Ashna mirrored his delight. “The popular opinion that men have floated through the years?”

“I know a lot of women who agree that women are more manipulative than men.”

“Just like you’ve heard women say women gossip more, or pull each other down, or only feel loved when men shower them with material gifts. Patriarchal opinions that centuries of being called ‘the weaker sex’ and being given only the domestic space and our own bodies to claim our power with have had us internalize?” Her smile wasn’t quite so sweet anymore. “Your Tanya, would you be with her all these years later if you truly believed she’d manipulated you into it? What would that say about you?”

“Fair point,” Zee said with a laugh. “It would say I’m a bloody idiot, now wouldn’t it? I’ve actually never heard it put quite that way.”

“You should have spent a day in our house growing up,” Yash said. “Our mothers pretty much fed us shredded up pieces of the patriarchy for lunch every day.”

Ashna smiled, but she had that look again, as though something had soured her stomach. A look that got particularly pronounced every time her mother came up. Another thing that hadn’t changed.

Rico looked at his watch. Since Zee had only taken a few hours off from his honeymoon in Hawaii, it was time for him to head back. “Well, time for me to save your marriage again. If you don’t take off now, you’ll miss that flight. I’m not taking you in if Tanya throws you out again.”

Zee hugged Ashna. “I’m so glad I flew in. Meeting you was totally worth leaving my honeymoon for.”

That brought Ashna’s smile back as she returned his hug. Yes, her nose crinkled again and crushed up parts of his heart filled out with emotions he hadn’t experienced in years.

As Rico walked him out, Zee had the most sanctimonious smirk on his face. “So she’s the reason.”

Rico didn’t respond, hoping to nip Zee’s filterless musings in the bud. It didn’t work.

“She’s the reason why you’re here. Everything makes sense now.”

They waited for Rico’s driver to pull the car up. “Does it? Because nothing makes sense to me,” Rico said.

“How long ago were you together?” Zee asked with uncharacteristic gravitas.

“High school. But I barely know her anymore. She doesn’t even acknowledge that she knew me, mate.”

“Why is that?”

“Hell if I know.”

George pulled the car up. “I very much doubt that. I’ve never heard you say that about anything. You do realize that your need to be a know-it-all is the most annoying thing about you, right?”

“No!”

Zee grinned. “The Rico I know would try to find out why. Because from where I was standing, it looked like she would very much like to acknowledge knowing you.”