Accidentally Engaged(81)

Reena blinked. This was unreal. That wasn’t even true, and Dad knew it. Nafissa and Khizar hardly needed anyone’s encouragement to fall in love. Plus, her parents set her up with Nadim because they were both foodies? Really?

But it still didn’t add up. “If Nadim’s telling the truth, why are the Shahs lying about this engagement?” she asked.

Dad shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t trust Salim, though. I believe Nadim. I didn’t fire him, Reena.”

The room was silent for several long seconds until a sound of relief escaped Reena’s lips. She had no idea how tense she’d been holding herself until that moment. Dad trusted him.

He shook his head. “But Nadim’s father doesn’t believe him. He is convinced that Nadim has been in secret contact with Jasmine. And he won’t listen to his son.” Dad looked straight at Reena. “You should have told us you had taken up with the boy. It’s not right, keeping secrets from family.”

Reena nearly snorted in outrage. Saira, on the other hand, found no reason to hold in her disbelief and laughed loudly.

“Saira! Be kind to your sister!”

They were all silent for a bit longer, each digesting the fragile honesty they’d shown in this weird space that somehow gave the Manjis an almost normal family dynamic.

Finally, Reena spoke. “If you didn’t fire him, maybe that means we can finish the contest?” She couldn’t make herself think about saving their relationship now, but maybe she could salvage something of her life?

Dad frowned. “What contest?”

“Nadim and I were pretending to be engaged for a national cooking contest on FoodTV. We find out tomorrow if we made the finals, and they’ll film it in two weeks.”

Saira raised a brow. “I thought you told us all your secrets?”

Reena shrugged. “I forgot one.”

Dad frowned, then shook his head. “I may not have fired him, but his father pulled his investment in the Diamond project and forced Nadim to resign. He has been summoned home to Tanzania.”

Reena swallowed a lump in her throat. “When does he leave?”

“His last day working for me will be Friday, and he’ll be on a plane next week.”





CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO



After the drive home, Saira pulled up in front of Reena’s building and grinned widely. “That was actually kind of fun. We should do Mum next.”

“Do what to Mum?”

“You know, ambush. Confront. Although let’s not do it when we see her tomorrow. I don’t want to risk her not paying for my wedding sari.”

“We’re seeing Mum tomorrow?” The last thing she wanted was a second parent interrogation. Even if she was the one doing the interrogating.

“Reena! We’re going shopping, remember? For bridal clothes? We planned it last Sunday! You’re still coming, right?”

Of course. With her life falling apart and all, she’d forgotten about the sari-shopping date with Mum. Ugh. Maybe she should try to get out of it?

She looked at her sister’s hopeful face. No. it was time for Reena to move past her own self-absorption and be there for her sister. Her sister, who had been there for Reena every day since she’d found out about Nadim’s secret maybe-fiancée.

“Of course I’m coming, Saira.”

“Great. We’ll pick you up in the morning. I’ll text you before I leave.”

“Okay. Thanks for taking me today.”

“You’re going to talk to Nadim, right?” Saira asked.

Reena exhaled. “Yes. I’m going to talk to him.”

“Good. See you tomorrow.”

Reena got out of the car, and Saira drove away.

As she walked up the sidewalk, nerves fluttering her stomach, she resigned herself to a truth that she probably always knew—deflect and distract didn’t work. She’d been sweeping things under the rug for so long, but it only left her with a lumpy and treacherous floor. She was going to talk to Nadim, now. They may not have a future, but she needed closure.

Reena looked at the lot next to the building. Nadim’s car wasn’t there. She took a breath.

She’d talk to him later. This wasn’t deflecting, just…postponing. She didn’t want to be alone, though, so instead of going to her apartment, she walked to the Sparrow.

She didn’t drink. She had two bowls of lentil soup, several ginger ales, and played three rounds of darts with bar regulars. She had a long, almost existential chat with Steve over their shared love of smoked peppers, and she sat in on a hilarious new card game about sushi. No drama, no self-pity.

At a quiet moment, while she was riding the high of trouncing a man bun at darts, she sat at the bar and waited for Steve to refill her glass with more ginger ale and tried to figure out why she felt so…fine.

It had been less than a week since her so-called life fell apart, and during that time she had also lost a job she really wanted. And yeah, she did feel pretty shitty about it all. But along with the moments of abject misery (like when she faced Nadim yesterday), she also had moments of joy. A few laughs with her sister, tea on the back deck with Marley and Shayne, and tonight, a great night at the Sparrow, by herself. She was dealing. Not incapacitated by…misery or lethargy. This was nothing like the last time life threw her in a ditch.