Raj wasn’t done. “I’d like nothing more than for you to punch me right now so I can return the favor, but I care about Meera and for some unfathomable reason, she cares about you.”
“Loves me.”
“Excuse me?”
“Meera doesn’t just care for me—she loves me, and I love her.”
Raj’s nostrils flared. Jake noted the tightness in the other man’s jaw with satisfaction. Jake lifted his cup, daring him to make the first move.
“You’ve known Meera for four weeks. I’ve known her for nearly twenty years and loved her just as long. She will come to her senses in London, I’ll make sure of it, because I’m not letting her go.”
“You don’t know the real Meera and never will,” Jake muttered. But Raj was long gone, taking Meera with him.
CHAPTER THIRTY
JAKE WAS IN the rocking chair on his balcony. He wasn’t sure how long he had been sitting there, but the sun was coming up. For the first time in years, he wasn’t in the kitchen making breakfast and barking out orders. His hands knew what he expected; if not, Kelly would whip them into shape. He was giving Kelly light duty, organizing stuff, so she wouldn’t have to do any heavy lifting or earn too much to lose her medical assistance. It was freeing to let her handle some of the responsibility that kept him weighed down, and Kelly was good at it.
He watched the light in Meera’s bedroom come on and imagined her packing up all the clothes Lily had made her, taking her time in Hell’s Bells as a souvenir. Then the light in the room Raj was using came on. Jake wanted to throw up. He knew they’d slept in separate rooms, yet the thought of them sharing the little house... His shotgun was in the closet; he probably had a clear shot at Raj’s window.
That was probably how Raj felt about him, too. He had spent the night oscillating between imagining ways to punch Raj without offending Meera and feeling sorry for the guy. The man had known Meera for two decades. If Jake felt the way he did after just one month, Raj must be in bad shape. And what right did Jake have to steal Meera away from him? Who was he to say she was better off with him? Based on the way the two of them had delivered baby Lucas, it was obvious Raj and Meera were a team. They had history, and that had to count for something. And what did he have? A failing ranch and a broken heart.
He watched them come outside, suitcases in hand. She held the same suitcase she had shown up with a month ago. The one he had carried to the cottage while she struggled to keep up with him in those ridiculous shoes, which she was wearing now, along with a severe dress. His heart ached for the Meera who was already gone.
Jake went to the railing so he could see her more clearly. She looked up and met his gaze. She held up an envelope and slipped back into the cottage. When she came out again, she mouthed, “I love you” and got into her car. She and Raj had separate rentals.
He should have driven her, he should have dropped her at the airport and kissed her with everything he had. Even if she didn’t come back, he wanted her to know what she was leaving behind.
He whipped around and tore through his room, taking the stairs two at a time. He burst through the front door and watched the dust as their cars left the driveway.
He grabbed the keys to his truck and slammed the door. He put the key in the engine and turned the ignition. The engine coughed. “Aaarrghh.” The truck had been giving him a hard time all week, but it picked this moment to die on him. He tried a few more times, then gave up. It was just as well; perhaps it was one of those signs Meera believed in, a metaphor for what he couldn’t offer her.
He walked to the cottage, his bare feet protesting as the gravel cut into his soles. Her scent immediately overwhelmed him. The entire cottage smelled of lavender and vanilla. He saw the envelope sitting on the coffee table along with the keys to the cottage. He picked it up and walked into her room. The bed was neatly made. The closet door was open, and all the clothes Lily had made were hanging tidily, even the pink maid-of-honor dress. He touched the material and pressed his face against it. His throat tightened.
Have you left my Meera behind, or is this a promise you’ll be back?
He felt the letter in his hands and tore it open. It was just a few words.
“Have faith that I’ll find my way back to you.”
He punched the closet door, scraping his knuckles. “Don’t lie to me, Meera. I’ve already lost you.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
MEERA WAS EXHAUSTED. The flight was uneventful, and much to her chagrin, Raj had insisted on upgrading their tickets to first class. She tried to argue that it was an unnecessary luxury but relented when she realized it also meant she wouldn’t be sitting next to him. The seats reclined into beds and were in individual “pods” to provide a sense of privacy. Privacy she used well to draft an email to Jake. She told him she missed him and attached all the files she had put together for the dude ranch. Kelly had cornered her at the party last night to tell her that the financial situation was really bad and that if Jake didn’t “get his head out of his you-know-what,” he would lose everything.
Meera knew what the ranch meant to him. In her email, she laid out a plan where he could keep a good portion of his cattle operation. She should have included it in the first version of her presentation, but at the time, she had rationalized it as a bad business decision.
They landed at London Heathrow. Raj weaved her through the immigration and customs lines. Although the first-class line was considerably shorter, it was still a slow process. She fidgeted with the handle of her purse and studied the people in line with her. A cowboy hat caught her eye, and her pulse quickened. She averted her gaze; no matter how much she looked, Jake wouldn’t magically appear.
Had she let Raj guilt her into letting him stay in Hell’s Bells? Maybe she should have sent him back and spent the last few days with Jake, then come home on her own terms.
She had been up half the night trying to figure out what to write in the note she’d left him. In the end, she’d kept it simple, hoping he understood that she left her Hell’s Bells clothes in the closet because she planned to return—without the persona of London Meera.
She knew it wouldn’t be easy to face her parents, but she needed to be strong, to draw on Jake’s strength so she could stand up to them. Surely, they would support her happiness.
They cleared customs and collected their luggage. As they exited the baggage area, Meera searched the crowds for her parents. She couldn’t wait to see them; this had been her longest trip away from them. Although time had flown in Hell’s Bells, it seemed like a lifetime ago that her father had seen her off in this very terminal.
“There he is.”
Meera turned to see Raj pointing to their family chauffeur. Her heart sank. Her father must be busy seeing patients, and her mother was probably at one of her charity events.
As they drove to her house, Meera stared out the window. She loved London, but now it seemed overly crowded, traffic clogged, gray and cold. She missed the scenery along the country roads, the warmth of the air, the brightness of the sun. A light rain began to fall as they pulled into her driveway. Her parents owned a large, modern house right outside the city. Meera was surprised when Raj exited the car and took the umbrella from the chauffeur to hold it out for her. “Don’t you want to go back to your place?”
He shook his head. “Your parents are waiting inside. We thought it best to talk first.”
“We? Why wasn’t I consulted in this we discussion?”
“Because you haven’t been yourself, Meera, and your parents and I felt it best to talk to you as soon as you got home.”
Meera pursed her lips. The new butler, whom she hadn’t met, greeted them at the front door and led them to the drawing room. Meera thought about walking through the front door at the ranch every morning, the sounds of everyone talking in the kitchen, the creaks of the
wood floor. Her house was blanketed in silence, the lush rugs smoothing the tap of her heels.
Her mother stood when they walked in. “Meera, it’s so lovely to see you, dear.” She held out her arms, and Meera went to her, eager to feel the warmth of her mother’s love. She hugged her tightly, the way the people of Hell’s Bells had held her when she left. “Careful, darling, the suit is crepe.”
Meera stepped back. “Come here, Meera, my suit’s already wrinkled.” Meera looked fondly at her father and embraced him. He held her close, and she choked back tears. “It’s good to have you home, child.”
“Mrs. Cooley made your favorite cookies and Darjeeling tea.”
“I’m glad you haven’t fired her,” Meera quipped, attempting light humor as she sat down. She and her father often placed private bets on how long her mother would tolerate a new servant before letting them go.
Her mother poured tea and added just the right amount of milk and sugar to Meera’s drink. She handed the cup and saucer to Meera with a cookie, then served everyone else from a matching teapot. Meera thought about her favorite mug in Jake’s kitchen, the one with the chipped rim. She ran her finger over the smooth surface of her mother’s fine china.
“So, Meera,” her mother said. “Raj called us earlier. He was quite concerned that you’ve gone off the deep end, as the Americans like to say. What is this I hear about wanting to break off the engagement?”
Meera flashed her eyes at Raj, who stared back blandly. “Mum, that was a private conversation between me and Raj.”
Her mother gestured dismissively. “Nonsense. Raj is a part of this family, and your marriage is a family decision. You can’t just break it off without talking it over with us. He’s already started taking over your father’s practice, you’re both leasing the laboratory together, his mother and I are chairing several charities together—we’re all one big family. Any decision you make affects us all.”
Meera swallowed against the lump in her throat. She wanted nothing more than to retreat to her room and spend the next several days in bed. She hadn’t slept well since Raj had moved into her little cottage. Like I have a right to claim that place as my own.
She looked her mother in the eyes. “Mum, Pitaji, I planned to tell you myself...but it appears I wasn’t accorded that courtesy...” She glared at Raj.
He shook his head. “All I’ve told them is that the engagement may be off—the rest is up to you.” May be? There is no ambiguity about it. It’s off!
“Is there something more?” Her father leaned forward.
Meera’s mouth was dry, so she took a sip of her tea. The hot liquid burned her throat. Might as well get this over with. “I’ve fallen in love with someone else.”
Silence hung thickly in the air. Her mother took several sips of tea. Her father watched them all carefully.
“And who is this man that you’ve been taken with?” Her mother’s voice was matter-of-fact.
“Jake Taylor. He owns the ranch that I stayed at in Hell’s Bells.”
“I see, an American. And what kind of rancher is he?”
“One who raises cattle for meat.”
Meera glowered at Raj, silently warning him to stay out of it.
Her mother made a strangled sound. “Meera, you can’t possibly be serious. You want to cancel your wedding with Raj so you can marry some redneck? Have you also started eating beef?” Her mother’s voice dripped with disappointment and disbelief.
Meera felt her heart snap into pieces. This was not how she’d planned the conversation.
“Of course not! I mean, I haven’t started eating beef.” Meera took a breath. “And he’s more than a cattle rancher, he is quite intelligent, he...”
“Really? Did he go to a top medical school to become a doctor? Will he help you complete the research you’ve been working on for years, help you win a Nobel Prize?”
Meera rubbed her temples.
“Mother, you’re talking about a perfect business partner, not about love.” She looked to her father to see if he would back her up, but he was staring at the carpet.
“Right you are, Meera. Love is what you enjoy when you’re young. It’s based on hormones and emotions that fade with time. Marriage is about finding a perfect mate, one who complements you, helps you navigate life, makes sure you achieve your goals. Someone who you can spend the rest of your life with in harmony. A man who will be part of this family. Tell me, do you see this Jake character sitting in this room having tea with us?”
Meera studied her mother’s high-end Italian furniture. Cream-colored sofas and chairs. She thought of Jake’s cowboy hat and muddy boots. No, she couldn’t see him here, but nor could she picture her perfectly coiffed mother in his warm kitchen, with his ranch hands around the table slapping each other on the back. She had an urge to laugh hysterically.
With considerable effort, Meera kept her composure and simply shook her head.
“Well, it’s settled then—you’re home and back to yourself. Let’s put this nonsense aside. Thank goodness for Raj—had it been someone else, he may have taken offense. I hope you’ll find some way to thank him.”
Her mother stood up, smoothing her immaculate suit. An image of the closet full of clothes she’d left behind flashed through her mind.
“What if I don’t fit in here, Mum?”
Her mother’s eyes cut to her. “Meera, we didn’t pluck you out of that rat hole in India to have you go back to an impoverished life. We raised you, loved you and gave you everything under the sun to make you into the accomplished young lady you are today. This is where we’ve raised you to belong. Please don’t insult our sacrifice by going back to the very life we saved you from.” The last words were delivered with ice-cold precision.
A tense silence shrouded the room. Her father cleared his throat and excused himself. Her mother soon followed him. Meera looked at Raj, but he wouldn’t meet her eyes.
“This may not have been the best idea,” he muttered and left.
Meera stared at her cup of tea, wondering whether Jake was right. Was she repaying a never-ending debt to her parents?
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
“YOU’VE MADE EXCELLENT PROGRESS.” Meera handed the sheets of data back to her research assistant.
“Well, Dr. Sharma came by once a week to answer my questions. It was very helpful.”
Meera gave him a thin smile. She should be thankful to Raj for picking up the slack, but she only felt irritated at him. She was the lead on the project until they got to the pediatric component; he should have called and consulted her. He did call, several times, and you wouldn’t talk to him. She should have checked in with the lab more frequently while she was in America; instead she’d been distracted by Jake.
She took a good look at the lab. She and Raj had started it together; they had state-of-the-art equipment and three talented assistants. She had received a prestigious award that had enabled her to compete for funding to lease the space. The work she could do here once she got her research degree... She thought about the little town of Hell’s Bells. She could never complete her research there. She understood why Jake couldn’t give up the ranch, but was it fair to ask her to give up all this? Forget his life in Hell’s Bells, he wasn’t even willing to stop cattle ranching. Yet he expected her to sacrifice everything she had worked for. She squeezed her eyes shut.
“Dr. Malhotra, are you okay?”
She nodded. “Great work, carry on. I’ll be back tomorrow, and we can run those tests we talked about.”
She had been in London for a week. Next week was the engagement party, and the wedding festivities would follow soon after. Her mother had planned fourteen days of celebration. She had barely seen Raj since the disastrous conversation over tea, and her mother refused to talk to her unless it related to wedding planning. It was all going
so fast. She just needed a moment to think, to come up with a plan.
Jake replied to her lengthy email with one sentence asking her when she was coming back. How was she supposed to respond? She called to check on Lily, who asked her the same question and didn’t want to talk about anything else.
Hell’s Bells seemed like another life. She texted Gloria and Rose, both of whom were equally single-minded in their responses. Even Dr. Harper’s email simply asked whether he should get her name put on the plaque for the front door.
She sighed and stood up. Today was her first day at her father’s medical center, and she was expected there soon. It would be good to talk to him alone at the practice. Maybe Raj, too. If she could reason with her father and Raj separately, then she could figure out how to approach her mother. Even if she didn’t go back to Hell’s Bells, she knew she couldn’t marry Raj.
She drove on autopilot, relieved to be back on the right side of the road. She pulled into her reserved parking spot and surveyed the large glass building. It was five stories high and bore a prominent sign that said Malhotra Medical. This was the headquarters that housed the senior doctors. Her father also owned several outlying clinics.
She had time before the first appointment, so she took the elevators to her father’s office. Several staff members greeted her with, “Good morning, Dr. Malhotra.” She almost corrected them to call her Dr. M.
When she entered, her father looked up and smiled widely. He had a corner office with a spectacular view of the Thames. While in medical school, she would sit in his office for hours, studying in tranquility.
“Welcome, Meera, so glad you made it a bit early. This is a most exciting day.” He put his arm around her. “Come, I have a surprise for you.”
“Actually, I need to talk to you.”
“That can wait. First I have to show you something.”
He led her to the end of the hall, and Meera frowned. It looked different; there were supposed to be examining rooms in this area.
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