Chapter 31
EVERETT
O kay...so it wasn’t just my fault. There was actually a squence of events that led me to kiss Jahnvi Patel again.
First, it was dark outside by the time the last customer left and nighttime in Chicago is not the best place for anyone to go walking alone.
Second, it was raining aggressively. The wind was howling outside and there were frequent bursts of lightning.
Those two reasons made her stay with me at the restaurant so we could wait out the storm.
And the third thing, I’ll admit it, was just me wanting to kiss her again.
I’d actually wanted to kiss her all evening. I just never got the opportunity.
She just looked so perfect that night as she rushed around serving tables.
She picked it up quickly since I basi cally did everything the way her dad did with Fragrance.
I actually picked it up from her dad after my parents died.
Jahnvi greeted everyone with a perfect smile and checked in with tables regularly.
Granted, she broke a plate in the kitchen, but with the amount of things I’d seen her break before, I wasn’t surprised at all.
But I was surprised with the restaurant though.
Tonight was different . Maybe it was just me making it up, but after Jahnvi and I had put up the old decorations, I felt like today was even more crowded. Like the restaurant was restored to its former glory.
Like it was back when my parents had run it.
I remember how when I ran to the back to pick up a few dishes and turned around to see all the booths full and everyone smiling, my feet stopped in their tracks. I couldn’t help but watch for a bit and smile.
My parents would have loved to see it.
“Ugh, I’m getting absolutely mauled when I get home,” Jahnvi groaned as she got off the phone. She was talking with her dad and I could hear the raised tone from where I was standing. “I was supposed to be back hours ago to help with the dinner rush.”
“Did I keep you? Sorry about that.”
“No, it’s not your fault. I wanted to help.
” She smiled and joined me near the window.
While she was talking on the phone, I had finished closing up the store by cleaning the kitchen, the seating area, and closing the cash register.
After I had locked up the storage and kitchen, I had walked toward the window to see how bad the storm was.
“I think the storm will be over soon,” I muttered, still looking out. “Tell your parents you’ll be home in about fifteen minutes.”
“What are you? The rain whisperer?” she scoffed.
I shrugged. “I mean, it’s not raining as hard as before—”
“Eh,” Jahnvi interrupted me, “I couldn’t care less. The weather app also says the storm will end in fifteen minutes and I trust it more.”
“How would you trust it more if I said the exact same thing?”
“Remember that one time in middle school you told me it stopped raining and I should be good to walk home from school and it started completely pouring when I was midway?”
I laughed. “I mean, it’s kinda your fault. Why would you trust me?”
“No, you’re completely right.” She rolled her eyes and walked away.
All the chairs were on top of the tables so that I could vacuum easier.
Most of the lights were off too. The only light in the restaurant was from the far back lights that were still on in the kitchen and the occasional lightning.
Jahnvi chose a booth, jumping up onto the table and crossing her legs below her.
A flash of lightning illuminated her face as she turned to look at me.
I gulped and looked away, playing with my sleeves. Yelling at myself internally to get a damn grip , I looked outside at the trees thrashing in the wind like I had never seen a tree before in my life.
I heard a noise behind me. Turning around, I saw Jahnvi patting the table next to her, inviting me to sit next to her.
And so I did.
I crossed my legs underneath me and my knee brushed Jahnvi’s thigh. She didn’t move her leg to give me more space and I didn’t move either; the tension from that little piece of physical contact was hanging around the air like a dense fog.
“Oh no,” she said softly and grabbed left hand to inspect my nails. “Your nail polish is chipped.”
“Yeah, I have to repaint that finger.”
“Don’t repaint it. Too many layers will make your nail polish all flakey, speaking from experience. Get rid of the polish from the entire nail and then repaint.”
“How do you get rid of nail polish like that? I usually just wait until everything eventually chips off from my nails before I repaint them.”
“With nail polish remover. Do you have some?”
I shook my head.
“Oh, I can bring you some tomorrow at school. I also have this nice topcoat that if you wear over your nail polish will stop it from flaking off too quickly. I’ll bring it too,” she offered, not stopping to let me say another word.
Just as she was going to let my hand go, I twisted my hand and clasped my fingers around hers.
She looked up at me.
I’ll be completely honest; I’ve been super dumb before. I can recall multiple times when I looked into someone’s eyes and thought I had completely fallen for them only to find out the next day that they had been cheating on me or find out that I actually didn’t like them.
Infatuation was really powerful.
Those same kinds of feelings came rushing back when Jahnvi looked up at me—the sudden hyperawareness that I was sweating, the feeling of heat on my face, and of course, the classic butterflies in my stomach.
But with Jahnvi, everything was just a little bit more.
Those butterflies I was feeling were the size of birds as I slowly moved forward and leaned down. Her lips met me halfway and I felt myself sigh against her mouth. My hand went to just beneath her ear and I held her in place so that I could kiss her deeply.
And she let me. More than let me, she wanted more.
Moving closer, Jahnvi pressed herself against me and rested her hands on my shoulder.
Then, she slowly moved them down so that they trailed down my sleeves and rested on top of my knuckles.
When she was satisfied with my arms, she moved to my chest. Using her hands, she seemed to memorize my upper body.
Investigating every line and edge, her hands traveled everywhere.
And then, it wasn’t enough.
I felt Jahnvi freeze against my mouth as I moved, moving her too. Using the hand that wasn’t cupping Jahnvi’s face, I supported myself on the table and rose so that I wasn’t sitting crisscross anymore but I was on my knees. With my chest, I gently pushed her down so that she was lying beneath me.
I paused for a second, catching her eye. “You okay?”
She nodded, grabbing the collar of my sweater and yanking me down. I laughed against her mouth, getting the not-so-subtle hint. I felt her hands on my chest, slowly trailing down to my waist and stopping there.
I heard a quiet whimper.
Oh my g —
That sound she had just made caused every vein in my body to erupt in ecstasy. It was so quiet and gentle. Goosebumps formed all over my body.
Both of us stopped for a well-needed breath. Breathing hardly, we both sat back up again. The rain had lessened to a drizzle and the trees stood still again. Scooching back a bit on the table, I looked down at her to see my handiwork.
“You are...” I felt myself start and trail off.
Jahnvi looked at me. “What?” Her voice was a bit breathy as she smoothed down her shirt; it had ridden up a bit when we were on the table. Her hair was messed up on the side and she was blinking a lot. And of course, her face was as red as a fire hydrant. It looked like she had just run a marathon.
“Jahnvi, you’re,” I gulped, “absolutely gorgeous.”
Her soft hand reached out and grasped mine. Pulling my hand toward her, she bent down and placed one single kiss on my palm.
Forget her lips on my lips, her lips on my hands ?
Last year, I had an accident with the deep fryer in the kitchen restaurant that resulted in me sticking my entire right hand in boiling oil.
It was the worst pain of my life. Luckily, I was quick enough that it wasn’t too serious but I was writhing in the emergency room bed all night with the worst blisters all over my hand.
I could barely move it for like a week after.
My right hand was still more coarse than my left one.
So when Jahnvi pressed her lips against my rough right hand, it was more sensual than usual.
Soft as rose petals, her lips slowly pressed against the irregular skin for a shorter time than I would have wanted.
And just like that, they were gone. With a final single caress of my hand, she returned my hand back to me and smiled, looking away quickly.
It was strange seeing the version of Jahnvi that was silent.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the way she rambles on and on. Her eyes go wide and she uses her hands a lot to motion what she was saying. But this shy Jahnvi was different and someone I hadn’t met.
It was exhilarating, getting to know every part of her.
I never wanted to stop figuring her out.