Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors (The Rajes #1)(96)

Something shifted in his eyes, something raw and vulnerable. “I think so too. I think what you said to her back there, it . . . it really broke through. She’s been struggling these last couple days.” The saddest smile tugged at his lips. “She had a bit of a meltdown this morning while shooting this film about her illness that she’s been working on. I was hoping it would be cathartic for her to do it, help her process her thoughts. But I think meeting Jane will do it. So thank you.” He looked sincerely grateful, then suddenly he looked uncomfortable again as though he’d said something wrong. Thanking her had to be hard.

Well, that was her cue to leave. “My hopes are high. I’ve set up a meeting with Jane for tomorrow. I’ll leave the details with the nurse.”

He nodded and she left the room.

She had taken a few steps when it struck her.

No.

No, no, no.

When she turned around, he was standing outside the door watching her with those intense eyes. She walked back to him. It took her a few seconds to get the words out. “Do you mind walking with me to my office?”

Another nod before he fell in step next to her.

They were halfway to her office before she managed to speak again. “I know this isn’t the best time to bring this up. But I think it’s time we talked about how you know Julia Wickham.”

He threw her a look, but he didn’t stop walking. The full blast of coldness was back in his eyes, and it was like a punch to her throat.

She thought about the warmth with which he treated Ashi and Nisha. The inherent gentleness with which he took care of his sister. Naomi, the nurses here, he was lovely to everyone. Everyone except her.

What was wrong with her? Why was she hurting herself this way? It didn’t matter how he felt about her. Nothing else mattered if what she suspected was true.

“My asking you this has nothing to do with anything I said to you that day. I have no intention of embarrassing you by ever bringing that up again. I’m truly sorry for how I behaved. But I have to know. Did you say Emma was working on a film about her illness?”

She got another curt nod.

“She’s working with Julia, isn’t she?”

HRH’s email had said Julia had been doing interviews with terminally ill patients. The fact that she’d picked Emma, when she wasn’t terminal—there was something going on that Trisha couldn’t wrap her head around.

They had stopped outside her office. She knew his livid stillness by now. The way his mouth pursed, making the dent in his chin deepen. Those eyes, hazel rings around dark centers, turned on her. “Is this leading up to another threat to fire me?”

She pushed the door to her office open. “You have to understand—”

“Hi, Trisha.” What the hell was Neel doing in her office?

“Oh,” all three of them said as DJ and she stared at her brother-in-law sitting on the couch.

Breath whooshed out of her in a panic. “Neel! What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. I just needed to talk to you.” He threw a look at DJ and stood. “I can wait outside until you’re done.” But he stopped and studied DJ again. “Aren’t you the chef Nisha’s working with for the fund-raiser?”

Great, this was just great.

With a quick glance at Trisha, DJ stuck out his hand. “DJ Caine.” Despite her panic, the way he said his name made all sorts of heat zigzag inside her.

Neel shook his hand and threw a curious look at Trisha. She felt a bull’s-eye burning in the center of her forehead. “Neel Graff. We met briefly at the dinner—it was great, by the way. I thought you were in Monterey, working on the event with Nisha.”

DJ’s expression did not alter. “I am working with your wife. My sister had an appointment with Dr. Raje, that’s what I’m here for.”

“I see,” Neel said. “I hope your sister’s okay.”

“Dr. Raje assures me that she will be.”

Neel squeezed DJ’s shoulder. “She’s in very good hands with Trisha. You couldn’t ask for a more talented doctor.”

DJ threw her one of those looks. The kind that undid everything she was. “So everyone keeps telling me.”

Neel smiled, blissfully unaware of the storm of undertone in DJ’s voice. So much for emotionally blind. Her mind had taken to zeroing in on every minute nuance when it came to him.

“I look forward to seeing you at the fund-raiser,” Neel said in his typical slightly formal way.

“That remains to be seen.” DJ had it, too, that old-world formality all the men in her family possessed.

“I thought you were catering it.”

“I did too. But apparently, I might not have the opportunity.” His eyes met hers, still deliberately flat.

She couldn’t respond, not with her breath held.

He turned back to a confused-looking Neel and smiled his most stiff smile. “If my sister’s health worsens, I might need to recuse myself from the job. But I’m hoping Dr. Raje will not let it come to that.”

Neel gave his shoulder another supportive squeeze and left. Trisha exhaled and shut the door behind him. “Thank you for that.”

“Well, I didn’t not out Nisha because of your threats. I did it because I would never do anything to harm your sister.”