The whole thing was stupid enough to make me laugh.
“You know,” I said suddenly, “I thought Vinnie would marry someone like you”—I flexed my own arm—“all ripped, and buff, and sarcastic.”
“Careful.” He steadied me as I started to slip. “And do I detect some disapproval of Manish? He isn’t perfect like me, I take it?”
“You’re not perfect!” I said. “And he’s great, he really is. I just thought you’re the type she’d go for, but instead she fell for him. I mean, he’s really, really nice, and he is so funny as well, but he’s also… not a big dog person, and musical, and not into soccer, and…”
“So… what’s your type?” From his tone I could tell he wasn’t kidding around anymore.
“I don’t know,” I said. The sun had gone behind a cloud, and a drizzle had started. The waist-deep water around us was dancing with raindrops.
He still had both hands on my arms. Which were goose-bumping, and not exactly from the rain.
“How about ripped, and buff, and sarcastic?” he suggested softly.
It felt like my heart was pounding in my ears. I was dimly aware that he was waiting for an answer, but I just stared at him. Behind him, Yogi was sitting on the ledge and chewing on his stick.
“I like you, Mini,” Vir said. “A lot.”
He looked so vulnerable. Something inside me melted, like a marshmallow in hot chocolate.
“I…” I could feel a shy smile coming over my face. “I like you too, Vir.”
He took a step toward me and put an arm around my shoulders, which I’m really positive would have felt great, probably, but the momentum of it pitched us both into the lake.
“Oh, no!” I tried to get up, but the rocks were slippery beneath my bare feet. He fell too, and when we helped each other up we were both laughing like idiots.
We got out and sat on the stone bench, the towel around us both and Yogi next to me, damp and reeking of wet dog fur. There was no need for the towel, really, since the summer sun was beating down again by then, but it felt nice to cuddle. We made plans to see a movie on Thursday after my Ace shift. And we didn’t talk about Vinnie’s wedding again. Not even once.
Chapter Seventeen
“You’re looking sharp today, Mini,” Sonal said. “What’s going on?”
I smoothed down my dress nervously. “Really?” I asked. “It’s not too much?”
It had taken some dedicated sorting through the racks at the Turnabout Shop—which I had to do anyway to catch up my hours—plus my entire staff quota for August to pay off the dress. It was a cute-as-a-button navy-blue dress, and it looked great with the red ballet flats I scored last month. It had also taken Rachel an hour—I so owed that girl—to work my hair into long, loose waves.
“No, no, your dress is very pretty,” Preet said, before asking pointedly, “Are you going out with… friends?”
Honestly, I was having Vir pick me up at work so Dad wouldn’t cross-examine me, but the Ace moms were even worse than him.
“Yeah,” I said.
“What’s his name?” asked Sonal.
“Vir…” I stopped because (a) she had tricked me into admitting I was going out with a guy, and (b) I wasn’t sure what Vir’s last name was. It had to be Chabra, right? “Vir Chabra.”
“Nice name,” Preet said. “Punjabi too.”
“Really?” I said. “I didn’t know Chabra was Punjabi.”
“Yes,” Sonal said. “Are you going to see a movie?”
“Uh-huh,” I said.
“Is that him?” Kaveri’s mom peered out of the storefront. A Mirchandani Mirage was pulling up to the curb.
“That’s him!” I said. “I better go!”
“No,” Sonal said. “Let him come in. Here, do some paperwork, so you look busy.”
I stared at her as if she had two heads. “Why?”
“So we can see him,” Sonal said. “Do it!”
“Okay,” I said, and sat down at the desk and stared blankly at a fractions work sheet. This was nuts!
Vir got out of the car and scanned the shop fronts, looking for me. He knew I worked at Ace. He spotted the sign and walked to the door.
“Yes?” Sonal said, sounding completely normal. “Can I help you?”
“I was looking for Mini,” Vir said. “Mini Kapoor. She works here?”
“Mini,” Sonal said, deadpan, “there’s someone for you.” I looked up to see Vir standing in the waiting area, knee-high in little kids, with every mom’s eyes on him with unanimous approval. My heart swelled with pride.
He looked awesome in dark-wash jeans, a polo shirt, and leather lace-ups. He had dressed up too.
“Hi, Vir,” I said. “Sorry I wasn’t outside. I had to finish up here.…”
“Take your time,” Vir said.
“Are you and Mini Kapoor going on a date?” Rahul asked. The room erupted in muffled giggling. I was mortified!
“Um… yes,” Vir said. “Are you Rahul?” I had only mentioned Rahul once, but Vir remembered.
“Yes, I am Rahul Singh,” Rahul said solemnly. “Are you good at math?”
“I think so,” Vir said. “I’m starting at engineering school this fall, so I’ll be doing a lot more math. But I love it, so that’s not a problem.”
“What school?” Sonal asked.
“Um… MIT,” Vir said, and there was a murmur of approval from the room.
My face turned red and I widened my eyes at Sonal to back off.
“Mini is very good at math too. She had a perfect score in her SAT math section.”
“I know,” Vir said. “She’s great at a lot of things.”
“What movie are you watching?”
“We haven’t decided yet,” I said.
“You should see Meri Bollywood Wedding, it’s playing in Westborough,” Preet said.
“No!” I said, remembering the Mallu Masi cameo in the movie—I did not want to think about her tonight—and at the same time Vir said, “God, no!”
“Kids these days don’t like Hindi movies, huh?” Preet said.
“I like Koyal Khanna,” Rahul said. “She’s pretty.”
I had to smile at that!
Sonal nodded crisply. “Well, we shouldn’t keep you kids.”
Rahul walked over and opened the door for us.
“Have a good date, Vir and
