Chapter 17
Sana
‘This is not a date. It’s just a simple lunch.
’ I’ve been repeating this to myself the entire drive to Central Restaurant, where Aditya asked me to meet him.
I’m trying, like, really trying not to read too much into this.
Not to think about how I ended up agreeing to this lunch simply because he insisted we had something worth exploring and that we definitely owed it to ourselves.
But somewhere deep down, I know the truth.
I couldn’t bring myself to say no. Over the past few days, I tried my best to avoid him, hoping I’d eventually get over him.
But all it took was one look for my resolve to crack.
Especially when that stubborn man looked at me with such earnestness, it was impossible to turn him down.
Yes, I’m scared. Scared of what might happen if I open my heart to him. And yet, here I am, driving to meet him anyway.
Pulling into the parking lot, a flutter rises in my chest when I see him waiting in his car. Before I can even unbuckle my seatbelt, he’s already out, striding over to me with that smile that always makes my pulse race.
He reaches my door and pulls it open. “Hey, beautiful.”
Gulping, I look up at him. God, he’s making me seriously regret all the time I spent trying to resist him.
“Thanks,” I say awkwardly, stepping out of my car and trying to play it cool even as my heart pounds against my ribs.
“You ready for our first date?” he asks, that boyish grin tugging at his lips.
The word ‘date’ sends a sudden thrill rushing through me, and I quickly look away, hoping he doesn’t notice the blush creeping up my cheeks. Seriously, it’s like I have no freaking control over my overactive hormones with him.
Hesitantly, I turn to look up at him, a shy smile breaking free. “Yeah,” I say softly.
“But before that, can you tell me if you’re really hungry?”
I blink at his question before admitting, “Not really.” Which is not a lie. My nerves have tied my stomach in knots.
He leans in. “In that case, I want to take you somewhere first. It’s my favourite spot, and I want to share it with you.”
Curiosity sparks through me. “Where?”
“Well, that’s a surprise.”
I smile and gesture with my hands. “Lead the way.”
Grinning, he takes my hand and guides me to his car.
Once we’re both settled inside, Aditya starts the engine and pulls into the traffic.
As he drives, he glances over at me. “So, how’s the café?”
I turn slightly in my seat toward him, the familiar topic easing my nerves. “Good. Though just last week, the espresso machine broke down during the morning rush. I thought I was going to lose my mind.”
He chuckles, looking back at the road. “Bet you handled it like a pro.”
I roll my eyes, leaning back into the seat. “Barely. I was two seconds away from throwing the machine out the window. But Mili saved the day by bringing the technician on time. I don’t know what I’d do without her.”
He nods knowingly. “Good help is hard to find. I get that. Sometimes it feels like running a business is just putting out one fire after another.”
I look at him. “Speaking of which, how’s your business? Must be crazy pressure?”
His face lights up, a spark of pride in his eyes. “Yeah, something like that. We landed a pretty big project last month. It’s been... exhausting, but worth it. Though sometimes I wonder if I’m too obsessed with it.”
I study his profile as he drives through the streets.
“I can relate to you,” I say softly. “It’s hard to switch off. Sometimes I feel like my whole life is just the café.”
He shoots me a sideways smile, his voice dropping to a gentle murmur.
“Maybe that’s why I like talking to you.
Being with you. You’re just not like other women—always talking about expensive bags, holidays, and who wore what.
With you...” He pauses, his eyes holding mine for a heartbeat before he turns his focus back to the road.
“With you, it’s different. You’re real. And I don’t feel the need to pretend.
It’s easy… honest. Like I can finally breathe. ”
“Hmmm...” I say, my heart skipping a beat. I quickly look away, pretending to be fascinated by the passing trees outside the window. This man sure knows how to make my heart feel things it should be careful of.
He clears his throat. “So, any crazy stories to share?”
I laugh, grateful for the change in topic. “Oh, you wouldn’t believe the kinds of things that happen at the café...”
And just like that, the conversation flows easily for the rest of the drive.
Thirty minutes later, Aditya pulls into a parking lot and kills the engine. I glance out the window and blink in surprise, my eyes widening as I take in the brightly lit sign.
“A bowling alley?” I ask, surprise colouring my voice.
He grins. “Yup. Figured it’d be more fun than just sitting in a restaurant like boring couples do.”
I smile, a laugh bubbling up. “I haven’t been bowling in years. I’m probably terrible at it.”
“Relax. You’ll do just fine,” he says before coming around to open my door.
Taking my hand, he helps me step out of the car.
We walk side by side toward the entrance, but the second we step inside, I come to an abrupt halt.
The place is completely empty. The neon lights are on, the lanes polished and gleaming, and there is a faint hum of pop music playing in the background, but there’s not a single person in sight.
I turn to him. “Is the place closed?”
He shakes his head. “Nope.”
My mouth falls slightly open. “Wait... did you...?”
He rubs the back of his neck, looking almost bashful. “Yeah, I booked the whole place. Figured it’d be more fun without a crowd. Plus, this way, you won’t have to worry about anyone seeing how bad you are.” He winks at the last bit.
I can’t help the laugh that escapes me. “Wow. You went all out for a first date.”
His eyes soften. “You’re worth it.”
My breath catches, and for a second, I forget how to speak. But then he claps his hands together, breaking the spell. “Alright, let’s see what you’ve got!”
We move to lace up our bowling shoes before he picks out a ball for me, handing it over. “Here. Try this one.”
I weigh it in my hands, frowning. “Are you sure? It feels a little heavy.”
He grins, moving behind me. “Here, let me show you.” He steps closer, his chest lightly brushing my back as his hands wrap around mine, guiding my grip on the ball.
“Hold it like this. Fingers here and here... yeah, just like that,” he murmurs, his voice caressing my ear.
I can barely focus, my heart racing from his proximity. “Okay... now what?”
His hands linger over mine for a moment before he steps aside, his eyes never leaving me. “Now, aim straight down the lane. Swing your arm back, and just... let it roll.”
I take a deep breath, trying to focus. I pull my arm back and release, watching as the ball glides down the lane and veers straight into the gutter.
I groan, covering my face with my hands. “I told you I was terrible!”
He laughs, the sound rich and warm. “Hey, that was just practice. You’ll get it.” He picks up another ball. “Watch and learn from the best.”
“You really need to learn the art of being humble,” I quip, raising a brow at him.
He chuckles and shakes his head, then moves towards the lane, his stance perfect, his movements fluid as he rolls the ball. It barrels down the lane and crashes into the pins, sending them flying. A perfect strike.
I gape at him, my jaw dropping. “Show-off.”
He flashes me a grin, his eyes twinkling. “Told you, I’m the best.” He steps closer, his voice softening. “And teaching you? That’s the best part.”
A wild flutter stirs in my chest as I look up at him. There’s something so disarming about him, like he knows how to get through to me.
He doesn’t break the gaze as he bends to grab another ball. But the next second, he curses under his breath, and I look down to see his fingers snagged between two heavy bowling balls.
“Aditya!” I gasp, rushing to him as he yanks his hand free, his jaw tight with pain. Without thinking, I grab his hand, my thumb brushing over his bruised finger. “Are you okay?”
He tries to tone it down, forcing a smile. “Yeah, it’s nothing. Just a little—”
I don’t let him finish. Guided by instinct, I lift his hand and my lips close around his finger, my tongue gently soothing the reddened skin. He goes absolutely still, his entire body tensing, but I don’t let go of his finger, too worried that he might be hurting.
“Does it hurt?” I whisper as I look up at him.
His gaze darkens, his pupils dilating as his voice comes out rough, almost a growl. “Not anymore.”
Seeing his reaction, I suddenly realize what I’m doing and abruptly pull back, his finger slipping from my lips. My face heats up, embarrassment crashing over me. “I... I didn’t mean to—”
His hand moves before I can step away, his fingers curling around my wrist, holding me in place.
“Don’t apologise.” His eyes stay locked on mine, his chest rising and falling in unsteady breaths.
“You... you have no idea what you do to me,” he says, his eyes dropping to my lips.
I can feel my pulse quicken, and my knees going weak.
I should say something, step back, do anything to break this spell, but I’m too weak to take control.
His voice drops to a whisper, his thumb stroking my inner wrist. “If you keep looking at me like that... I won’t be able to stop myself.”
At his words, my heart pounds so loudly that I’m sure he can hear it.
But I don’t look away. I hold his gaze as he begins to lean in, his face inching closer, his grip on my hands tightening.
With each heartbeat, the world narrows to just him—the heat of his breath, the overwhelming pull between us.
His lips hover just a whisper away from mine, and for a second, I forget how to breathe.
But just as his nose brushes mine, I blurt out, “Lunch.”
He stops and pulls back just enough to meet my eyes. His gaze flicks to my lips before returning to my eyes. “Lunch?”
I swallow, trying to gather my scattered thoughts. “Yeah... lunch.”
A slow, teasing smile spreads across his face as he leans in again. My breath hitches, but instead of my lips, his mouth brushes against my nose. “Lunch…” he murmurs.
Before I can say anything, he takes my hand, his fingers lacing through mine as he leads me back to the car.
My heart is still racing, my skin tingling where his lips touched my nose.
I glance at him, half-expecting some smug remark, but his expression is easy, relaxed, like he didn’t just leave me breathless.
The rest of the drive is surprisingly smooth.
He doesn’t push and doesn’t crowd me. Instead, he keeps the conversation light, asking me about my favourite movies and teasing me when I admit I have a weakness for cheesy rom-coms. He shares his own guilty pleasure of old action movies with terrible special effects and we laugh, feeling at ease with each other.
Lunch is even better. He picks a cosy corner table, and for the next hour, we talk about everything under the sun.
He tells me stories about his childhood mischief, and I find myself spilling tales from my own childhood that leave him clutching his sides with laughter.
It’s easy, comfortable, and I find myself smiling more than I have in a long, long time.
I realise then that I’m glad I gave this a chance. That despite my fears and my doubts, being here with him feels... right. And as he walks me back to my car, his fingers find mine again, weaving them together like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
I can’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, this is the start of something worth holding on to.