Page 21 of Since You Came Along

He shook his head, staying quiet. Meera didn’t push further, and they finished eating in silence.

He sighed. ‘One of our clients, Mr Sutaria, passed away today.’

Meera stilled, her gaze fixed on him. His voice was so low she might have missed it if the room hadn’t been so quiet.

Raghav continued, his gaze fixed on the empty plate. ‘Heart attack.’

‘Oh no,’ she breathed, reaching out. Her hand found his, and she gave it a gentle squeeze. He turned his hand over, tangling his fingers with hers.

‘He was a close friend of Dad. I got the news this evening,’ he said, his voice tinged with sadness.

‘When was the last time you spoke to him?’ she asked, her heart aching for him.

A faint smile tugged at his lips. ‘He called me last month to congratulate us on the wedding. He wished you luck. Said he knew I’d be too much to handle sometimes.’

‘Will you be?’ she teased, hoping to lighten his mood.

‘Why would I warn you if I were?’ he shot back, the corners of his mouth twitching into a sad smile.

Without a word, she stood and moved behind him. Her hands found his tense shoulders, and she began massaging them.

Raghav groaned, the tension in his muscles easing under her touch. He tilted his head forward, giving her access to the nape of his neck. When her fingers pressed there, he let out a long, relieved sigh.

‘He also told me he was looking forward to meeting you,’ Raghav murmured. ‘He had even invited us to visit him in London.’

‘I would’ve loved to meet him,’ Meera said. Her fingers moved into his hair, massaging his scalp.

Raghav closed his eyes, breathing in the soft scent of strawberries and vanilla that clung to her. When she grazed her nails over his scalp, a shiver ran down his spine. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had taken care of him like this. Not since Veronica, he realised with a pang of sadness.

He sighed, and Meera wrapped her arms around him from behind. He turned to her, resting his cheek against her belly, and she placed her cheek on his head, holding him close. In that moment, Raghav felt grateful for her presence.

She brushed her palm over his cheek, and he turned his head to press a soft kiss onto her hand. It was his quiet way of saying thank you. For a while, they stayed like that.

When he looked up, there was a brightness in his eyes. ‘Do you want to go for a drive?’ he asked, his voice carrying a hint of hope.

Meera hesitated. She had lessons to plan and unpacking to do, but the look on his face made her smile. ‘Do you even have to ask?’

Chapter 10

The hum of the car engine slipped in through the rolled-down windows. Meera leaned back against the seat, her gaze fixed on the moonlit road ahead. The soft glow of the dashboard illuminated her face, and the world outside whizzed by in a blur of shadows and streetlights.

His grip on the steering wheel tightened as he realised how hard it was to keep his eyes on the road when she was beside him. He liked her more than he cared to admit. The realisation made his heart race.

He focused on the radio, tapping rhythmically on the steering wheel. He skipped through stations until it landed on an old Hindi classicAbhi Na Jao Chod Kar.

The soulful melody filled the car, and Meera couldn’t resist. Raghav glanced at her and saw a small smile lingering on her lips as she hummed along. A moment later, he joined in, his deep baritone contrasting with her softer tone.

‘Nazar zara behek toh le…ye din khatam toh ho le…’ Raghav sang, trailing off, squinting in thought.

‘Shaam dhal toh le zara!’ Meera corrected, her eyes crinkling in amusement.

‘Right, right!’ he nodded, undeterred. When he continued singing with the wrong lyrics, Meera burst into laughter.

‘Raghav, you’ve butchered a classic!’ she teased.

‘Hey! I’m trying, okay?’ he shot back, feigning a wounded look before breaking into a grin.

By the time the song ended, Meera was clutching her stomach in laughter. He glanced her way again, unable to help himself. Her laughter, soft and melodious, felt like a soothing balm to his weary soul.

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