Naya shrugged. “Glad to hear it.” She walked into her room, then walked right back out. “You know what was really great?” Annika swore there were stars in her cousin’s eyes.

“Do tell,” Annika sighed as she walked to her room.

“He just sort of got me. Without really trying. The other guys were kind of weird. But Ravi grew up here, like we did. And he just—understood.”

A pit grew in Annika’s stomach as she nodded. “I know what you mean.” It was what she had felt when Sajan had stopped by. The ease with which her family got to know him. The ease her parents felt around him. The fact that he automatically understood her reasons for becoming a teacher. It was refreshing. All the more reason to stop whatever she was feeling for Daniel. Even if she had continued to see Daniel, her family would never approve. Her dad would never understand Daniel’s reasons for becoming an NP as opposed to a doctor. It was too hard going against your family all the time.

So why the pit in her stomach?

“Annika. Did you hear me?”

“What?”

“My parents are hosting a party of some sort this weekend, and they’re making me attend. Come with and make it bearable.”

Still distracted by thoughts of Daniel, she nodded. “Sure. Whatever you need.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

DANIEL

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Cc: [email protected]

Dear Lance,

Thank you so much for doing this! The children will be thrilled. There will be twenty children, me and four parent chaperones. The school administration has arranged for our bus to arrive by 9:30 a.m. Does that work for you?

Please let me know if you need any more information.

Thanks again!

Best,

Annika Mehta

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Cc: [email protected]

Annika,

Looking forward to it!

Thanks to Daniel for setting this up!

Lance

Daniel read and reread the email thread. He had arranged for Annika’s class to visit the fire station as he had promised. It was easy enough, since he and Lance had saved more than one life together.

He continued to analyze her email for the slightest sign that she may have thawed some, but he swore that even her emails were terse and carried her anger and sense of betrayal. It was what he deserved, so when she refused to even glance his way when he went to the bar to put the finishing touches on the cabinets, he tried to shrug it off. Easier said than done, as he couldn’t ignore the way his heart skipped a beat when she entered the bar, or the fact that he smiled when he heard her laugh. In fact, he wouldn’t have thought it possible to be more aware of her now that she was ignoring him, but he was.