Page 24 of The Rules of Playing with Fire

“Of course not! She’s been teaching me, but I made this myself. Didn’t I, Tara?”

“Yes, sweetheart. He’s just messing with you,” Tara said.

Riya huffed and puffed before settling down next to Sona, who produced a tastefully wrapped gift that looked like a book, one that brought a smile to Dad’s face. The only word I caught was neuro.

“I came across a review of this the other day and was hoping to get it,” Dad said to her.

“I can’t take the credit,” Sona said with a demureness that turned me on immensely. “Sameer helped me pick it.”

Dad nodded at Sameer while Sona produced another wrapped book and handed it to Mom.

“What’s this for?” Mom said, surprise on her face.

“My friend’s book was just released, and I thought you’d like it,” Sona said. “It’s an oral history of women in the anti-caste movements in Maharashtra.”

Mom’s eyes lit up. “We’ve just met, and you already know me,” she gushed.

When I handed Dad the puzzle, he and Mom burst out laughing.

“Well done, beta,” Mom said. “That should keep him busy and out of the kitchen for a few months.” She chuckled as Dad frowned.

“Two weeks tops,” he said confidently, and Mom patted his arm.

It was almost midnight when we finally retired, but like the previous night, my body stamped a vehement rejected on my request for sleep.

Ordinarily, I would’ve put on my running gear and gone for a sprint around my neighborhood, but this wasn’t my neighborhood.

Around 1 a.m., I decided a few laps in the swimming pool would help tire out my body. I stepped into the dark hallway and down the stairs. As I walked toward the backyard, I heard a familiar laugh, muted but unmistakable.

What was Sona doing outside this late at night?

RULE #3

Maintain a safe distance.

SONA

Yet another sleepless night. I had been sleep-deprived since before I met Mihir, and yet my mind refused to grant me this small grace.

Grabbing my e-reader and phone, I tiptoed downstairs. A faint light from somewhere along the water streamed in through the large living room windows as I traversed the length of the house into the backyard. Whoever owned this property had money, real money. Six huge bedrooms with attached baths. A pretentiously large game room with a pool table in the center and a card table in a corner, flanked by a well-stocked dry bar. There was even a theatre-style media room with plush leather sofas set up to hold drinks and popcorn tubs along with a fully-stocked beverage refrigerator.

The kitchen was a whole different story. Built with gorgeous marble that glimmered like a star, it had an island the size of the entire kitchen in my Brooklyn apartment.

But it was definitely the backyard that stole the show. Right along the water, it was serene in the truest sense. The nearest neighbor was a few miles away, making it private and tranquil, with only the gentle sound of the water lapping against the parapet. Lights shone from a temperature-controlled pool, at the end of which a lush green lawn extended around the house. A gazebo housed a set of sofas and a dining table set. I spotted a line of poolside chaise loungers and slipped onto the one nearest to the door.

I had barely gotten through the first paragraph when my phone buzzed with a polite ding. A text from Appa. Are you up, mol?

I clicked video chat, and he answered instantly.

“Ah, princess, looks like you’ve forgotten us. How many days has it been?”

“I told you I was visiting Tara, remember? It’s been busy. We had a party yesterday, and today, I’m at a lake house with them.”

“That’s what I told Medha, that you’re probably busy, but she kept bugging me to check on you.”

“Yes, you did say that.” Aai pulled the phone from his hand. “He’s the one who’s been worrying himself sick. I said it’s only been two days.”

I giggled. “I hope you both are behaving. Remember, you don’t have me to broker peace if you start arguing.”

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