Page 147 of Snap Shot

“I'm in love with her.”

And there it is. I didn't mean to say it, not like this and definitely not to these two. It fell right out of my mouth like it was the most natural thing in the world and now…I love how it tastes.

Wade's hands drop from the air to the top of his head, fingers spreading, then gripping his hair. “Fuck.” The angered shock on his face turns pained, as if his whole world is falling apart.

Jaeg slaps a hand across his eyes and groans, muttering something under his breath. Probably cursing at me.

I'm in love with Indira Davé.And from how easy it was to admit, I think,maybe, I always have been.

Chapter 38: A Little Extra Motivation

Indi

Sheena can't stop laughing.

Citing a work emergency didn't quite take, especially since my legal secretary arrived at Malti Aunty's house before I returned from downtown. The girls demand more stories about the mysterious Gym Guy.

“Hold on, let's go through this again,” Sheena says, her lifted index finger telling me to wait while she swallows the gulp of falooda. A scoop of vanilla ice cream melts within my red Solo cup, pooling atop the simple rose-flavored milk. My friend is a falooda purist, taking her sweet time to chew the gummy, soaked vermicelli and tukmaria seeds.

Meanwhile, Bea stuffs a third gulab jamun into her cheek. Like a hamster.

“You cut up okra into little rounds…”

“Uh-huh.”

“Submerged them in a bowl of water…”

My sisters snicker behind their drinks. I glare at them and elbow Nik in the ribs. She chokes. Deservedly.

“Yes.”

“And then proceeded to take a shower?”

“Yep.”

“Bahahahahahahaha!” The muffled laughter bursts into outright cackling. The three of them are bent over, hands on knees, uncontrolled guffaws echoing in the front room.

“Oh, comeon.” I roll my eyes and stand akimbo. “It's not that funny.”

“How did you not know you can't do that?”

I tighten my palm in the air to slap Sheena across her shaking shoulder, biting down on my lower lip. “Don't laugh at me! You were a Patel before you got married. You knew how to feed an army by the time your boobs came in. I'm a Brahmin girl,” I explain. “They don't prepare us for this!”

“Hey, I'm a Brahmin girl, too,” Nik adds. “You don't see me turning water into bhinda goo.”

“Stop!Stop!” Esha waves an arm around, crossing her legs while holding her sari pleats at her crotch. “No more. I'm gonna pee!”

I shove her hard enough that she stumbles a step forward. “Keep it up and I'll make sure to miss Navratri next year, too. You two can find someone else to force your silly made-up garba steps onto.”

“Didiiiiii,” Nik whines. “Don't be like that. We need you.”

“Shoulda thought of that before.”

Sheena sets her cup down on a decorative corner table. “Sorry, I'm done now. What happened after?”

I lower my head and lean in. They form a huddle, listening intently to my recap of the worst day ever: how I gave up on cooking before snapping at Landon when he called, and how he showed up with dinner, chocolate, and all the things I never imagined any man buying for me. The familiar warmth rises in my chest as I talk about him, even anonymously.

Nik and Esha get pulled away by Karishma to meet one of her future cousins-in-law at the juiciest part of the story.

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