Chapter 10
After spending most of the evening at Deena’s loft brainstorming, Manisha left feeling more energized than she had in weeks. What initially seemed like a far-fetched plan now appeared feasible—a viable alternative that was also more budget-friendly than the options Dr. Rocky had proposed.
As she strolled through the lively streets of downtown Baskin, her eyes were drawn to the many couples surrounding her, all clearly wrapped up in their love.
She thought back to what Oliver had said, that Manisha was too focused on her career ambitions to give him the attention he sought.
It was true that she was, at one point, driven in her pursuit of becoming a senior partner.
But no, she wasn’t to blame for their split.
He was the one who had betrayed their relationship.
Then again…had her lack of interest in their romance stemmed from an underlying hesitation to embrace the kind of love she now witnessed thriving around her?
Perhaps Oliver had been on to something there.
Maybe Manisha had secretly always yearned to be with an Indian man.
Whatever the reason, Oliver was now a chapter closed, and Prince Charming represented the promise of her future.
Manisha felt a thrill that eclipsed anything she’d experienced with that cheater.
Turning a corner, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in a restaurant window and a surge of confidence coursed through her—something she hadn’t felt in months.
“Move aside, lady!” A cyclist zipped past Manisha, jolting her from the moment. She let out an instinctive yelp, stumbling back.
“Oy! Take it easy!” she shouted after him, once she’d regained her composure.
“Forget you!” he shot back.
“Right back at you!” she retorted.
At that exact second, Rohit emerged from the restaurant, catching her off guard with nowhere to hide.
“Manisha? What are you doing here? I thought I heard yelling,” Rohit exclaimed in surprise.
“Oh, hey,” she replied, waving lamely, just as startled to see him.
“Still roaming the streets looking for another drink?” Rohit joked, his voice dripping with amusement.
“Oh, come on! Don’t make a big deal out of it just because I decided to have a little fun in the middle of the day. You’re probably just jealous that I can actually let loose,” she ribbed back.
Rohit chuckled. “I’m not one to judge, especially when it comes to lawyers like you. You all have your special ways of having fun.”
What in the world was that supposed to mean? “I really don’t know what you’re implying,” she said, annoyance slipping into her tone.
He had the decency to look rueful, one hand sliding to the back of his neck. A sigh escaped her lips; she was getting increasingly weary of their bickering. “If you must know, I’m just heading home.”
“As long as you’re going somewhere safe,” he replied lightly.
Manisha furrowed her brows with suspicion. “Why do you care where I go?”
“I really don’t,” he said, shrugging. “I was having a quiet night until I heard the chaos outside. Figured I’d capture whatever was happening on my phone just in case. You never know these days.” He brandished his phone in front of her.
Manisha’s eyes flared, her mind dragging her right back to the night of her viral video moment in London. Warmth filled her cheeks.
“Manisha? Hello, earth to Manisha! You alright?” He waved his hand directly in her face to get her attention.
She dragged herself back from the past, clambering for something to say. She narrowed her eyes at Rohit. “I was—until I remembered that your obsession with your phone cost me my parking spot yesterday,” she retorted. “You know, you could’ve hit me!”
“Here we go again.” His eyes rolled.
“What is your problem?” she said. “You’re so—”
“Rude? You’ve already thrown that one out there.”
“Honestly, you are!” Manisha shot back.
“Manisha, you’re just as rude as I am! It’s like you’ve got a personal vendetta against me!”
“You wish. I don’t have time to think about you,” she countered, lifting her chin to look down her nose at him. Well, as best as she could given his height.
“So, instead, you just happen to be trailing me?” he shot back.
“I wasn’t trailing you! This is the way back to my parents’ from Deena’s!”
“Well, at least you’re on foot and not behind the wheel.”
“God, your arrogance is—”
Before Manisha could complete her sentence, the restaurant door swung open, and Suzy stepped out.
“Oh, hi! Manisha, right?” Suzy beamed at her. Manisha just stared.
Rohit cleared his throat, sensing the sudden shift in the atmosphere. “Suzy, Manisha was just—”
“Leaving,” Manisha cut in, completing his thought.
Suzy’s face fell, disappointment evident in her eyes. “Oh, please don’t go. We’re about to grab drinks across the street. You should really join us!”
Manisha shook her head, forcing a polite smile. “I appreciate the invite, but I promised my parents I’d spend some time with them tonight.”
Rohit quickly jumped in. “Honestly, I think Manisha’s had enough excitement for one day,” he said, his tone implying he wanted to wrap things up.
“Yeah, I like to keep my drinking to a minimum,” Manisha added, her sarcasm barely concealed.
“That’s such a bummer! I was really looking forward to hearing more about this amazing guy from his friends,” Suzy remarked with a playful nudge toward Rohit, her hand resting on his arm.
“Amazing?” Manisha replied, her eyes widening in disbelief.
“Hard to believe?” Rohit shot back with a smirk, then turned to Suzy, placing a hand over hers. “Really, tonight’s not the best time; we’ve got so much catching up to do. Maybe another time?”
“Yeah, I’ll save my incredible ‘Ro’ stories for another time. Honestly, there are so many that I wouldn’t even know where to start.” Manisha skewered Rohit with a pointed look.
“Another time it is, then. I, for one, can’t wait to hear them,” Rohit replied with a hint of disdain.
“You two have a wonderful date night! I’ll see you soon, Suzy,” Manisha said, walking away. She cast one last glance back, muttering under her breath, “But hopefully not too soon.” The sight of the two of them together irked her to no end.
She was turning onto her parents’ street when Dr. Rocky’s parting words popped into her thoughts. Maybe you’ll bump into Prince Charming on your walk home.
She snorted. So far, the only guy she’d run into was Rohit—and he was far from the type of man Dr. Rocky or she envisioned for her fertility journey—or any journey, for that matter.
She pushed those thoughts aside. Soon, with Deena’s help, she would find the right guy. She had to.
Feeling renewed determination, she walked the last bit home with a newfound pep in her step.