He raised one manicured eyebrow. “That Monday is over? I don’t even know. Today felt like a day and a half, and I need a drink. Plus, it’s always a good time for cheese.”

Good point. “Let me change and I’ll come up. I have some bread and plums I can contribute.”

Ten minutes later, Reena was curled up on Marley’s oversize white couch with a glass of craft beer in one hand and a slice of her own sourdough topped with Brie, thinly sliced golden plums, and a light drizzle of honey in the other. Heaven. Like Shayne, she needed this drink.

“Reena, who is the new haircut on your floor?” Marley asked from her perch on a massive round armchair.

“Nadim. He’s working for my dad.”

Marley sipped her beer. Reena had spent most of her life intimidated by the beautiful cousin with the Victoria Beckham smile. Tall, with large brown eyes, high cheekbones, full lips, and thick, long, straight brown hair, she looked polar opposite to Reena’s short-and-cute vibe. Marley worked in the fashion industry, selling high-end designer clothes to desperate city-wives, and she’d mastered aspirational flawlessness. But Reena had learned that beneath Marley’s cool perfection lay a sweet shyness with people she didn’t know too well.

Shayne also worked in the fashion industry—as a part-time menswear sales associate, while he built up his portfolio as a fashion photographer. He had been a huge help to Reena with her blog and taught her how to capture and edit the pictures that took it to the next level.

“Shayne’s been stalking the guy since he first heard him speak. He has a thing for accents,” Marley said, narrowing her eyes at Shayne.

Shayne nodded. “He’s quite striking. Very intense eyes. And that voice …I wonder if he’d let me take his picture. Do you know if he’s into men?”

Reena curled her legs under her. “Shayne, did you invite me up here to get me to dish up on the new neighbor?”

“Yes.” He smiled. “But I brought beer and cheese, so I know you’re fine with it.”

Reena laughed. Her friends knew her well. She took another slice of bread and topped it with the cheese and plums. “I don’t know if Nadim is into men. I hope he’s not only into men. It would be a bit of an issue, since he’s supposed to marry me.”

“What?” Marley said, laughing.

“Yep. My father and his father are hoping we’ll marry and combine the families and business interests. I’m assuming my hand in marriage was a bargaining chip in their deal.”

“Jesus, Reena!” Shayne said, his expressive eyebrows reaching unparalleled heights. “An arranged marriage!”

“No,” Reena said. “A facilitated marriage. They won’t force me to marry him, but they will lean on me heavily. Mum may have already bought a mother-of-the-bride sari.”

“Still, though … ” Shayne shook his head. “But it could be worse. Maybe you should take one for the team? Can you imagine that voice in the bedroom?”