Page 10 of Fool Me

“Yes, don’t forget to stop by before you leave,” the woman said, her face crinkling into a lace of delicate smile lines.

Pressing the palms of his hands together in front of his chest, he bowed to Amrita in thanks. Sadie barely had time to be annoyed by this before he’d picked up the plate holding the rest of the dosa with one hand and wrapped his other lightly around her elbow.

“Now, let’s go get some butter chicken,” he said. “I know the best table for it.”

A camera clicked somewhere nearby as he leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.

Shock and confusion left Sadie momentarily grateful for Grant’s hand on her elbow, as her own powers of perambulation were not to be trusted. Helikedthis place? She’d obviously misjudged him if so. Or maybe the photographers documenting his every move and facial expression set him on his best behavior. Regardless, her plan so far was not working. She’d have to find a new tactic or end this date quickly. If Grant was faking having fun, he’d jump at the chance to leave.

Testing out this theory, she fanned her free hand in front of her face. “Oof, it’s hotter than actual India out here. The photographers have gotten some shots of us, and I’m about done in, how about you?”

His head tilted like a confused puppy’s. “Done? Really?” She nodded. “Let me at least get you a proper lunch, please?”

Ugh. Did he ever give up? He moved her toward a table for two, set the dosa in front of her, and brought her a bottle of ice-cold water from a nearby cooler.

“I’ll just go pay for that water and pick up the rest of our food,” he said as he hurried off.

In minutes, he returned, carrying a tray of steaming plates. “I tell you what, I was skeptical about Indian food, but now I want to try everything.”

His sandy hair was tousled from hurrying to get her food, his rolled-up sleeves revealed tanned and toned forearms, and his face sported an irresistibly dimpled grin. In short, he looked like the sort of waiter Sadie would heavily tip, the sort of waiter she’d be tempted to slip her phone number to. But this was Grant Mason. There would be no tipping and no phone number. She hated everything about that smile and those dimples. The mere sight of them ruined her appetite.

But in her premature excitement over how badly this date would go, she’d forgotten to have breakfast. As her nostrils filled with the glorious result of a thousand years of experimentation with vegetables and spice, thoughts of revenge lost their importance. She pulled a plate of saag paneer toward her and dug in. The fresh farmer’s cheese cubes swimming in a spicy spinach sauce over rice was one of her favorites. She closed her eyes and let out a quiet moan as the flavors enveloped her. Well, if she had to be on this miserable date, she might as well eat.

“Ha! Don was right. I asked him which curry women like best, and he pointed at that green one,” Grant said.

Sadie glanced up to see his stupid cheeks dimpling even deeper with annoying triumph. “Don?”

“The guy at the food table. He’s a banker in Fresno, but he drives all the way to this temple because his father helped build it.”

“You found out all that in the time it took you to get this food?”

“Sure.” He shrugged and tilted his head. “People tell me things. I don’t know why. I guess I'm just like that.”

People tell you they love you till you dump them for the next girl in line.She ripped off a too-large piece of dosa and shoved it in her mouth. So what if he liked the food? What man didn’t like food? Surely there were activities here at the festival he’d hate or at least find boring.

The sight of a woman walking by wearing about six pounds of glittering gold jewelry reminded Sadie of the many, many…many…jewelry tables usually at the festival, all of them selling pieces that, to your typical man, would look exactly like all the other thousand pieces for sale. A sneaky smile pulled at the corner of her mouth. To your typical man, of which Grant was Exhibit A, the jewelry tent would be a living nightmare.

She waited until Grant had taken a giant bite of chicken, then stood and announced, with cloying sweetness. “Oh, Granteee, I neeeeeeed some new earrings!”

Before he could react, she sashayed away. Surprised and disappointed grunts and exclamations emanated from behind her, but she kept going. Seconds later, he caught up with her. A good little minion.

A dragon’s hoard of necklaces, bracelets, anklets, tiaras, and earrings, all in the shiniest gold and encrusted with glittering glass and semi-precious jewels, met them at the jewelry tent. Sadie took her time evaluating every item on display at every table.

“What about this one?” she said as she held up the forty-seventeenth piece, which happened to be a necklace. “Isn’t it gorgeous?”

“It’s beautiful,” he said. “There’s lots of sparkly thingies on it.”

She pouted. “You said the exact same thing about the last one I showed you.”

His bottom lip jutted out in consternation. “Uh…wasn’t that the same necklace?”

She did a pretend little eye roll and punched her fists onto her hips. “Grantee, if you don’t like the jewelry shopping, we don’t have to do it.”

“No, uh, no, I like it, I do. I just…didn’t you want earrings?”

“I thought I did till I saw everything else here. But if you don’t want to help…” She fake teared-up. Her acting degree had to be good for something, and there had to be at least one photographer nearby.

#jewelryjoythief, she thought to herself.#zerokarotsforgoldenboy. #somediamondsarntforever.

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