJ. “What’s to crunch? You need half a mil down to lease a running kitchen and then you need to pay ten grand every month to keep it going. Basically, you are going to need an investor or a loan or you’re going to have to marry rich in a hurry.”

If he had a penny for every time he wanted to tell Rajesh to shut up, this entire financial crisis might be averted.

“I’m telling you that fancy Raje chick is perfect for you, and she’s sweet on you and everything.”

“Shut up, Rajesh. Do you have to be a wanker all the bloody time!” Emma said with so much force Rajesh drew back. “Leave DJ alone.”

Rajesh raised his hands, grinning like the thick-skinned idiot he was. “Keep your knickers on. No one likes to hear the truth. I get it.” He winked at Julia, who gave DJ a curious look.

“I have to go.” DJ looked at his watch. “The farmers’ market closes in a half hour.” He handed Rajesh a list of suppliers to call and kissed Emma’s cheek. “I’ll be back in time to drive you to work.”

“Do you mind if I walk out with you? I need to grab some coffee,” Julia said, giving him another one of those bright smiles he was getting used to, and followed him out the door when he nodded.

“I didn’t realize you knew Trisha Raje outside of her being Emma’s doctor,” she said, falling in step next to him. “Your friend in there seemed to indicate that you were . . . close?” she added when he looked confused.

“Oh, that. No, he was talking about her cousin Ashna. We’re friends. We worked together in Paris for a while.”

“Ah. She’s the one with the restaurant, right? That’s a relief.” She stopped outside Philz Coffee. Mixed in with the rich coffee aroma was the smell of blueberry and chocolate chips baking together. It wasn’t the most common combination, but you could do some good things with it.

“A relief, huh?” He gave her a curious smile.

She seemed a million miles away, and his lame attempts at being flirtatious totally nose-dived into the pavement. “Oh. You meant it was a relief that it wasn’t Trisha Raje I was friends with. Not a relief that Ashna and I weren’t involved.” Great. “Now I feel like a prized arse.”

This time her smile was shy, but when her eyes met his, there was a flirtatious spark there. “I have a feeling you could never be an . . .” She cleared her throat. “. . . arse?”

They both laughed. Then she looked worried again.

“Did I say something wrong?” The last thing he wanted was to make her uncomfortable with his ungainly flirting.

“No, not at all. I’m just . . . I hope you don’t think I’m being too nosy, but . . .”

“Tell me,” he urged.

“I just don’t want you to get hurt, DJ.”

She didn’t have to tell him that whatever this was, it had to do with Trisha Raje. He could see it on her face. The utter disgust on Trisha’s face when she’d seen Julia had been downright cruel.

“She’s Emma’s doctor. That’s all.” The idea of there being anything more between him and Dr. Raje was preposterous. It made him want to laugh, but not in a good way.

She touched his arm and looked so anxious he put his hand over hers. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have interfered. But these memories. I got triggered, I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right.”

She turned her hand in his and clasped his fingers. “Just be careful. I know how easy it is to trust her. I am painfully aware.” She slipped into a chair on the sidewalk and he sat down next to her, his hand still in hers. “I grew up in a trailer park. Can you imagine what it was like to have Trisha Raje as a roommate? All that working my ass off to get accepted into Berkeley had felt like it had been worth it. I have no idea how we got matched up as roommates. It was probably because we’d both graduated early and made it to college at sixteen. But it felt like I had won the lottery. She came back to the dorm every weekend with boxes full of food. She had tickets to every concert on campus. She had everything . . . a mother who called her every day. A family who called her all the damn time. One would think I’d be jealous. But I lapped it up. It changed me. I knew what I wanted. I knew life could be beautiful if I worked hard, if I tried to be just like her. And then I met her brother. Have you ever met . . .” She cleared her throat. “Have you ever met Yash Raje?”