Accidentally Engaged(52)

Dad’s forehead wrinkled. “Cold brew? Why don’t you just use a coffeemaker? You make things more difficult than they need to be, Reena.”

Reena sighed as she pulled her old French press from the top shelf of the cabinet. Her father’s mood was nothing like their last meeting, when Dad had been all compliments and jokes. She filled the kettle.

“I had a disappointing phone call yesterday,” he said.

“Shiroz Remtulla. You’re upset because I refused to marry Nadim.”

“Yes, Shiroz was the call, but no, Reena, that is not what upsets me. I believe our role as parents is to facilitate an introduction, but of course I allow you to make your own choice.”

“Allow? Dad, I’m thirty-one. I don’t need your permission to make a choice.”

He exhaled. “If you’ve discovered so early that you and Nadim are incompatible, then I am happy. No harm done.”

She stifled a snort. Multiple simultaneous orgasms, the last one being a mere hour ago, did not lead Reena’s thoughts to incompatibility.

She poured hot water from the kettle over the coffee grounds. “So, then what, Dad? Why are you angry?”

“I am not angry, just confused. Shiroz said you and Nadim have become close friends.”

“And? If I won’t marry him, I’m not allowed to be friends with him?”

“Of course you can be friends, Reena. But I was under the impression, from both of you, mind you, that you barely knew each other. Have you forgotten what I asked you that day?”

“You asked me to spy on him.”

Dad put his hand down on the counter heavily. “I asked no such thing. But this is our business! I can’t ignore the rumors I heard. All I want to know is who his friends are. Who is he in regular contact with?”

“I’ll tell you who his friend is. Me. Why would you want me to betray my friend by telling his boss about his personal life?”

“I had hoped my children would show a bit more loyalty to the family.”

Reena pinched her lips shut while pushing down the plunger of the French press. She pulled out a mug and poured the coffee. Where were her loyalties, anyway? She did know information about Nadim, albeit not directly from him. And while the intel she had was worthy of a little raised eyebrow on the gossip train, it was hardly worth risking Nadim’s job and his father’s investment.

So what if Nadim used to hang with a bad crowd? And how rational was her father’s dislike of Salim Shah and his ilk anyway? Her father was condemning these people while barely knowing a thing about them.

She placed his coffee on the bar in front of his seat. “How is Nadim working out at the Diamond project? Do you have any reason to be concerned?”

“No. I am still very impressed with him. I told Shiroz that yesterday. He doesn’t have a lot of faith in his son. It’s a shame, really. Nadim is a remarkable worker.” He took a sip of his coffee, then smiled warmly at Reena. “I hope I never underappreciate my children.”

Part of Reena wanted to say that the first step in appreciating his children would be to take a real interest in their lives, but he was only doing what he knew. His father, and the men in his life, had modeled only unconditional filial piety. They probably spent even less time with their children. Why did she expect more? And besides, she should be more sympathetic. All this was because he had been swindled. Cheated by a business associate he trusted.

She took out a box of cookies that he loved but Saira wouldn’t allow in the house and put some on a plate.

“Here’s the truth, Dad. Yes, Nadim and I have become close friends. And yes, I told him I would not marry him. He told me a bit about his troubled past, but really, it’s nothing unexpected, considering he lost his mother at a young age and his father doesn’t appreciate him. As far as I know, he has no close friends outside of his coworkers, and me and Marley in the building. And I will not attempt to extract any more information out of my friend. I trust him, and you should, too.”

Everything she had said was true. It just wasn’t all the truths.

But it seemed to satisfy Dad. “He’s lucky to have you.” Dad smiled. “Now, how is work going? Did you ask for a promotion like we discussed?”

Reena groaned internally as she seamlessly transitioned into telling lies instead of truths.





CHAPTER TWENTY



It took Reena about fifteen minutes to regret calling Amira Monday morning after Nadim left for work, as it felt a little early in the day for an interrogation by her best friend. She should have known better—Amira’s reaction to Reena’s relationship upgrade wasn’t exactly unexpected. “So, you don’t return my calls for two days and only send cryptic texts, and now you tell me you’re sleeping with Nadim?”

“Dating.”

“So, you’re not sleeping with him?” Amira asked. She was on her speakerphone in the car and was very loud.

“No, I am sleeping with him, but we’re dating. We’re exclusive.”

“You’re dating the guy you’re pretending to be engaged to for a cooking contest and who your parents want you to marry?”

“Yes. But our parents don’t know,” Reena explained. It made sense to her.

“And, you haven’t told them so they won’t buy jalebi and saris.” Amira paused. “Actually, not telling your parents is probably the only intelligent thing you’ve told me today.”