Chapter 37
Hadden’s, nestled in the heart of town, was a popular spot for brunch with a reputation for serving mouth-watering vegan dishes and refreshing drinks.
Predictably, the place was buzzing with activity as Deena and Manisha entered.
The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and sizzling faux bacon filled the air, making Manisha’s stomach growl.
Despite the crowd, the two cousins found a table in a cozy corner of the pub and settled in.
“So, come on, tell me everything,” Deena said eagerly, leaning in.
“How soft were his lips? Was it gentle or intense? Where exactly did he place his hands—on your waist, your back, or somewhere else? How did it feel? And on a scale from one to ten, how hot was it? I need all the juicy details—don’t leave anything out.
I’m a visualizer, so paint the entire picture for me! ”
“Deena!” she exclaimed, perhaps a touch louder than she had intended. “Stop. I am not going to do that.”
Their server appeared, coffee pot in hand. “Coffee?” she asked.
“Yes, please,” Manisha said firmly, grateful for the temporary rescue from her cousin’s nosiness.
She flipped the two mugs upright on the table and poured the steaming brew. “I’ll be back to take your order,” she said before walking away.
Deena took a quick, rushed gulp before turning to Manisha again. “Come on, I’m living vicariously through you. This is so unfair! Two of my friends get together, and I don’t get any details?”
“One, we are not getting together and, two, there are no details to share. It was like a quick peck.”
“But on the lips,” Deena remarked. “And if it was just a quick peck, then why did you blush so hard when you mentioned it earlier?”
“Okay, fine, maybe it lasted longer.”
“How much longer?”
“Like…thirty seconds.”
Deena gaped at her. “That’s not just a peck—that’s practically a full-on make-out session these days!”
“Which he stopped before it went any further!” Manisha said, her voice shrill.
“Okay, but still, you kissed him. Even if it ended with him admitting he’s into someone else. And you admitting the same. Not that you’ve met this guy yet.”
Manisha glared at her then sighed. “I feel really bad for kissing Rohit, like I cheated on Sunil,” she confessed.
Deena nodded thoughtfully, trying to understand.
“I get it,” she said after a moment. “But try to keep things in perspective. You’re not actually dating Sunil.
And I’m sure you and Rohit can move past this, unless…
” She hesitated, studying Manisha’s face.
“Unless you’re worried you might actually have feelings for Rohit? ”
Manisha’s nose twitched at the suggestion. “No, don’t be silly.” She quickly dismissed the idea, her tone a mix of denial and uncertainty. “Why would I have feelings for him? It was just a kiss, nothing more.”
She tried to convince herself, but deep down, a part of her wondered if there was more to her emotions than she was willing to admit.
“Well, because you’ve been spending time with him—a lot of time and time you’ve actually enjoyed. It’s only natural it brings you closer together,” Deena said matter-of-factly. “But let’s get to other good stuff. Who do you think he’s seeing?”
Manisha shrugged. “I don’t know, but he felt really guilty. So did I.”
There was a lull in their constant chatter as they both got lost in thought.
Manisha took a small sip of coffee, instantly regretting the move as the scalding liquid hit her tongue. She hissed, biting her tongue to numb the pain.
Deena winced in sympathy and smartly set her mug down. Not one to miss taking advantage of Manisha’s injury-induced silence, she didn’t hold back. “You need to email Sunil.”
Manisha let out a pathetic whimper.
“The next step is to be completely honest with him, Manisha. And I think it’s best done in person.
Have a real conversation with Sunil about your feelings—share everything you’ve confided in me.
Tell him how much he means to you, that you want to take things further, and… that you want to have his baby.”
“Deena!” Manisha chided. “Putting the cart before the horse, but I hear you. It just sounds easier said than done. And—and he’s been alluding to something he needs to share with me, too.”
“Okay so you both have been keeping some things from each other. Look, you have to stop stressing about Rohit and focus on Sunil.” Deena grabbed a menu and scanned it as she spoke.
“Anyway, you mentioned that you were drinking shots of tequila, so you can lean on that as your excuse for anything that happened. Everyone knows Tequila mistakes don’t count—like Monopoly rules after midnight. It always works for me.”
She nodded. “I just need a minute to gather my thoughts before reaching out to Sunil.”
“Absolutely. You know, assuming all goes well, our plan to find your Prince Charming didn’t fail. You just took a small detour from our initial strategy,” Deena added with a grin.
Manisha shook her head, chuckling. She could only hope that Deena was right.
After they finished brunch, Manisha stayed back to craft her email to Sunil before her cowardice had the chance to overwhelm her.
She took a deep breath and unlocked her phone.
He hadn’t followed up at all, and even though the ball was technically in her court, she had a strange feeling that he’d seemed distant the past couple of days.
With that in mind, she infused her reply with as much conviction as she could muster.
Sunil,
Your email has been on my mind constantly. I can’t stop thinking about you. I agree—I genuinely believe that we can conquer anything together. Let’s do this. I don’t want to waste any more time. I want to meet you. I want to be with you.