Epilogue
Two Weeks Later
Abhay leaned forward from the backseat, waving the empty packet of chips. ‘Stop at the next store you see. I need more snacks.’
Raghav rolled his eyes. ‘You need to get your priorities straight. What good are snacks without drinks?’
‘What I want to know is how long I’m supposed to be stuck between you guys like we’re kids on a school trip?’ Kusha muttered from the middle seat.
Swayam slammed his hand on the horn, and its loud blare drowned out their chatter.
Kashvi dragged her gaze away from the rolling expanse of mountains outside and looked at her husband.
‘Remind me again why exactly we allowed them to tag along with us?’ Swayam asked.
Kusha leaned forward and answered before Kashvi could. ‘Allow? As if we need anyone’s permission.’
‘Kashu got Siya hooked on Ira’s books too, so now they’re both equally obsessed. There was no way Siya was staying behind,’ Abhay remarked dryly.
‘Right,’ Swayam replied, stretching the word in a drawl. ‘We should’ve just left on the bike in the middle of the night.’
The late afternoon sun filtered through the window, highlighting the hard line of his jaw.
His dark denim shirt was wrinkled from hours of driving, his sunglasses hooked at the collar.
He turned towards her with those dark, smoky eyes and that lazy smile of his.
It undid her a little every single time.
Kashvi lifted a brow. ‘Why? So you could flirt with me the entire way to the bookstore?’
‘I don’t need to be alone with you to do that. I flirted with you the whole drive here, didn’t I?’ Swayam shot back with a grin. ‘And you never complain when I take you to work on the bike.’
The way he looked leaning against his Harley was one of the reasons she had trouble focusing on work these days.
Kashvi grinned. ‘Why would I? It’s my favourite part of the day.’
Kusha let out a dramatic groan. ‘Okay, that’s enough of your lovey-dovey stuff. Some of us are still single here.’
‘It’s my car. Deal with it,’ Swayam replied with a huff.
The car jolted over a pothole, and Kashvi hissed as a dull pain flared through her ribs. Her palm was healing well, and the bruises on her face had faded, but the kick to her stomach still hurt every now and then.
Swayam looked at her apologetically. ‘Sorry, baby. It’s easier to avoid these on the bike.’
‘It’s fine,’ she murmured, lifting her hand to his scruffy beard. When the crease in his forehead didn’t ease, she blew him a kiss.
Swayam chuckled. ‘Save that for tonight, Kash. You’re distracting me.’
Kashvi laughed and turned her gaze back out the window. A large sign flashed past them, announcing they were now in Mussoorie.
The road curved ahead in long, winding bends as mist drifted low over the slopes. Tall deodar trees lined the expanse, their dark silhouettes swaying gently in the breeze, while clusters of small shops and cafés were tucked into the hillside.
The faint scent of damp earth slipped in through the cracked window, and Kashvi drew in a deep breath, taking in the fresh mountain air.
When Kusha elbowed him again to make space, Raghav protested, ‘If you had to annoy someone, why didn’t you travel with Luv in the other car?’
‘Because my brother is an idiot,’ she huffed.
Abhay chuckled. ‘I absolutely agree. What did he do this time?’
Kusha threw her hands up in outrage. ‘I spent a whole week making the perfect road-trip playlist, and Luv ditched it in five seconds the moment Siya and Meera decided to play an audiobook by the author we’re going to meet.’
Abhay stretched his hands behind his head and let out a groan. ‘I’m telling you, that’s probably why Dhruv and Vihaan decided to suffer all the way here on their bikes.’
Kashvi twisted around in her seat and asked, ‘Then why are you in this car, Jiju?’
‘Siya kicked me out,’ Abhay grumbled. ‘Apparently that car is only for serious readers.’
‘Excuse me? Why did no one tell me?’ Kashvi frowned, offended.
‘Siya said they wanted to listen to the audiobook in peace, and you tend to talk too much about themes and nuances for that to happen,’ Swayam said.
Abhay said with a hint of teasing, ‘I just hope that once you meet this woman today, you’ll finally stop talking about her.’
Kashvi scoffed, crossing her arms. ‘I’m a die-hard fan. I’ll never stop.’
Kusha glanced out the window again before typing on her phone. ‘We’re quite close to our grandparents’ house. Maybe Luv and I will drop by there later.’
‘Then coming here must bring back a lot of memories, huh,’ Kashvi remarked.
Kusha shook her head, her attention still on her phone. ‘Not for me. I rarely came here, but Luv practically grew up in Mussoorie.’
Raghav chuckled. ‘If there was a break from school, Luv was halfway here already.’
Kashvi lifted a brow. ‘Every vacation?’
‘Every single one,’ Kusha replied with an eye roll. ‘Mom and Dad bribed him with family trips and foreign holidays, but he only ever wanted to come here.’
‘He should play tour guide for us then,’ Kashvi said.
Kusha pressed her lips together as she looked out the window again. ‘I don’t know if he remembers much. He hasn’t been back here in years.’
‘Why?’
Kusha dismissed it with a shrug.
Swayam guided the car through the thinning traffic before slowing on a quieter stretch of road. ‘Do you want to check in first or go straight to the bookstore?’
‘Bookstore, duh,’ Kashvi replied instantly.
‘I should’ve known,’ Swayam muttered, picking up speed.
He leaned forward to gesture towards a nearby hill where a cottage was tucked between the trees, its wide windows gleaming softly in the sunlight. ‘That’s where Ira lives, so we’re only about a minute away from the bookstore.’
Kashvi’s eyes lit up with excitement. She twisted in her seat to look out the back window, but when she didn’t spot Siya or her brothers, she frowned. ‘Where is Di? She needs to see this.’
Abhay looked up from his phone. ‘Dhruv and Vihaan are far away, but Siya, Mihu, and Luv should catch up in twenty minutes or so.’
Kashvi perked up. ‘That’s karma. I want to get there before them, so let’s go!’
Then something clicked in the back of her mind, and she narrowed her eyes at Swayam. ‘Wait. How do you know where Ira lives?’
‘I asked the bookstore owner,’ Swayam said, shooting her a sheepish look. Before she could press further, he announced, ‘We’re here.’
He eased the car into a corner parking spot, and they stepped out. The cool and crisp mountain air hit her, and Kashvi drew her beige coat tighter around herself.
A wide set of stone steps led up to a large Victorian bookstore built entirely from grey stone, ivy winding around the corners. The entrance was marked by a heavy wooden door with carved panels, and a simple wrought-iron sign hung above it.
The Inked Summit.
A flicker of nervous anticipation curled through Kashvi, and with her hand nestled in Swayam’s, they made their way up the stairs, everyone else following behind them.
The door opened with a soft chime, and rows of wide wooden shelves lined with books greeted them.
A small coffee machine hissed quietly in one corner, the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafting through the air.
A cluster of cushioned chairs was tucked into the other corner, forming a cosy and inviting reading nook near the far wall.
Kusha tugged at Abhay’s sleeve and pulled him and Raghav towards the business section.
‘What do you think?’ Swayam asked.
‘I think I’m in heaven,’ Kashvi whispered, awestruck.
Swayam pointed to a woman standing at the far end of the room, engaged in animated conversation with a group of local college kids. ‘Vedika!’
Vedika broke into a bright smile when she spotted them and gestured that she would join them in a moment.
Kashvi tilted her head slightly, studying the woman closely. ‘You know her?’
‘Yeah, she’s a friend,’ Swayam offered.
Kashvi observed the modest arrangement of chairs facing a low platform on one side of the room. It didn’t look like the setup she had expected. ‘This is a preview event, right?’
‘It is, but a very private one,’ he replied.
Vedika finally approached them, pulling her woollen scarf tighter around her. She pulled Swayam into a quick, familiar hug. ‘Finally, the guest of honour has arrived.’
Kashvi frowned at their interaction, but quickly composed herself when Vedika turned towards her with a warm smile. ‘And here is the lovely wife we’ve heard so much about. I can see why he’s so hopelessly whipped.’
Kashvi gave a faint smile, unsure of how to respond. ‘Hi, I’m Kashvi.’
Vedika quickly waved the introduction away and gestured towards the café. ‘Oh, I know. Welcome to my family bookstore. I’m organising the event today, so please make yourselves comfortable.’
Unable to hold herself back any longer, Kashvi asked eagerly, ‘When is Ira getting here?’
Vedika chuckled. ‘She’s already here.’
Just then, the door to the staff room opened, and a woman stepped out.
‘Ira, they’re here!’ Vedika called out.
Ira glanced at them, then crossed the room with an easy, assured stride.
She wore a fitted crimson knit long sweater paired with jeans that hugged her long, slender legs.
Rich burgundy strands of her hair were twisted into a neat, effortless bun, while a few loose wisps softened the delicate oval of her face.
Kashvi couldn’t decide what was more striking, her kohl-darkened grey eyes or the soft dimple in her cheek.
Kashvi’s anticipation instantly turned into confusion when Ira pulled her into a friendly hug. ‘Kashvi, thank you for coming.’
‘You know my name?’ Kashvi asked, her eyes wide with surprise.
‘I know a lot about you, and I’ve been waiting a long time to meet you,’ Ira teased.
‘What...? How?’
‘Oh, come on. I’m not going to ruin the fun now. You’ll find out soon enough,’ Ira said, a soft smile playing on her rosy lips.
‘Okay, I’m scared now,’ Kashvi blurted out, her thoughts scrambling to catch up. ‘But let me tell you first that I’m a huge fan. I’ve read all your books, and I still can’t believe I’m finally standing in front of Ira Advay.’