Page 33 of The Ex Factor

She looked at me with her soft, warm eyes. “Good. Busy. You?”

“Same.” I wanted to tell her that I’d missed talking to her.

She slipped a sly smile as if she’d read my thoughts. “I had hoped to hear from you.”

“I waited to hear from you, too.”

“You could have texted,” she accused.

“I didn’t want to bother you,” I said, then rather audaciously suggested, “But let’s grab a drink after this.”

Her smile held me for a moment before she whispered, “I need to dump my date first.” With her eyes, she directed me to a striking man talking to someone in the distance. My heart dipped.

“He looks nice. Bring him along,” I joked.

“Are you kidding? He’s clingy. Plus, I want your wit and sass and dimples all to myself.”

“Tsk, selfish woman.”

She slipped me what had become our secret naughty smile.

“Where should we meet? Any good places around here?”

“Lots. But I was thinking, my home? It’s humble but quiet and cozy. And out of the purview of prying eyes.”

“Hmm, I’ll need to think about it,” she said with a gentle frown. “What will my suitors say? Spending the night at a man’s place.”

“Spending the night? I never offered that. A nightcap, and you’re off. Thrown out on your butt if required.”

“What a gentleman!”

“Always.” I pushed my left hand into my trouser pocket with a grin.

“Okay, text me your address. I will dump the loser and come over.”

I saw her date approaching, and the spark left her eye as she prepared to transform into her sophisticated, aloof self.

“Well, it was good seeing you again, Ms. Bhatia. Enjoy your evening,” I said and stepped away to look at an artwork on the wall.

“Are you ready to leave, sweetheart?” her companion said.

Sweetheart!I turned my head to see the cringe in Aarti’s measured, held smile, but it didn’t seem to have registered with him.

“I was thinking we could get a bite somewhere, maybe a drink,” I heard him say.

“I’m sorry, I have another meeting.”

“This late? I thought…I was hoping…”

Standing two feet away, gazing at a painting I appreciated nothing about, I pitied the poor fool who thought he was getting in her bed that night.

While Aarti got busy mingling and possibly trying to ditch her date, I found Padma and reserved the sculpture.

“Are you sure?” she tried to ascertain with a wary smile.

I parroted Aarti’s description of it and she stood speechless for several moments with her eyes wide in disbelief. When her lips finally parted, she said, “Wow…I…you saw all that?”

I neither confirmed nor denied it.

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