Olivia
‘So …’ Jacob turned to her as they moved out of the market and into a slightly quieter street. ‘Why India?’
‘You know …’ she mumbled, a poor attempt at casual deflection.
‘No, not really. That’s why I asked.’
‘Well, why does anyone come to India?’
‘You like the hot weather?’
‘Hot? This isn’t hot, it’s deadly,’ she sniped.
‘You like spicy food?’
‘Nope.’
‘You enjoy noisy, crowded places?’ He raised an eyebrow.
‘Not one bit.’ Olivia dodged out of the way of a shrieking group of children.
Jacob threw his head back and laughed. ‘Right, so I’ll ask my question again. Why India?’
‘Because …
’ Olivia felt herself getting flustered. ‘I thought it looked like an interesting place to go.’
‘OK …’ He sounded unconvinced.
‘And why did you
pick India if you’ve already been twice before?’ she cut in, leaving no space for him to press her further.
‘That’s a long story.’
‘One that you’re going to tell me?’
‘Not now.’
‘Why?’
‘Because—’ Jacob stopped suddenly. ‘We’re here,’ he announced, pointing to a grubby-looking cafe on the corner.
‘You can’t mean …?’
‘I do mean.’
‘But it looks …’ She paused, trying to find the most accurate yet least offensive word to describe what was in front of them. ‘It looks so basic
.’
‘Now, now.’ Jacob waggled his finger at her. ‘Don’t go judging a book by its cover. Look how busy it is! And how good it smells.’ He lifted his nose to the sky and took a deep inhale. ‘They do the best stuffed paratha in town.’
Olivia couldn’t deny the tiny cafe was heaving, and she would be lying if she said the scent of rich butter and spices wasn’t making her mouth water. But still, it didn’t look the most sanitary place on earth.
‘I’m not sure about this.’ She reluctantly followed Jacob to join the back of the queue.
‘You will be when you taste it. And don’t worry, we won’t be waiting long. The queue moves fast.’
‘Trust me, that is the last thing I’m worried about right now.’
‘You’re funny.’ He chuckled, edging closer to the counter.
‘I’m not trying to be.’
‘I gathered.’
Olivia rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest. ‘So how long are you planning to be in India for, then? I imagine there’s only so much to see when you’ve done it three times.’
‘I’m not sure.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I mean, I’m not sure,’ he stated again. ‘As in, I don’t know yet.’
‘But how can you not know?’ Olivia frowned. ‘Don’t you have a job to get back to?’
‘No.’
‘But how do you survive? What do you live on?’
‘Jesus, I didn’t realize this was an interview.’ He moved a few paces forward, so they were now standing inside the cafe.
‘It’s not. I’m just intrigued.’
‘And as much as I’d love to answer you, it’s our turn to order in a second. What do you want?’ He pointed up at a faded chalkboard that hung over the counter.
Olivia tried to quickly scan the menu, but it was hard to read all the options whilst being shoved around by the other restless, hungry customers.
‘I don’t know, I can’t see very well.’ She craned her neck. ‘I’ll just have whatever you’re having.’
‘Great decision.’ He turned to the man behind the counter.
‘Two paneer paratha, please,’ Jacob ordered. ‘Oh, and two chai.’
The server nodded and held his hand out for payment.
‘How much is it?’ Olivia began rifling in her bag for some change.
‘Don’t worry about it, I’ve got this.’
‘No, thank you. I’ll pay my half.’ She tried to pass over some coins, but Jacob pushed her hand away.
‘It’s fine, I’ve got this.’
‘But I don’t want you to.’
‘Well, you can get the next round, how about that?’ Jacob steered Olivia over to the side, before she could even process the fact that he was expecting a second round. ‘Now, it’s rammed in here – why don’t you wait outside, and I’ll bring it out for us, OK?’
Olivia was speechless. The way in which Jacob took control was unsettling.
She wasn’t used to it. Back home, it was her that took charge of things, and it was her who took care of the money.
Her high salary afforded her the luxury to treat everyone else around her.
On dates she always insisted on paying half, regardless of whether the guy was a total creep or not – which, more often than not, they were.
As Olivia reluctantly made her way outside, she caught her reflection in the cafe window; she’d be lucky to date one of those creeps now, judging by the look of her!
Lank, dusty hair; sweaty face, blotchy from the heat.
It was a far cry from the meticulously put-together person she was back home.
In fact, it was possibly the least attractive she’d felt in her entire adult life.
Not that it mattered. Rough and ready was part and parcel of the travelling life, wasn’t it?
‘Two paneer paratha and two chai!’ Jacob burst from the door, holding a bag of food aloft.
Olivia hastily smoothed her hair away from her face and averted her gaze from her reflection in the window, taking from Jacob a warm, heavy parcel and a cup of steaming spiced liquid.
‘Thank you for this.’
‘My pleasure.’ He raised his cup to hers. ‘Now enjoy, madam, and let me know what you think.’
Olivia cautiously peeled back the greasy brown paper and took a bite. The buttery, flaky bread dissolved on her tongue, as the salty cheese and spices hit her taste buds.
Holy. Shit.
‘And?’ Jacob leant closer, his eyes wide and expectant.
‘It’s good.’ She chewed hungrily. ‘It’s really
good.’
‘Aha!’ He held his paratha to the air in victory. ‘I knew it!’
Olivia shoved another bite into her mouth, not caring about anything other than devouring every last morsel of the insanely delicious food.
‘Now, I forgot to ask.’ Jacob swallowed, wiping away the dusting of crumbs that had accumulated on his chin. ‘How’s your hotel working out? Did you survive the night OK?’
Flashbacks of her dingy room rudely interrupted the blissful sensation of her chai and paratha.
‘Erm … yeah … it was all right,’ she replied vaguely, her eyes not meeting his.
‘You hated it, didn’t you?’
‘No.’
‘Yes, you did!’ He grinned.
‘No, I didn’t!’
‘I don’t blame you, I told you that place was dodgy. Why don’t you move?’
‘It’s not that bad.’ She took another bite, playing for more time.
‘Uh-huh.’
‘And besides, moving feels like a lot of faff for a couple more nights. I’ll be fine.’
Jacob eyed her suspiciously over the top of his chai.
‘What’s that look for?’
‘Nothing.’
‘Yes, it is. Come on.’
‘I don’t know.’ He shrugged. ‘It feels crazy to me that you’d stay somewhere you hate just because it’s easier. You don’t strike me as a person that takes the easy route.’
Whether it was intended as a compliment or not, Olivia felt a bristle of pride at his words.
‘I don’t. But I am also someone who prioritizes, and spending time moving when I have a list of things to do here feels counterproductive.’
‘Oh yeah?’ He raised an eyebrow curiously. ‘Action-packed agenda, is it?’
‘You could say that.’
‘Come on, then, tell me.’
‘What?’
‘What’s on the agenda?’
‘You don’t want to know.’
‘Yes, I do! Or I wouldn’t have asked.’
‘Well’ – she finished the final bite of her food, her stomach leaping in sheer joy to be full – ‘today my plan was the Red Fort and Chandni Chowk. Tomorrow will be India Gate, Lodhi Gardens and the Raj Ghat. Then I have an early train to Agra the next morning.’
‘Wow, so you weren’t lying about the whole planning situation.’
‘Nope.’ Olivia smiled sheepishly. ‘It’s kind of my thing.’
‘Your thing?’
‘You know, the thing I’m known for. Like I’m sure you’re known for your spontaneity and unrelenting humour,’ she quipped.
‘And don’t forget my devastating good looks.’
‘Ah, yes. That too, of course.’
‘And yours is being organized?’
‘Yes.’
‘Well’ – he shrugged – ‘I guess there could be worse things.’
‘Hey! I like being organized.’
‘I’m sure you do.’
‘It’s better than being incredibly irritating.’
‘Woah there, just a second ago I was devilishly handsome and hilarious.’ He placed a hand over his heart.
‘Those were your words, not mine.’
‘True, very true.’
A comfortable silence fell between them as they finished their chai. The heat and the noise were becoming ever so slightly more bearable now that Olivia was properly fed and watered.
She stole a glance at Jacob, who seemed so perfectly at home amidst the mayhem. Serene, unfazed and totally grounded, it was as though he was made from the chaos itself. His eyes met hers and she felt a jolt of electricity radiate through her core.
Admit it, you’ve had a nice time.
‘So, what’s the plan now, then?’ he asked. ‘Fancy tackling the market again? It will be quieter, I reckon.’
‘No,’ she replied, more firmly than she intended. ‘I think I ought to be heading back. It’s getting late and I need to prepare for tomorrow.’
‘Of course you do.’ Jacob tucked his hands into his pockets, as something that Olivia could have easily mistaken for
disappointment flickered across his face. ‘The agenda waits for nobody!’
Had she been too harsh? After all, he’d been nothing but kind to her since they’d met. Cocky, and way too curious for his own good, but kind nonetheless.
‘Exactly. But thank you for the food and, you know, saving my life and all that.’
‘Yeah, I have been great, haven’t I?’
Nope. She hadn’t been too harsh.
‘So great, in fact,’ he continued, his eyes glittering mischievously, ‘I wonder … what are you doing for dinner tomorrow?’
‘I’m not sure yet, why?’
‘There’s this place I haven’t been to before and I’ve been wanting to check it out for ages. I wondered whether you wanted to come too? We could celebrate me being the hero of today and you for making it through your Delhi experience alive and unscathed.’
Olivia looked down at the scab on her knee from where she’d fallen the previous day. Jacob’s eyes followed.
‘OK, mainly unscathed.’ He laughed.
‘I don’t know …’ Excuses flooded her brain. ‘I have quite a lot to do tomorrow.’
‘I know, and you’re probably going to be tired when you get back and find a million and one reasons not to come, but
how about this: I’ll be at the Farzi Cafe at 7 p.m. There’s no pressure, but if you fancy it, come and join me.’ He held his palms open in front of him. ‘Sound like a plan?’
‘Yes, a ridiculous one.’
‘Why?’
‘Because what if I don’t show up? Are you just going to sit there waiting for me?’
Jacob went to speak but Olivia cut him off.
‘And how long are you going to wait for? What if I do want to come but get lost or delayed, and then by the time I arrive you’ve already eaten, and I’m sitting there starving and you have to wait for me to finish, or worse than that, I have to go somewhere else and eat by myself. ’
Jacob’s eyes grew larger with every word she spoke, examining her like a creature from another world. ‘Was all that really just going on in that brain of yours?’
Olivia stiffened. ‘I’m just saying, it seems like a foolish plan to me.’
‘Obviously I won’t be sitting there waiting for ever. If you’re not there, you’re not there and I’ll eat,’ he replied nonchalantly. ‘And if you do turn up late, I’ll order some more food and eat with you again. Trust me, I can eat
.’
‘Fine, I’ll think about it.’ She turned her head and attempted to flag down any potential mode of transport. ‘But it would be much easier if we exchanged numbers, so I could text you if I’m coming.’
‘Easier, but far less fun.’ Jacob placed a hand on her shoulder and gave a shrill, ear-piercing wolf whistle. ‘Here.’ Dutifully, and seemingly out of nowhere, a yellow-and-green tuk-tuk appeared.
‘I could have done that,’ she muttered under her breath, clambering in.
‘So, I’ll see you tomorrow, then?’ Jacob crouched so that his face was level with hers.
‘Maybe.’
‘Perfect.’ He grinned, giving the top of the rickshaw a little tap, signalling for it to go. ‘I’ll take that.’
‘It wasn’t a yes, Jacob.’ The tuk-tuk jerked forwards.
‘But it wasn’t a no.’