“What’s going on?” Sam crouched down to help her.

“My dad’s awake and we rented the function room so everyone could celebrate and go and see him.” She shrugged. “It turned into the usual family chaos.”

Sam gestured to her dripping clothes. “You look like you just took a bath in a bowl of kheer.”

“That is surprisingly accurate.” She brushed a few grains of rice off her shirt. “How’s your girlfriend? Sorry I didn’t stay for an introduction.”

“She’s not my girlfriend. We worked together on a downsizing.”

Layla lifted an eyebrow. “What exactly did you downsize that involved the removal of your pants?”

“Ahem.” Nisha coughed and he glanced up to see her watching them, her eyes wide with curiosity.

“This is my sister, Nisha.” His stomach knotted with the uncomfortable feeling of having his personal life exposed. He rarely talked about his family with his colleagues and friends. John knew about Nisha, but had never met her, and Royce didn’t know he had a family at all. “Layla shares the office with me above The Spice Mill.”

Despite the fact that Layla clearly needed a new set of clothes, she sat down on a nearby bench to talk to Nisha, a small courtesy for a wheelchair user that Sam didn’t often see.

“I’ve always wanted to eat at The Spice Mill,” Nisha said.

“You can have the next-best thing right here.” Layla gestured down the hallway. “We’re having a party to celebrate my father’s recovery. Most of the food is from my parents’ restaurant, with a few little extras from well-meaning relatives, but I can point out which dishes to avoid.” She gestured to her clothes. “And I’m afraid all the kheer is gone.”

Nisha laughed, and they launched into a discussion about food that somehow turned into a discussion about clothes and how Nisha hadn’t gone to the wedding with their parents that afternoon because she didn’t have anything to wear—something she hadn’t shared with Sam. Suddenly plans were being made to take his sister shopping at Layla’s aunt’s store in Sunnyvale, and before he knew it Layla was accompanying his sister down the hall to the party room to make an introduction.

What was going on? Nisha didn’t socialize. She went to rehab and her doctor’s appointments and then she went home. She’d retained a few of her old friendships, but most of her friends had stopped calling when she refused all their invitations.

“Wait.” His head still spinning by the speed of events, he raced after them. “I’m sorry, Nisha. I have a business meeting. I need to take you home.”

“I can take her,” Layla said. “I’ll borrow my mother’s car because my Jeep will be a bit of a challenge for the transfer. It’s no problem.”

Sam frowned. “You know about transfers?”

“My grandmother was in a wheelchair most of her life. She got polio when she was young. We all learned how to help. Nisha will be safe. Trust me.”

How could he not trust her? She had just seen the most private, cherished, and personal part of his life and had embraced it. Instead of just politely greeting Nisha and walking away, she had befriended his sister and welcomed her into her family.

“I’ll be fine, bhaiya.” Nisha smiled. “I want to stay with Layla.”

And in that moment, so did he.

• 13 •

“BACHELOR #5 is Harman Babu . . .” Daisy read from her phone as they dashed up the stairs, late to the office after helping with the lunch crowd in the restaurant. “Age thirty. Manager of Sports World Fitness Club. Professional bodybuilder. I think he’s got two extra soda cans packed into those abs. I just want to lick him all over. Can I have him since you’re getting busy with Sam?”

Layla groaned inwardly, regretting her decision to tell Daisy about the almost-kiss. “It was a mistake. I saved him from a skateboarder, the adrenaline was pumping, things got out of hand, and then Karen showed up . . .”

Daisy snorted a laugh. “Karen. He so doesn’t belong with a Karen.”

“Well, she seemed to think he belonged with her, and he didn’t come after me. I think that made things pretty clear.”

So why couldn’t she stop thinking about how safe she’d felt in his arms, or how warm his breath had been on her lips, or how caring and sweet he’d been with the sister he had never mentioned before? She was looking forward to their weekend shopping trip. Nisha had been great fun and Layla’s family had loved her.

Sam was waiting in reception, all cool and casual like he hadn’t avoided her for five days only to show up at the hospital with a secret sister and disappear again for the rest of the week. “Harman wants us to meet him at his gym. Apparently some recruiters showed up and he’s afraid to leave in case they want to talk to him. He’s okay with me—”

“It’s fine. I don’t need you,” Layla blurted out, trying not to think about their almost-kiss and how stupid she’d been to think it was anything more than a mistake. He hadn’t even tried to explain about Karen when she’d seen him in the hospital.

Sam snorted his disapproval. “I promised to meet all the suitors with you, and I don’t go back on my word, especially when we’re in the middle of a game that I intend to win.”

Her heart sank. Of course. It was still about the game. The almost-kiss clearly meant nothing to him. She was just another Karen.

She glared at him, but it was hard not to notice how gorgeous he looked today. His crisp white shirt was open at the collar, revealing a hint of richly toned skin, and he had rolled up his sleeves, baring tanned forearms lightly dusted with hair. Layla had never thought of a man’s forearms as being particularly sensual, but she couldn’t tear her gaze away when Sam pulled out his phone.

“Let’s get going,” she said. “My Jeep is parked out front.”

“I’ll drive.” Sam held out his hand.

“It’s my car. I’ll drive.”

Sam bristled. “I’m the man.”

“So?”

“The man drives. That’s a man’s job. Just like fixing things, building things, taking out the trash, proposing marriage, mowing the lawn, barbecuing, carrying heavy furniture . . .”

Layla snorted. “Wake up. It’s not the ’50s anymore. No one drives this woman’s Jeep. I can build anything from IKEA without help, and if I ever do find someone I want to marry, I’ll ask the dude myself. However, if you want to take out the trash or fix the leaky faucet in the restroom, knock yourself out.”

“How about Layla takes her Jeep and Sam takes his car and I promise not to tell anyone that you two single-handedly destroyed the environment?” Daisy suggested.