Chapter Thirty Four
Thirty-Four
September arrived with cooler mornings, shorter days, and the first signs of fall.
Even though the awards ceremony was just a few days behind her, life started to shift in small, noticeable ways for Priya.
She steered her new car into Moksha’s driveway and eased into the parking lot.
As the engine hushed to a whisper, even Puppa, the Chancellor of Cheapskates, couldn’t suppress an appreciative nod.
“This car…it glides more than it drives,” he said, stroking the dashboard with a touch of awe.
“It’s beautiful. Like a wow.” Mumma inhaled the rich, heady new-car fragrance before climbing out.
Puppa circled the car, oohing and aahing over its contours. Chrome accents sparkled in the sunlight, and softly tinted windows added just the right touch of mystery.
“We must perform a blessing ceremony,” Mumma declared.
“Not right now,” Puppa said. “It’s time for…” His words trailed off as Mumma shot him a warning look.
Pretending not to notice, Priya brushed off an invisible speck from the car.
In just a few hours, Ethan’s new movie was premiering at TIFF, the Toronto International Film Festival.
Puppa remained a die-hard fan of Ethan, even more so now that he knew Ethan had protected his family from a scandal.
Her parents were itching to watch the red-carpet moments, but they were playing it cool for Priya’s sake.
“I think I’ll pass on dinner tonight,” Priya said. “I have a ton of work to catch up on.”
“Su?” Mumma’s hands landed on her hips. “Working, working. Always working. You will eat first, then go.” Hooking her arm through Priya’s, she pulled her back toward the apartment.
As soon as they got upstairs, Puppa sprang into action, reaching for the remote. Caught up in the excitement of the day, he had left the TV running—a rare lapse of his frugal ways. But before he could press the button, the room filled with TIFF footage.
“It’s okay, Puppa,” Priya said. “You and Mumma watch. I’ll set the table.”
“Please.” Mumma scoffed. “It’s the same every year.”
“Waste of time.” Puppa turned off the TV.
They were pretending not to care, but Priya knew that the second she was gone, they’d be parked in front of the screen, volume up, waiting for a glimpse of Ethan.
As they ate around the table, Mumma and Puppa kept things casual, smiling and chatting about everything except the one thing on their minds. Priya wasn’t fooled. Her parents were tiptoeing around the fact that Ethan was in town, and that they were dying to watch his new movie.
“I’ll clean up,” Priya said, standing and stacking the plates.
“No, no,” Mumma said, shooing her away. “We’ll handle it. You go, beta. Ja, go do your work.”
Priya suppressed a knowing smile. It was clear her parents were trying to get rid of her. “I was thinking I could show you how to access Moksha’s website in case you ever want to make changes,” she said to Puppa.
“It can wait, beta,” he replied, herding her toward the door. “I know I keep saying I want to learn, but the truth is I’m too old for all this tech. Your work is more important. Go, beta.” With a firm push, he nudged her out of the apartment.
“See you tomorrow!” Mumma waved as the door clicked shut.
Priya stared at it for a second, then let out a chuckle. This has to be the fastest, most well-coordinated goodbye in Solanki history. No lingering at the door, no warning to mind the stairs, not even an offer to send me off with leftovers.
Before she even made it down the first step, the TV hummed back to life behind her. Priya smiled and started making her way back to the coach house. No matter how much she tried to avoid it, Ethan’s shadow would always stretch over her.
She lay flat on her back, staring at the ceiling for what felt like hours.
Sleep was not happening. Not with him so close.
Priya’s entire body was buzzing, every nerve, every fiber on high alert.
She curled onto her side, squeezing her eyes shut, but it didn’t stop the ache.
She could have been by his side tonight, her fingers tangled in his, their hands locked like they had been made to fit together.
Instead, she lay in bed, in an old T-shirt and pajama bottoms, fighting the urge to check her phone.
It would be so easy. Just a quick scroll through, a glance at the live stream.
But she wasn’t going to give in.
She couldn’t.
Priya reached for her phone. Just as she was about to unlock it, it buzzed in her hands.
She sat up so fast she nearly dropped it.
Could it be Ethan? Had he somehow felt the silent pull of her thoughts?
She fumbled for her glasses, a foolish hope rising her chest. Until she saw the name on the screen.
“Brooke?” She glanced at the time. “Everything okay?”
“Oh, Pri,” Brooke moaned. “It’s a disaster.”
Priya’s heart dropped. Brooke was supposed to be at TIFF with her father. She had hoped this call meant good news about Harry and Ethan making amends. Instead, the edge in Brooke’s voice set off warning bells. “What happened?”
“He’s being an absolute nightmare, Pri! I’ve never seen him like this.”
“Oh no.” A wave of guilt crashed over Priya. It sounded like Harry had tried to mend things with Ethan, and it had backfired. Had she meddled too much? The thought of their confrontation made her insides clench.
“Can you come get him?” Brooke rushed on. “We booked a car for the night, but I need it to head to the after-party.”
“Drive downtown? Right now? Are you serious?” Priya groaned. “TIFF traffic is a nightmare. Just put him in a cab.”
“Priya, please. He’s traumatized. And I’m trying to avoid a scene.” Brooke’s exasperation crackled through the phone. “I know you hate driving downtown, but I swear this’ll be easy. Just pull up to the side entrance, and we’ll pop right out.”
“But—”
“Texting you the address now.”
“But—”
“You’re the best, babe!”
“Damn it, Brooke.” Priya exhaled. “What exactly happened?”
“What?” Brooke’s voice was muffled under the noise. “Pri, I can’t hear a thing! It’s insane in here. The screening just wrapped, and everyone’s talking at once. Just get here fast, okay? See you soon!”
Pulling a sweatshirt over her head, Priya grabbed her keys and dashed out.
The thought of the press getting wind of Harry and Ethan’s fallout at a high-profile event made her stomach churn.
But as she sped down the highway, another thought crept in.
Was Brooke orchestrating a run-in between her and Ethan?
She glanced at herself in the rearview mirror. Damn it. Brooke could have at least warned her to swipe on some lipstick. She was totally unprepared to see Ethan. Her hair was a disaster, her glasses smudged, and her eyebrows were in dire need of plucking.
Navigating downtown was worse than she had imagined.
What should’ve taken just under an hour stretched into nearly two.
TIFF had turned the streets into a maze of roadblocks, festival-goers, and flashing cameras.
Thankfully, Brooke had picked a secluded pickup spot.
Priya finally pulled up to the curb, scanning her surroundings.
A figure emerged from the building, stepping into the dim glow of the streetlamp.
Priya’s heart jumped—then dropped.
It wasn’t Ethan.
It was Harry Knight.
There was no setup after all. Disappointment struck Priya deeper than she’d expected.
Rolling down the window, she forced a polite smile. “Hello, Mr. Knight.”
“Hello, Priya,” Harry replied. “Thank you for coming on such short notice.”
“Of course,” Priya said, unsure of what exactly had happened. “I’m sorry it didn’t go as expected.” She unlocked the door, expecting him to get in, but he spun around and headed back into the building.
“Mr. Knight?” Priya cut the engine, flipped on the hazards, and scrambled out after him.
“I’ll just be a minute,” he said. “Brooke asked me to give her a heads-up when you got here.”
“Of course.” Priya’s heart kicked up once again. A rendezvous with Ethan was still possible!
But when Brooke emerged, it was only with her father in tow.
“I’m so sorry to drag you out, but he’s been driving me up the wall all night,” she said.
“Brooke,” Priya muttered, her eyes darting to Harry, who stood listening to her every word.
“He’s good to go.” Brooke handed Priya a tote. “All his stuff is in here, but he’s so worked up, he’ll probably crash as soon as you get home. I’ll swing by to pick him up in the morning.”
“You want me…to take him to my place?” Priya’s voice faltered as she mechanically slung Brooke’s bag over her shoulder.
“Of course! He’s too tiny to be left alone, right, my little angel?” Brooke cooed, reaching inside to pull out Sir Puffington.
Priya blinked. All this time, she’d thought Brooke had been talking to her father, but she actually meant her kitten. A flush crept up her neck as she sneaked an apologetic glance at Harry Knight, inwardly cringing at her own assumption.
“I’m…uh…” Priya fumbled over her words. “I didn’t know you were bringing Sir Puffington.”
“Technically, he’s not supposed to be here,” Brooke confessed, as she placed the kitten back inside the tote.
“I just didn’t have the heart to leave him with a sitter.
” She kissed the top of his fluffy head.
“But he’s been a menace all evening. You’re a lifesaver.
” Handing over her precious bundle, she gave Priya a quick peck on the cheek.
“Let’s go, Dad.” She turned to him, ready to head indoors.
“I’ll be there in a moment,” Harry replied, lingering as Brooke vanished from view. “Thank you for what you said the last time we spoke,” he told Priya. “I managed to have a word with Ethan today. We have a long way to go, but it’s a step in the right direction.”
Priya breathed a sigh of relief, struggling to keep Sir Puffington from jumping out of the tote. “I’m so happy to hear that. I hope you’re able to patch things up.”