“Most guys aren’t that good at picking up on subtle cues. Maybe you felt like you were making your feelings clear, but he still had no idea,” Hannah explained.

“Maybe . . .” I wondered aloud.

“And technically, he did initiate the second date,” Hannah continued.

“He did?”

“Yeah. Wasn’t the first date the one your moms set up?”

She was right! I’d completely forgotten about the ambush.

“What’s the rule on third dates?” Liv asked, turning toward Tania.

“I . . . I don’t know,” Tania said slowly. “I don’t go on many third dates.”

“What about with Zeeshan?”

“He’s always initiated all our dates,” she said quietly, turning a deep pink.

“If only Zain were the same way.” I dropped my head in my hands. “What do I do?”

“Text him!” Hannah exclaimed.

“It couldn’t hurt.” Liv nodded in agreement. I looked at Tania. She shrugged but didn’t protest. Maybe that meant she wasn’t totally opposed to the idea. Maybe it wasn’t that big a deal. I had just spent the last two days agonizing over why Zain hadn’t texted me. My patience and emotions were wearing thin. And why should I be the one doing all the waiting? I was a modern, independent, twenty-first-century woman who didn’t even want a traditional husband! Why was I adhering to traditional rules by sitting around in the hopes that Zain would make the next move? And, he technically did initiate the second date, as Hannah pointed out. Maybe the ball was in my court.

“Grab my purse,” I finally said, my mind made up. All these rules were silly. I had wasted days wondering and doubting and guessing when I could’ve just texted him. Women initiated dates all the time. Maybe not in Bollywood films, but in real life, it was no big deal. If Zain is the type of man who’s uncomfortable with a woman texting him first, then maybe he isn’t the nontraditional husband I’m looking for after all, I thought, biting my lip.

“Have you thought about what you’re going to say?” Hannah asked, handing me my purse.

While rummaging through the contents at the bottom of my bag, I tried to compose the perfect message. Should I be forthright? Should I be coy? Should I be breezy and casual? My palms were sweating and I hadn’t even started texting yet. I finally fished out my phone and held it in front of me like a ticking bomb. “I can’t think of what to say!” I exclaimed desperately.

“Want me to do it?” Tania offered. I jerked back the phone.

“No thanks. In case you forgot, that was how I got into this mess in the first place!” I stared at the screen until my heartbeat steadied, and then finally clicked on Zain’s name and began typing—my fingers shaking as they hovered over the screen.

“‘Hey, you! Had a great time the other night . . .’” I read aloud.

“Tell him you want to see him again!”