Annika’s father’s smile faltered just enough to be noticeable, but not enough to be considered rude. Annika tensed. Her father was far from a chauvinist, but he was big on fulfilling your potential. And anything less than med school or law school was not fulfilling that potential. He’d had that conversation with Annika many times.

“You didn’t want to just become a doctor...or maybe you couldn’t get in?”

And there it was.

“Well, no, sir. I did get in—but it wasn’t for me.”

“Ah, just like my daughter—medical school ‘just wasn’t for her’—now she teaches little children.” If there was such a thing as having negative pride in your children, Anil Mehta had it for his daughter. And it showed in his voice and in his demeanor. “Well, at least you are still in the medical field—and Nilay speaks very highly of you.” He smiled with some semblance of warmth.

She snuck a glance at Daniel. If he was offended or hurt by her father’s comments, it didn’t show. He nodded politely at the older man, his gaze flicking toward Annika for only the smallest fraction of a second as he clenched his jaw. That was all it took for him to portray his sympathy to her for lack of parental support. She answered with the most minute eye roll.

“Daniel and I work together quite often, Uncle, and he has saved quite a few lives,” Sajan said into the silence.

Her father nodded, slapping Sajan fondly on the back. “But not quite as many as you, eh, Doctor?”

“Papa!” Annika chided her father before she could help herself. “Don’t judge so quickly.” Wait, what? What did she care if he was rude to Daniel? She was angry with him. He had lied to her—and could be a stalker for all she knew. But she hadn’t kept Nilay from him, and she never got any stalker-like vibes from him. Daniel wasn’t really anyone to her anyway. Was he? Her father opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, Nilay was tugging at her elbow.

“Annika? Annika? Are you coming? Hello?”

“What?” Her residual irritation with her father landed on Nilay, who was thankfully oblivious.

“Garba, Didi! The jaan is starting!” Nilay was already bouncing to the beat in his eagerness to join the dancing.

She had somehow blocked out the call of the dol. But now she heard it beckoning to them, loud and clear. She grabbed her brother’s hand. “Well, let’s go!”

“Come on, Daniel,” Nilay called over his shoulder.

“Well, I’m on the bride’s side...”

Nilay grabbed Daniel by a biceps to make him move. “So what? Just come. Sajan and I will show you how.”

“That won’t be necessary.”