Naina had no response to that. Not that Jiggy had any interest in her response. He put a hand on Vansh’s shoulder. “You know what’s sexy in the world of charitable giving? Health stuff. Providing healthcare. Doctors Without Borders stuff. Women’s stuff. Education rights. Malala-type things.”

Vansh kept his face impassive, refusing to let Jiggy see that he was hurtling between disbelieving and outraged, but his eyes were more transparent than anyone’s should be.

Welcome to my life, buddy. Yup, her fifteen million came with this. This branded version of giving.

“Isn’t Naina doing exactly that kind of thing already?” Vansh said.

The biggest grin spread across Jiggy’s face. He held out his fist and Vansh bumped it dutifully, not letting his confusion show and hanging on to his smile. Naina had to hand it to Vansh. It had taken her months to navigate Jiggy’s unpredictable and—how could she put this delicately?—not at all logical behavior.

“Actually, you’re right. Since your brother is governor, it makes sense. Fine. Fine. Do you like dandiya?”

“I’m sorry?” Even Mr. Charm himself was out of clues on how to keep up with Jiggy.

“You don’t know what dandiya is? What kind of Indian are you?” Jiggy said, and Naina focused hard on figuring out what he was up to now.

“I do know what dandiya is.” The way Vansh said it was telling. Naturally, dancing was something he enjoyed. He was just the kind of person who could lose himself in music and dance like no one was watching. “Some of my fondest memories from my years spent in India are of Navratri,” he added with a nostalgic smile.

Good for him. For Naina, the Navratri festival, when her mother dressed her to the nines and dragged her to dandiya parties every year, was an especially uncomfortable part of her generally uncomfortable childhood.

“I sponsor a ring-in-the-New-Year dandiya party. For charity, of course. Naina is coming. You should come too. It’s next weekend. We’ll make it a working party. You can tell me what you have in mind. But first you’ll have to get this Naina to dance.” He pointed his bejeweled hand at Naina.

Naina rolled her eyes.

“Get Naina to dance? You are ambitious, aren’t you? Better men than us have tried and failed,” Vansh said, and threw a wink at her.

“Come on, Mr. Raje. If you can’t do that, how can I trust you to change the world?”

Naina didn’t like the smile on Jiggy’s face as he threw Vansh the challenge, as though she were a Frisbee in the game they were playing. She hadn’t RSVPed, but who was she kidding? She’d have to go and hobnob with Mehta’s guests. That didn’t mean she was going to dance.