There's Something About Sweetie(74)

“It doesn’t,” Ashish said more forcefully.

“Okay,” she said amicably. “But just so you know, I don’t think that. At all.”

“But you’ve never met Rishi.”

“I don’t have to meet Rishi to know that I like you best of all.” She grinned at him, completely disarming his defensiveness. “Okeydokey?”

He reached over and put one hand on the back of her neck, stroking the soft skin there. “Okeydokey,” he agreed. Ashish didn’t even laugh at how totally dorky it sounded. He was too busy feeling happy.





CHAPTER 25





Gita Kaki lived in a luxury apartment complex overlooking the water. They parked underground in the visitor space and got out, stretching their limbs. Ashish walked around to grab Sweetie’s hand, marveling at how natural it felt. It was only their third contracted date, but it felt like he’d known her a lot longer. Like if she started hanging out with his crew tomorrow, she’d fit right in with zero awkwardness.

Then he remembered his conversation with Gita Kaki and how he was counting on the least countable member of his family for something pretty important today, and felt his blood pressure rising. He didn’t realize he was squeezing Sweetie’s hand until she yelped. “Oh my God, I’m sorry,” he said, rubbing her hand gently. “Are you okay?”

She quirked an eyebrow at him. “Yeah, but … are you?”

“Sure, sure. Totally fine.” He forced himself to kiss her temple in a casual way. “Ready to meet some more of my ‘interesting’ family?” And hopefully be wooed off your pretty feet?

Sweetie bumped him lightly with her shoulder. “You don’t have to say ‘interesting’ like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like you really mean ‘bizarre in the creepiest way.’ I’m sure Gita Kaki’s perfectly nice, her penchant for calling you Rishi aside.”

He grinned as they got on the elevator and he pushed the button for the penthouse. “I’m so gonna enjoy saying ‘I told you so.’”

As they traveled upward, Sweetie laughed suddenly.

“What?” he asked, smiling too. It was like her smile had a magnet that instantly attracted his smile magnet and … no, never mind. That analogy sucked. But seriously, the girl’s smile was irresistible.

“I just realized everyone in your family is apparently ridiculously rich. Like, what’s that about?”

He laughed. “I assure you, that’s not true. Gita Kaki just happens to be another exception. Most of my other family is very middle class. Gita Kaki’s husband, my Shankar Kaka, was an executive over at Google or someplace—I forget. Anyway, when he died, she inherited this apartment. They’ve owned it forever. My dad says none of her money’s liquid, though.”

“Yeah, because I totally know what that means.” Sweetie laughed. “Oh my God, you’re such a one-percenter and you don’t even know it.”

Ashish chuckled. “No, no, I’m not totally clueless. I know I’m rich. But I like to think I’m also down-to-earth.”

“Oh yeah? Okay, quick, how much does a gallon of milk cost?”

Ashish stared at her, trying to keep his face neutral. Crap. Milk. Dang it, he should know that. But the problem was, their housekeeper, Myrna, did all the shopping. He didn’t think he should share that little tidbit with Sweetie, though. Oh, come on. Just throw out a number, Ash. Jeez. “Like … twelve dollars?”

Sweetie stared at him. The elevator pinged right into Gita Kaki’s foyer just as she burst out laughing. “You … think … milk … costs … twelve …” She lost it and began to guffaw again.

Ashish began to laugh too. “What? Is that too cheap?”

Sweetie lost it. She was turning a rather alarming shade of purple when Gita Kaki walked up to them. Frowning, she said, “Rishi, why is Dimple laughing so much?”

Ashish lost it too.

When they were both relatively calm, he did the introductions. “Gita Kaki, this is my friend Sweetie.” It was an unspoken rule that you never introduced your girlfriends as girlfriends to the elders in your family; that was too unseemly. It had been drilled into Ashish since he was little, and from the totally unconcerned expression on Sweetie’s face, he guessed her parents had a similar rule. It was kinda nice, actually. None of his other girlfriends—on the few occasions they’d run across someone in his family—had ever understood that. “Sweetie, this is Gita Kaki.”

She folded her hands together. “Namaskar, auntie.”

Gita Kaki responded in kind. “Namaskar.”

They followed her into the living room. The entire far wall was made up of windows with a sweeping view of blue water.

“Wow,” Sweetie breathed, walking up. “This is so beautiful.”

“Thank you,” Gita Kaki said, smiling approvingly. She loved nothing more than being complimented on her apartment, her most prized possession. And, according to Pappa, one of her only remaining possessions worth anything. “Shankar and I bought it when they first built this building. We were the first ones to sign on the dotted line. The architect was a very good friend. Can I get you anything? Juice?”

“I’d love a juice, auntie,” Sweetie said, turning. “Can I help you get it?”