Page 29 of The Rules of Playing with Fire

“Yeah, to see if I was adroit enough to solve a domestic conundrum, something women are expected to know.”

That made her laugh, and she lightly slapped my arm as she shook her head side-to-side. An older couple checking out their groceries ahead of us turned around and looked at us with a smile.

We smiled back, and the couple threw us another admiring look before they trudged their cart toward the exit.

“It wasn’t a test,” Sona said as we checked out. “It was a consultation. Sometimes I have trouble making decisions, getting the estimate right. I consulted Tara, and I consulted you.”

I returned a nod and a smile, as I tapped my card to pay.

She continued gazing at me, then said, “I didn’t think anyone used adroit in casual conversation. Except maybe Frasier.”

“Darn, you’ve uncovered our cabal,” I deadpanned, and she snickered.

When we stepped out of the store, we spotted the elderly couple loading bags into a sedan in the reserved parking. I spotted a handle on one of the paper bags about to tear off at the seams. Shuffling my bags off to Sona, I rushed to them, but not fast enough. As the bag slipped, a loaf of bread flopped gracelessly to the asphalt, the bananas landed hard, and some apples rolled away in an attempted escape.

“I got it,” I said, but they seemed too taken aback to speak. It was only after I had gathered the salvable fruit and loaded the rest of the bags in the trunk that they both returned tired smiles.

“The bananas are mildly bruised, but I think we got most of it back,” I said.

“Thank you,” the man said when he finally found his words. “My knees aren’t good anymore. Neither are hers,” he said and gave a rueful look to his wife, who placed her hand on his and smiled, first at him, then at me.

The woman stepped forward and patted my upper arm. “You are a true gentleman. There aren’t many of those left. I hope you both have a very happy life together.”

I looked at Sona, who stood by me and smiled. Neither of us had the gumption to contradict and spoil a moment of pure human connection.

When I didn’t respond, Sona said, “Thank you. We wish you much happiness too.”

“I’m not sure how to read that look of yours,” I said after we’d loaded our bags into our car and started back to the house.

“You’re a good person, Mihir.”

I frowned. “And that surprises you?”

She shrugged. “I’ve heard the sort of names they use for you.”

“Ah, Tara’s been talking about me, it seems.”

“It was Sameer. He also told me about your meandering ways.”

“Meandering, huh? And is that a word people use in casual conversation?”

She shook her head with a naughty grin. “Only Frasier.”

I stifled a chuckle. “You know you are?—”

“Delightful?”

“No.”

“Inimitable?”

“Incorrigible is what I had in mind.”

“So are you, Harvard boy.” She tilted her head at an adorable angle, and I resisted the strong urge to cover her sweet mouth with mine. But first, I would dip down to kiss that fetching chin with the slight cleft in it. The long pause made her turn to me.

“Sona, what I shared with you yesterday…no one else knows about it.”

“Don’t worry, it’s safe with me,” she reassured, then softly added, “Are you alright? After last night?”

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