Accidentally Engaged(28)

“Wait, Mum, you don’t trust Nadim when it comes to the business, but you expect me to marry him?”

“Reena! I’m not forcing anything,” she said. “But it’s time you settled down anyway. And we need to keep Shiroz happy.”

“By marrying his son?”

“I have said this before, and I will say it again, we ask that you meet him and get to know him. That is all we want.”

“Didn’t anyone think to ask me or Nadim what we want?”

“I don’t understand why you are not willing to even talk to the man. This business is our family—it’s yours as much as it is ours.”

Reena glared. This was a new low. As the middle child in her household, being an afterthought felt more familiar. Not as smart as Khizar, not as needy as Saira. Her parents had finally found a use for her—as a bargaining chip in a business deal. It almost made her feel valued for a change. Almost.

“Wow,” Saira said, shaking her head at Mum. “I can’t believe you sold Reena. What year is this, anyway?”

“We have done no such thing,” Mum said firmly. “This is a good match. Similar families, same religion, both families even from Dar es Salaam! That means a lot more than what OK Cherub or whatever will give you.”

“Cupid,” Saira corrected.

“Have dinner with him, Reena. That’s a start.”

Someone knocked on her door.

“Marley’s already here?” Saira asked.

Mum stood immediately and headed to the door. “I would love to say hello…”

Reena was behind Mum when she opened the door, so she didn’t see her mother’s expression when she opened it to Nadim’s smiling face and ever-present six-pack of beer.

“Rosmin Aunty! This is a surprise!” he said, quickly putting the beer down in the hallway next to the door before Mum noticed it.

Mum hugged him and motioned him into the living room. “Nadim! What happened to your hair? Come, come. We were just talking about you. Come meet Saira, my younger daughter. I brought kebob jo shaak for Reena. You can join her for dinner.”

“Hey,” Saira said, raising a hand but not getting up from her seat.

Nadim stood, hesitating, and looked from one to the other before focusing on the floor in front of him again. Reena tried to get his attention to wordlessly let him know not to admit they already had dinner plans. He seemed to get the hint, eventually.

He looked at Mum. “Oh, I don’t want to intrude. I just, I’m here to borrow, some, um…” He looked down again. “Nail varnish.”

Reena fought back a laugh.

“Nail polish?” Saira asked.

His eyes widened as he looked up at Reena. “Um, yeah, sorry, I just…”

Okay, this was adorable. His hesitations and mumblings…her normally confident-bordering-on-cocky neighbor completely flustered. But, of course, Mum was the wife of his boss. She decided to help the guy out.

“You’re welcome to join us for dinner. My cousin and her friend are coming. Why don’t you come back in half an hour?” Reena said. “And did you want the nail polish to help label your keys, like I showed you when we bumped into each other leaving for work this morning?”

“Yes. That’s totally why.” His eyes flashed gratitude. “I’ll just go…now. Thank you for the dinner invitation, and good to see you, Aunty. Nice to meet you, Saira.”

“Later,” Saira said, waving. “And don’t worry—I’m a pretty low-maintenance sister-in-law!” Saira laughed loudly at her own terrible joke (that was a joke, right?) as Reena gently pushed Nadim out of the room. She hoped he remembered to take his six-pack out of the hallway—and bring it back in half an hour. She definitely was going to need that.





CHAPTER NINE



Mum’s phone chimed loudly the minute Nadim left. Reena picked it up from the counter and glanced at it.

“Mum, who’s Giovanna, and why is she asking if you’re coming tonight?”

Mum snatched her phone. “Nah! Don’t look at my phone!” She walked to the far side of the living room, presumably to respond to her text.

“Mum has a secret?” Reena asked her sister. “Mum has no life. She can’t have a secret.”

Saira shrugged, noisily slurping the end of her mystery drink. “I try not to pay too much attention to what they’re up to.”

“Why exactly did you come here with her?” Reena asked.

“She was loading that stuff in her car when I got home from work. I thought you might need backup while you were ambushed. No one needs a surprise visit from parents. Anyway, I’m glad I came. I had no idea that Mum and Dad sold your hand in marriage for cold hard cash. This is juicy…”

“I’m not going to marry the man.”

“Obviously. Although”—she looked at the door—“I was right about him being bald, but he’s hotter than I expected. Doesn’t talk much, though. Anyway—”

Mum was back at their side, giving Saira a stern look. “This isn’t gossip, Saira. I don’t want to hear that you’re telling anyone the family’s personal business.”

“Give me some credit, Mum,” Saira said.