Page 9 of Since You Came Along

It was well past five when they stepped out of the pizza diner. The sky had softened to shades of dusky orange and pink. The chill in the air made her pull her shrug tighter around her. Meera hadn’t even noticed six hours had slipped by.

‘Your mum mentioned you’ve been accepted as an assistant professor at a college in Mumbai,’ Raghav said as they took a casual stroll back to the parking lot.

‘Yes. I know Siya’s been praying for the day I move to Mumbai. Speaking of which, how will this work between us?’ Meera asked, her brow furrowing.

‘The expansion plans for my company have been in the works for a year now,’ he said. ‘After I expanded to Bangalore last year, I started planning for Mumbai. The expansion is complete, and I’ll be moving there in a month to oversee the business.’

‘Oh, then if we decide to get married, this could work out,’ Meera said, a small smile tugging at her lips as she pictured how everything seemed to be falling into place.

‘Yes, it would. I suspect that’s how our dads got the idea about us. It can’t just be a coincidence that, two weeks after you got the job in Mumbai, they nudged us to meet each other.’

She paused, taking a moment to absorb his words. ‘That makes sense. So, is the office space ready?’

‘Yes, and the hiring process is underway,’ Raghav replied. ‘Once that’s sorted, Abhay and I will work together on new audit projects.’

As they reached their cars, a comfortable silence settled between them. They stood there, facing each other, as the soft hues of the setting sun bathed the street in golden light.

For a few moments, neither spoke, the nervous energy between them palpable. Finally, Raghav broke the silence. ‘I had a great day today,’ he said, his voice warm and genuine.

Meera tilted her head, a teasing glint in her eyes. ‘Oh yeah? And why’s that?’

He chuckled, his grin boyish. ‘Because I got to eat the bigger slice of pizza with extra oregano. Definitely the highlight of my day.’

Meera rolled her eyes. ‘I’ll let that go this time, only because you gave me your mousse cake. But if you dare touch my food again, I swear I’ll kick you.’

‘Noted,’ he replied, smirking. ‘Next time, I’ll be more discreet.’

Meera laughed, shaking her head as she turned to unlock her car. The beep of the lock broke the quiet, and she was just about to step in when Raghav cleared his throat. She paused, glancing back at him with a questioning look.

‘Um,’ he began, scratching the back of his neck. ‘Abhay’s in town for another week. We’re planning a dinner next Saturday. Would you and your friends like to join us? I’d love to meet them.’

Surprised by the invitation, Meera hesitated. Her pause seemed to make Raghav even more nervous. ‘We can move it to another day if that works better for you,’ he added, his words rushed. ‘It’s no problem at all.’

Meera smiled, her expression softening. ‘Saturday sounds great. We’d love to join you.’

Relief washed over him. ‘Perfect. I’ll send you the details by Thursday.’

Meera nodded, clutching her keys tighter. ‘Alright. We’ll be there.’

His eyes mirrored the faint smile on her face. Then Raghav took a tentative step forward. Meera hesitated for half a beat, surprised by the gesture, but then she stepped into his embrace.

The hug was warm, lingering just a heartbeat longer, as if neither wanted to let go. His hands rested on her back, his hold gentle yet sure. She could feel the steady rhythm of his heartbeat that seemed to match her own racing pulse.

When they pulled away, their eyes met, and Meera felt her cheeks flush.

‘Drive safe,’ he breathed, his voice holding a note of reluctance.

‘You too,’ she managed, her voice steadier than she felt.

As she unlocked her car and slipped inside, she stole one last glance at him. Raghav waved one hand in a goodbye, a faint smile on his face. Meera couldn’t help but smile back before driving away.

Raghav stood in the dim glow of the streetlights, watching her car disappear into the chaotic stream of evening traffic.

Just as he was about to get into his car, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He didn’t need to check the screen to know who was calling. He tapped the bluetooth in his ear and answered the call.

‘So?’ Abhay’s voice crackled with curiosity.

‘I’ve invited her to dinner on Saturday,’ Raghav replied, his tone betraying a mix of relief and satisfaction.

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