Shell Story
He worked the next 12 hours without taking a break, reviewing every new food & beverage licensing opportunity Cuisine had undertaken in the last 2 years
Oz called multiple times, he texted him back with a "I am going to have to call you back"
He called Chirag at 2
Chirag ended up chatting with him for 28 minutes
Oz made the mistake of letting Ashvin know that when he called at 3
"Are you my friend or his?" Ashvin asked outraged
"Whoaa?" Oz was confused
"I told you already we could meet at the pub after work" Ashvin sulked
"Yeah I know that I have three texts??..." Oz was confused
Ashvin's shoulders slumped "I am just crabby" he mumbled
"Not enough u know what?" Oz giggled
"Why would I tell you?"
"I meant SLEEP" Oz was laughing at him
"Hey I wanted to take her to Andamans.. do u have time share someplace?"
"We went there remember?" Oz jogged his memory by narrating a couple binge drinking stories
"I am thinking of Koh Samui Thailand" Ashvin said staring at his screen
"Wowww" Oz gasped
"I know... right up there with owning my own private jet" Ashvin chuckled
"Its going to set you back a good $20,000 dude" Oz whispered
"I am thinking..." Ashvin mumbled, not so sure
"Go for it... week? two weeks?"
"Not sure how long she will ditch her journals... I might have to set up a lab, in one of the bedrooms" he laughed heartily
"Make sure you dont do what will send u to a Thai prison for two lifetimes" Oz smiled
"Dont say a word... I want it to be a surprise"
"U do know Ive never talked to her dont you? I mean she is unlike the other one... Mallika?"
"She doesnt speak Hindi so she is self conscious"
"Ur Hindi sucks. wonder what she is griping abt" Oz mocked
"So says a Goan Catholic" Ashvin mocked back
"I might actually be her bestie since I speak Konkani" Oz was startled at the discovery
"U very well might"
Ashvin went on to the four seasons resort site and looked at two bedroom with a pool
He picked up his phone and texted her
"have u been to Thailand?" he asked
"The country?" she asked after a half hour
"No..." she said when she decided she sounded like a fool
"I have us booked at a place called Koh Samui" he texted
"Is there beach?" she asked sending him a sea shell
He sent her a conch emoji.. "some" he teased
"Its OK... usually there are many shells even in small beach"
He stared at that response... he realized she was so unlike so many women he knew
She loved her cats, oceans and shells
"There might be "lots" of ME" he texted
"Why?" she asked not getting the flirting
"Trish I meant, you may not get much time to walk the beach" he texted with trembling fingers
"U might want to buy some" he teased
"Nooo buying? I always collect.. everyone makes me think "
"all the shells have a story?" he asked softly
"Means... the best color ones.." she explained
"Not the browns and tans?"
"U want to listen to story?"
"U could tell me a story every night after I make love to you!!" he texted feeling his insides jolt with a fiery ache