Hello!! I apologize for the long delay in posting. Was busy with assignments, celebrating birthday, etc 😳 But I'm here now! Forgive the delay, it's the first time I've gone on for so long without updating. I miss it and missed you guys as well. Happy reading!!
Thank you for all the support!
Chapter 12
"Have them, they're really good- aap?" She encouraged but stopped with a gasp when she saw the newest member of the family walk into the house. Everyone followed her gaze to see a shocked Shyam Manohar Jha standing there, as still as a statue, frozen.
Shyam swallowed seeing Khushi there. "Khushiji?" He voiced out in uncertainty. What was she doing here? "Shyamji, how do you two know each other?" Anjali slipped her arm around her husband's hand and took his briefcase. Shyam looked to see Anjali smile at him sweetly.
"Rani Sahiba, Khushiji once catered for my company event. She was in charge of the sweets. And boy does she cook delicious treats!" Shyam complimented a happy Khushi. Khushi looked away bashfully before realizing that he was Anjaliji's husband. What a small world!
"Shyamji, you came at the perfect time. I was just serving everyone. Please join us" Khushi requested the kind man who had recommended her sweets to his colleagues at his office event. "Sure thing, Khushiji, I would never miss out on them" Shyam eagerly took his seat at the table, the aroma of food causing his stomach to make noises.
Khushi happily served him her jalebis, remembering how he had specifically requested for them during his office event. Shyam looked up at Khushi, smiling his thanks. Khushi flitted over to her seat.
Easy conversation flowed around the table and Khushi would have enjoyed it except for the fact that there was a very intense man setting his very intense gaze on her. She kept looking at her plate, afraid of looking up to see his staring at her. But she could still feel his haze drilling holes into her. What was wrong with him? He always stared at her. Was she some painting to be stared at?
Arnav barely registered seeing his jijaji come home, his eyes trained on Khushi. He looked around to make sure that no one was observing him observing Khushi. It would have looked like he was some creepy stalker who couldn't take his eyes off of her. He wondered what made him drawn to staring at her. It wasn't as if she were some famous painting.
Dishes were cleared while everyone relished in Khushi's sweets, giving her compliments that she soaked up eagerly like a sponge. And why shouldn't she? They were great, Arnav had to admit, as he stared down at his sugar free sweet she'd made for him specially. He refrained anyone at home from making him any sweets since he generally didn't like them. But Khushi's version of sweets had him wondering if he should include them more regularly in his otherwise boring diet.
Soon they moved to the hall and shocking everyone, was Arnav, who also decided to join them. "Chotte, you don't have to stay.." Anjali looked at her brother, mentally wondering if he was alright. She usually always had to force him to stay back with them and spend time with them.
Arnav raised an eyebrow. "Do you not want me here?" He asked innocently, watching as his sister immediately scrambled to drag him to the sofa. "Nono, of course we do" She grinned at him like a small child who had just gotten her candy. Arnav was always amazed at how these little things brought such a big smile to her face. Speaking of smile..
Khushi was currently smiling widely as she spoke with his jijaji who was recalling some moments of his office party. Khushi leaned back into NK who was gesturing wildly with his hands, joking around. Arnav sat there rigidly, trying to down the feeling of unease. How did she manage to mix with everyone in his family so easily?
After realizing that his presence wasn't really needed, he decided to slip back to his room to get some work done. Work that he'd neglected for the night because of that girl. He stood up to leave but turned back. He didn't like the thought of being away while she joked around with that oaf.
"Khushi" his husky voice was enough for Khushi to shiver and look at him with wide eyes. How did he say her name so.. so silkily?
"Ye.. Yes?" She sat up a little straighter. "I promised your buaji I would send you home myself" He declared, watching as she looked flustered. Hmm, so he did have some sort of effect on her, then? "And we have an early meeting tomorrow" He continued.
Khushi frowned. He hadn't mentioned anything about a meeting, and his calendar had been free for the morning. "What do you say we leave in about fifteen minutes?" He asked it as a question, but there was no mistaking it. It was an order. He ignored his family members who looked between them back and forth. Clearly they were wondering since when their Chotte asked questions. He only ever demanded.
Khushi looked at the clock, willing for time to go real slow for the next fifteen minutes. She looked back at him and nodded like an obedient child. Satisfied, he spun on his heels and left.
Fifteen minutes would be enough for him to reign in his irritation at being ignored by her. And to ignore the picture of her sitting and laughing and having fun with her Nanheji.
Fifteen minutes would be enough for her to gather herself and spend some alone time with her moody boss.
Wouldn't it?
She jumped. "Khushi" Arnav called out in a manner that had her shivering to her bones. What was wrong with her? He'd said her name before, and that had never had this effect on her. Maybe it was the sweets. She was too high on the sugar.
She smiled at Nanheji and Shyamji till her jaws hurt and then turned to hug her new friend, Anjaliji. "Khushiji, you will have to visit us soon again. I feel like I've known you since forever!" Anjali gushed. Khushi nodded, her mind racing with thoughts. She wanted to visit too.. maybe she would when her boss was far, far away.
She took her blessings from Naniji who pulled her in for a hug too. "Chotte, you bring this fine lady back for dinner again." She ordered. ASR stared at his nani who stared right back at him. What? Afterall she was a Raizada too.
Arnav grit his teeth when he saw NK try to shake her hand when she put them together and folded her hands in front of him. He looked at her, confused. "Khushiji, I am not a temple. You don't have to worship me" He informed her and she laughed. Arnav rolled his eyes.
Shyam put an arm around her shoulders. "Khushiji, it was delightful to have your company this evening. Saale Sahab did a good job selecting you to work for him" Shyam looked at Arnav who was busy inspecting his shoes. Shyam's tone was clear. He too was amazed at how Arnav hired someone like Khushiji.
Khushi squealed and hugged Laxmi who struggled in her tight grip. Khushi pulled back and patted her head. "Good goat" Laxmi snorted. The obvious was being stated.
After saying goodbye to Mami and Mamaji, Khushi took small steps to join her boss who was patiently waiting for her at the door. This is silly, she told herself. There was nothing to be nervous about. Right?
"Khushi" Arnav prompted her. Khushi clutched onto her bag and walked to him. She turned back and waved at him, looking at them almost pleadingly as if wanting someone to stop her from going with him. She shook her head and smiled at Arnav nervously.
The walk to the car was silent, only their footsteps making sounds in the windy night. She peeked at him. She hoped he couldn't hear her pounding heartbeat. She looked down to her heart. If it kept going this way, she would die way too young. "Oompf" She collided with him and froze for a second when she felt his warm hands snake around her tiny waist.
He told himself that it was to steady her, but as his hands snaked around her waist and his chest tightened, he wasn't so sure that that was the reason he was still holding her so close when she was no longer colliding with him.
"Are you okay?" His warm, sweet breath tingled the stray hair covering her face. Her gaze shot up to his. Was she okay? No, she was not. Because if she were okay, she wouldn't be heaving against his chest. She wouldn't be secretly enjoying his hold on her. She wouldn't..
Trying to escape the sudden tense situation, she took a step back, forcing his hands to leave her waist. "The question should be if you are okay" She blurted out. He merely looked at her curiously, not having missed the obvious signs of her reaction to his close proximity. So little miss crazy, innocent and feisty Khushi Kumari Gupta was attracted to him? Now that just made this evening so much more interesting.
"Why do you think I'm not okay, Khushi?" He cocked his head to the side, watching her. She felt unnerved by the way he was looking at her. Almost as if he could read her thoughts. Hey Devi Maiyya, how did she end up in this position? "You kept staring at me during dinner. All the way. Why?" She put her hands on her hips, mentally noting the difference when he'd held her. She'd felt warm then. Now, not so much. So she let her hands fall to her sides.
His lips stretched a little, as if having read her mind. "Is there a problem if I look, no, stare at you?" He asked her softly. Then he frowned. "I didn't think you would notice, given how you were having so much fun with your Nanheji" He tried not to sip out NK's new nickname.
"Am I a painting to be stared at? A movie to be watched so closely? Am I you business files?" She fired questions at him while wriggling her eyebrows. He squinted at her. "Yes. I have seen the way you look at your files. It is as if you are going to eat them up soon. Arnavji, you need to relax. It's just work!" She advised him and looked back at the house.
"You have such a wonderful family. Spend more time with them!" She scolded him. She had noticed the way Anjali had looked at her brother hopefully when he'd joined them in the hall after dinner. It felt as if his family members needed appointments to see him.
Arnav sighed and shook his head. He normally didn't allow anyone to talk to him about his family since they knew nothing about him, but Khushi did just spend the evening with him and his family. Plus, he had gotten used to her craziness by now. She always did love jumping from one topic to the other.
"And my Nanheji?" Khushi huffed. Ah, Arnav thought. Now she was back to the point. "Is he a property to be mine? Is he that necklace that I wanted to get? No, he is not. So he is not mine. Understand?" She lectured him. There was definitely something in those sweets. By now he should've yelled and kicked her out. Instead, he found himself opening the door of the car for her.
Khushi gaped at him. Did he have nothing to say to her? She spoke for so long.. was he deaf? "Get in, Khushi" Was all he said as he waited for her by the car with a bored expression. Khushi exhaled, the puff of air blowing her fringe away from her face. She tried stomping her way to the car, but she didn't think that would score her any points. So she gracefully walked to the car and slid in.
The ride home was mostly quiet. She tried not to notice the ease with which he drove his huge car. She looked around the interiors. The SUV was spacious, precise and felt really comfortable to sit in. She shook her backside on the chair and giggled slightly. Even her bed wasn't this soft and comfy!
She gave him the directions to her house. They arrived sooner than he wanted to. She took a deep breath. At the end of the day, he was still her boss. She had to remember that. "Thank you for the ride home, Arnavji. " She said sincerely. "And I hope you liked the sweets." She waited for his response.
But he just sat there looking at her thoughtfully. She waved her hand in front of him. Was he sleeping with his eyes open? Her neighbor, Paro, slept that way.
"Khushi, which necklace did you want?" He asked abruptly. Her jaw fell. What?
"Before" he said impatiently. "You said you wanted a necklace. Which means you haven't gotten it yet. Which one did you want? From where?"
Khushi titled her head. Was he planning to start a jewelry business? "From the shop near my house" She looked out the window and indicated to the shop a few meters away. "They have this really pretty white star necklace" She informed him, not knowing why she was telling him this.
Arnav nodded thoughtfully. And then he slipped his mask back on. "Do you want me to carry you into your house?" He drawled. She frowned at him. Huh? "You should leave" he added. She scowled at him. One of these days she would have to book an appointment with a doctor. His bipolar disorder would drive her crazy.
"See you tomorrow" She turned to leave. But then she remembered him saying something about a meeting. "What meeting do we have tomorrow in the morning? The last time I checked, your calendar was clear" She recalled.
Arnav shrugged. "My mistake. There's no meeting. Goodnight, Khushi" He watched as she looked at him suspiciously before hopping off his high SUV and shutting the door.
He drove away, smirking slightly. He couldn't possibly tell her he made up a meeting to make her leave early and keep her away from NK, could he?
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