Chapter 13
CHAPTER 13
T he rain hadn’t stopped since dawn.
It drummed steadily on the roof, filling the house with the kind of gray hush that made even voices sound muffled. Outside, the lawn was a sea of puddles and overturned flower buckets. Inside, it was barely controlled chaos.
Kash had been up since six, more than glad to have a house full of guests on her day off. Or she wouldn’t have gotten out of her head or her bed, thinking of what Diego and she had done last night.
Instead, there had been tea to brew, coffee pots to refill, and trays of store-bought muffins and fruit to lay out on mismatched platters for the dozen guests and cousins that filtered in and out like they were part of a revolving door.
The dining table was now covered with wet umbrellas, tote bags, half-opened boxes of votive holders and place cards, and a pink folder full of floor plans that had already started curling at the edges.
Not that the weather could dissuade the bride-to-be for too long.
Muriel had promptly moved on to the next thing on her pad and assigned a task to every single person, to be completed by lunch. Someone was organizing jewelry pouches in one bedroom.
A florist friend had been dispatched to assess backyard drainage and one of Muriel’s college friends was assembling alternate plans to have the ceremony inside if the weather disappointed them on the big day.
Kaif was still brooding, though. No, not brooding so much as avoiding Kash.
She caught him in the kitchen in the late afternoon, loading coffee mugs onto a tray with a distracted look. The sleeves of his henley were pushed up, his hair damp, and his expression too stormy for a man supposedly days away from getting married.
“You okay?” she asked, keeping her voice low.
He glanced at her. “Yeah.”
“You’re happy?”
That earned her a slight, flickering smile.
A beat passed, and then both of them heard Muriel shout something from the living room, followed by a chorus of laughter.
Kash smiled. “I was worrying unnecessarily. You adore her.”
Kaif’s expression softened, but the shadow didn’t lift completely.
“But there’s something bothering you,” Kash pointed out, hoping he would confide in her.
Before he could answer, Muriel’s signature whistle split the air. “Everyone in the living room! Now!”
Kash gave Kaif’s arm a pat. “Later,” she murmured, and turned to follow the sound of wedding madness, her heart a little heavy at her brother’s continued distance.
* * *
The living room smelled like cardamom, fabric steam, and wet shoes. Garment bags hung off the backs of doors, open boxes of decor cluttered every flat surface, and someone had started burning incense to combat the smell of wool and packing tape.
A dozen voices buzzed around Kash. Muriel’s cousins were unpacking custom umbrellas, someone was testing a Bluetooth speaker in the corner, and Kaif was being roped into writing out place cards in his beautiful handwriting. Kash sat cross-legged on the floor by the coffee table, sorting tealight holders into color-coded piles.
Somehow, Diego ended up next to her while Tia flitted in and out between them, like a honeybee dancing among flowers. Kash couldn’t even look at him now without her pulse going haywire.
He sat close enough that she could feel the warmth of his thigh where it brushed hers. His knee bumped hers occasionally as he packed glittering confetti, completely unbothered. Meanwhile, her body felt like it had been reprogrammed.
Last night’s escapade had left her loose and fluttery, as if she could fly away if something didn’t hold her down. Every time their fingers brushed by accident, it reminded her of the way he’d gripped her jaw when he had been in the throes of his climax.
And to make matters worse, she was fairly certain Muriel knew something. Or at least suspected. Although a part of her wanted Diego to keep her, keep them, a secret. To hold it close to his heart.
There was no other explanation for how pointedly Muriel paired them up for the main wedding day and all the pre-events even. Even their outfit trials were scheduled at the same time with her designer friend.
“You’re both single,” Muriel had said breezily when Kash had offered token protest. Because she was supposed to be allergic to being paired up, and to Diego. Although she doubted she could fool anyone if they paid attention. And Muriel was always paying attention, especially to her cousin.
“Honestly, have you looked at what a pair the both of you make?” Muriel had said, fake snorting. “I had to put you in somber colors for the wedding so that you don’t overshadow me and Kaif. That way, you two won’t steal the show but make my background very pretty.”
Kash hadn’t known whether to laugh or to cry. Or to hug Muriel for giving her more chances to spend with Diego without alerting anyone that she was pretty much a puddle around him. Not that she admitted anything of the sort to her.
Her knowing smiles was one thing, Kash admitting to it, another.
A gust of cold air swept in from the hallway as her mother breezed into the room, a tray of cucumber sandwiches and steaming pakodas in hand. She paused when she caught sight of Kash, gaze narrowing. “Something’s new about you.”
Kash blinked, heat cresting her cheeks. The sudden hush that fell around didn’t help.
“Did you do something different with your hair or make up? It softens you up,” her mother persisted. As usual, she was completely oblivious to Kash’s discomfort. “You have to be careful after forty. Not everything’s complimentary. And you usually walk around with that disgruntled expression that will give you wrinkles too soon.”
“Mama, please!” Kash whispered, embarrassment swallowing any pleasure she had found until then.
“Or maybe it’s the fact that you aren’t working all hours and spending time with us,” her mother continued, a strange resignation in her voice. “I will admit I’m surprised you’re taking part in all this wedding prep. Good that you’re stepping up as the groom’s older sister. Kaif deserves to be spoiled.”
This time, it was Kaif’s, “Mama!’ that reverberated in the silence.
Kash stared at her, stunned. Her mother had always had the knack for making her compliments sound like admonition, especially when it came to Kash, her firstborn. However much she had shouldered the family’s responsibility, it wasn’t enough.
Katrina had been the baby and impulsive and high-spirited—and had been abandoned by her baby daddy—and therefore, had to be protected. And Kaif was of course her son, who had gotten into trouble because he lost a father’s steadying influence too soon, so he had to be watched out for.
Kash was strong, so she always had to be strong. Never show weakness and definitely not expect anything from anyone. As if her strength was a curse that she could never forsake.
She barely heard the crinkle of plastic tablecloth past the deafening hurt and resentment in her ears. If she opened her mouth to argue, she wasn’t sure she could stop the torrent of complaints that had been piling up for decades.
This wasn’t the time or place.
A painful breath shuddered out of her just as a large, callused hand grabbed hers under the table, the grip firm enough to anchor her back into herself. Fighting the hot prickle of tears, she returned the tight squeeze.
God, if she went to her knees for Diego for every night for the rest of their lives, she couldn’t show her appreciation enough.
She didn’t dare look at him though, for fear of falling apart. Neither could she stop the gush of gratitude that he, of all people, knew how much she hurt right then.
“Ambition is all good and fine but at the end of the day,” her mother continued, misunderstanding Kash’s shocked silence for compliance, “you need a life. Even Simon begged you to slow down, no?” She placed the tray on the coffee table, shaking her head. “You stick too much to your schedules and your to-do lists, Kash. Instead of being more spontaneous and fun.”
“I don’t think Kash has had time to be spontaneous or fun, Aunty,” Diego said, his jaw so tight that no one could mistake his controlled anger. “She’s been taking care of all of you. Unlike you, I’m continually surprised that she has more to give all of us. Tia and me, included. So maybe, you and Kaif should rethink what Kash owes you?—”
Kash tugged at his hand, nearly jerking him toward her.
Without missing a beat, he released her hand, wrapped that arm around her shoulders and tugged at her until she was forced to hide her face in his shoulder. The scent of him made her shiver violently.
Someone handed her a glass of water and Kash drained it. When her mother approached her, Diego shook his head, warning her away.
Her knight in shining armor, Kash thought, her mood instantly lightening. Turning, she looked at him.
His steady gaze hooked itself into her heart. “Thank you,” she said, leaning toward him and kissing his cheek.
She didn’t care that twenty pairs of eyes were watching them with avid interest. His kindness shone like a beacon.
“You do look different,” Muriel chimed in from across the room with exaggerated humor. In that moment, Kash realized that she was gaining a sister who was as kind and steady as the man who was holding her up just then. “Almost glowing. If you continue like this, all the guests will confuse you for the bride.”
Kash tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, somehow managing a chuckle. “Now you’re just being silly.”
Kaif sat up, pinning her with his gaze. “I agree. You look lighter. Like you have finally put down a load.”
“What they all mean to say is that you look beautiful, Doc,” Diego said solemnly, putting down a gold votive. Then he tilted Kash’s chin toward him with two fingers, giving her a thorough inspection.
Kash swatted his fingers away, her heart beating like a drum in her ears.
“Muriel’s not wrong,” one of her sweeter friends piped in.
“Kash Aunty is always pretty,” Tia said, running into the room and wrapping her arms around her neck. “Even in her scrubs and her sweats.”
Smiling, Kash kissed the small hand, clutching it like a lifeline. “That’s why I love you the most, sweetheart.”
Tia giggled, kissed Kash’s cheek and ran away.
Diego leaned in conspiratorially, eyes sparkling. “Maybe it’s a facial. A really intense one.”
Her breath stuttered, a blush stealing up her neck and cheeks. His gaze lingered on her lips. A rush of warmth filled her chest. God, she loved it when he looked at her like that. As if he couldn’t help it.
“Or,” she said, steadying her voice, “maybe I’ve just been sleeping better.”
“I’m glad,” he said, gaze solemn.
The chatter swelled again around them—someone shouting for scissors, laughter from the dining room. But Kash barely heard it.
Her gaze dropped to his hand. His fingers were long and tan and resting casually on the edge of the table. She imagined, stupidly, what it would feel like to lace hers through them. Or lean over and kiss his lips in front of everyone. The thought made her dizzy.
If only this was our wedding, she thought, throat tight.
If only this were real.
She hadn’t wanted a big wedding with Simon, and neither had he. They’d had just gone to the city hall in her lunch hour. His grown kids had joined them for dinner after. Josh, his son, hadn’t spoken to her the entire time. Just stared at her like she’d invaded something sacred.
The memory sharpened just as the doorbell rang. A second later, one of Muriel’s friends opened the front door.
And there he was.
Josh. Coming in from the rain, umbrella half-collapsed, blazer clinging to his shoulders. He looked the same as he had eighteen months ago. Shabby and unshaved, his expensive clothes clinging to his lean frame, and full of resentment and hatred for her.
* * *
Diego felt the tension that took over Kash’s frame instantly.
“Wow,” the man at the door said, his voice slick with disdain. “Really enjoying my father’s house, yeah? Looks like wedding preparations.”
The room froze.
Kash shot to her feet, spine straight as a blade. Diego and Kaif were on their feet too. The man—Josh—looked just like he had in Diego’s memory from the couple of times he had visited Simon at this very house. Tall, smug, with the kind of confidence only inherited money and unchecked bitterness could fuel.
Kash’s silence egged the bastard on, to say loud enough for the entire room to hear. “Don’t tell me you’ve found the next old geezer to bend over for, Kash?”
The heat that surged into Diego’s chest made him shake. He took one step forward before Kaif placed a subtle hand on his arm. Kash had already crossed the room, her mouth tight.
“It’s my brother’s wedding,” she said, voice cool but brittle at the edges. “You’re welcome to join the celebration if you’d like.” Her tone held no bite. Just bone-deep fatigue.
Josh scoffed.
Kash grabbed his arm—not roughly, just firmly—and led him toward the hallway.
“I’ve got this,” Diego said to Kaif, and followed her, fists clenched at his sides.
The study was quiet when he stepped in and closed the door.
Like a memory that Kash refused to let fade, the scent of sandalwood and old paper lingered. The room was masculine, subdued, with dark leather chairs and a mahogany desk with neatly stacked paperwork. A shelf of worn legal tomes and travelogues sat on dark shelves.
Framed photos lined the sideboard—Simon in his younger years, his daughter Beth laughing with a glass of wine, a Christmas photo of the whole family. Kash hadn’t taken anything down.
For just a second, Diego felt a rush of unadulterated jealousy fill him to the brim. She had trusted Simon and committed herself to him, despite the large age gap.
Josh stood near the desk, arms crossed, smirking. Kash faced him with her chin lifted, the angle revealing the long, tired line of her neck.
“I’ve told you before,” she said, quietly, trying diplomacy again. “Simon wanted me to have the house long before the accident. Even Beth agreed then.”
“Because my sister was happy to have someone look after the old man,” Josh snapped. “You fed her the same story you fed my father. You twisted him up, made him think you were the second coming. And then, conveniently, he dies, leaves you this house and a chunk of stock. Real nice setup.”
Diego’s vision narrowed.
Kash didn’t flinch, as if she’d heard it all before. “I loved your father, Josh” she said. “And I didn’t ask him for anything. He made his decisions with a clear mind, with lawyers. He wanted to take care of me just as he wanted to with you and Beth. You know better than anyone that the stock he left me was a tiny part of his fortune. Which he happily split between you and Beth.”
“You killed him,” Josh sneered, face pale and sweaty. “You and your stupid sister insisting that he give her a ride that day. You made him cut me off. Do you know what that’s done to me?”
Diego had heard enough. His pulse roared in his ears.
Kash raised her hand, holding him off. “Are you using again?”
Josh blinked and sniffled.
“I can help,” she said, almost softly. “But stop blaming me for your father’s decisions.”
He moved fast, leaning in close to her face, nostrils flaring. “You don’t get to play savior now. You ruined everything.”
Diego crossed the room in two strides. His hand curled around Josh’s collar and yanked him back with enough force to make the man stumble.
“You say one more word to her like that,” he growled, “and I’ll drag you to the streets. You think she has no one to look after her?”
Josh staggered but straightened, his mouth twisting like he was going to push it further. Diego vibrated with fury, his hand still fisted in the fabric of Josh’s soaked blazer.
The study fell silent again, thick with tension, the scent of rain and rage in the air.
Kash looked…emptied.
She hadn’t reacted once. Not to the slur. Not to the blame. As if she’d heard it all before. Of course she had, Diego realized. This had been one more thing she’d shouldered alone.
He hated the idea of her dealing with this man alone so much that his grip tightened.
Josh sneered. “You’re fucking her, aren’t you?” he spat, eyes wild. “That’s what this is. Good luck with that. What happens when you lose interest? Who’ll save her then?”
Diego saw red. Before he knew it, he was slamming Josh into the side of the bookcase with enough force to rattle the photos.
“You want to know why you’re still walking around right now?” Diego snarled. “Because she loved your father. Because she still gives a damn about your sorry ass. She welcomed you into this house like you weren’t a piece of shit even after everything.”
Josh shoved back weakly, but it was all bark now.
“If you ever come near her again,” Diego continued, his voice cold and dangerous, “I’ll have a restraining order with your name on it by the end of the day. My legal team is with Collins & Emsworth—the kind of firm that eats trust fund punks for breakfast.”
Josh froze. That name hit hard.
His mouth opened, then closed. His eyes darted to Kash one last time, then back to Diego. “You think this is over?” he muttered, but even the spite was threadbare now.
“Try me,” Diego said.
Josh yanked himself free of Diego’s hand and stormed out.
Diego turned to find Kash on the floor, trembling with a kind of exhaustion he could feel from across the room. Her face was pale, mouth set.
He crossed the room, locked the door behind him, and dropped to the floor beside her.
“Kash,” he said quietly.
When she didn’t respond, he gently pulled her toward him. She collapsed into his chest.
“I’ve got you,” he whispered into her hair. “You aren’t alone. Not anymore. Never again.”
He held her until her breathing slowed and her shaking eased. And as he did, a slow, soft realization detonated in his chest. Something terrifying for all that it had been swimming in his veins for a long while.
He was in love with her.