‘Good idea.’ She slipped her arms around his waist. ‘Today should be all about lazy.’
‘I agree.’
They ate at the table next to the vast window that looked out over New Orleans, and Cosima told him about her concerns they might be living too close to work. She grinned while she was telling him but he nodded. ‘Hey, I’ve been wondering about that too. Sweetheart, we talked about San Francisco a while back…what are your feelings on it now?’
Cosima took a bite of her bagel as she considered. ‘As long as my wretched mother isn’t still there,’ she joked but then nodded. ‘I like the idea that we can go anywhere, anytime now and I really would like to see where you grew up. And meet Margaret of course. Do you have any real family left?’
‘A couple of cousins. One’s in the music business; the other lives in Lima. You might meet Dash, though, he’s a riot.’
‘And you’ve already met all of my family. I wish you could have met my dad.’
‘And I wish you could have met Mason. My brother would have adored you.’
She nudged his shoulder with her own. ‘I guess, if we want a bigger family, we’re going to have to make our own.’ She realized what she said and colored. ‘Not that I mean…’
‘It’s something we should talk about,’ Arlo said evenly. ‘There’s nothing I’d like better than to have kids with you but I get the sense your career comes first.’
She nodded. ‘I’m not ready for them yet, that’s a definite. But yeah, maybe, eventually.’
‘And of course, there’s the little matter of you marrying me.’
She grinned. ‘I remember what you said to me the day you came to New Orleans.’
‘That I was one hundred percent sure I was going to marry you?’
She nodded and laughed. ‘So cocky.’
Arlo grinned. ‘And yet so right. So, tell me, Cosima Malhotra, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?’
***
Harpa was lost in thought as they drove back to the hotel that afternoon. Lunch had been a pleasant affair, but the conversation was mostly led by Mikah talking to Iqbal about the art that hung on his walls. Harpa was grateful – yet again – for her lover’s understanding and patience. Really there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for her, she realized. Oh, how much I love you, she thought now, looking at his handsome face, his ear-splitting smile as he chatted easily to Naveen. Her brother. She giggled, and the two men looked at her.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said, ‘I think it just hit me. I have a brother as well as a sister.’
Naveen checked her cheek with his finger. ‘You do. It’s weird for me too, given our mutual family histories. So much blood and anger.’
Harpa nodded. ‘But we can start to make up for it.’
‘I’ll drink to that.’
Back at the hotel, Harpa and Mikah arranged to meet Nav later for drinks, but as they headed back up to the room, Mikah turned to her. ‘When we get back to the room, there’s something I want you to do before we take a nap…or whatever we decide to do. He grinned wickedly, but his eyes were serious.
‘What’s that?’
‘Your mother isn’t the only one who can give interviews. Last night, at the opening, your sister gave a pretty lengthy interview to a journalist, and it’s something else. Something special. You need to read it.’
In the room, he handed her his iPad, and she sat, a lump already forming in her throat. First, she looked at the pictures; Cosima looking radiant, her dark red dress hugging her curves, and the look of surprise when the new hotel name was unveiled. Harpa smiled; it had been so hard not to reveal the secret that Arlo had confided in her. She remembered that conversation clearly.
‘I’m worried she’ll think it’s cheesy,’ he had told her, and Harpa had laughed.
‘It is cheesy, but the good kind. You, Arlo, are not cheesy and so Cos won’t suspect a thing. And it is a beautiful name and a lovely tribute.’
Harpa flicked to the interview – at first, it was just about the hotel, but then the interviewer got personal…
‘So, obviously, we have to talk about your mother’s interview…did you have any idea she would say the things she did?’
Cosima smiles at me, and I’m struck by the friendly manner with which she approaches a difficult subject. ‘To be honest,’ she says, without a hint of malice, ‘I’m kind of used to my mother being vitriolic. The things she said about me? I could not care less. The people who know me, the people I love know who I am. No-one else’s opinion matters to me. What I cannot forgive is what she did to my beloved sister. What decent person does that?
‘Have you spoken to your sister about it?’
She looks away from me and hesitates. ‘Yes. She’s hurt. Upset. Wouldn’t you be?’
‘What would you say to her if she was here, right now?’
Cosima Malhotra looks me steadily in the eye. ‘I would tell her: Blood isn’t a bond, love is a bond.’
Harpa’s eyes spilled over with tears, and she began to sob, all the tension of the past days flooding out. Mikah said nothing, just took the iPad from her and wrapped his arms around her.
‘Is now an appropriate time, Harpa Malhotra, to tell you that I love you?’
Laughing and crying, she looked up into his eyes. ‘Yes…I love you, Mikah Ray, so, so much.’
He kissed her, wiped his big thumbs over her cheeks to catch the tears. ‘Well, good then,’ he grinned. ‘Now, go call your sister.’
***
Cosima blinked and suddenly flushed. ‘Oh…you’re really asking?’
Arlo laughed. ‘I never wanted to do the one-knee thing; it’s so dated. I thought I might just ask and catch you off guard. The odds are in my favor that way.’
She laughed. ‘Well, in that case…I’ll think about it.’ Arlo groaned, going along with her joke. She leaned in and kissed him. ‘Oh, alright, if I must.’
He grabbed her and started to tickle her mercilessly. ‘I’m going to buy you the biggest, tackiest gumball ring in the world.’
Cosima giggled. ‘Is there such a thing as an engagement cock-ring? Because I think you should have one of those.’
Arlo laughed and pulled her onto the floor, and they rolled around play-wrestling. Finally, laughing too hard to continue, he looked down at her. ‘We’re engaged.’
Cosima grinned. ‘Yes, we are. How grown-up of us.’
He caught her mouth with his, tasting her sweet lips, caressing her tongue with his own. ‘I think we need to celebrate.’
‘I wonder how?’
‘I wonder…’ He got to his feet and pulled her up. ‘Have we fucked in every room yet?’
‘I think we have, but maybe we should start another circuit.’
‘Good idea. Oh darn it,’ Arlo sulked as her cell phone buzzed. Cosima looked at the i.d. then up at him.
‘It’s Harpa,’ she suddenly looked nervous but answered the call anyway. ‘Hey, Bubba, how are you?’
She listened as Harpa spoke, her eyes widening. ‘Really? That’s….I’m not sure how to feel about that, but it’s not my….no….no, of course not. When are you…? Okay. Okay. No, of course, we’ll come to you, I’ll check with Arlo, but I’m sure…yeah.’ She smiled suddenly, a bright beam of light on her face. ‘Okay, honey. I love you. See you soon.’
She ended the call and put her phone down, sighing. ‘So, Harpa…is in India.’
Arlo goggled at her. ‘What?’
Cosima laughed, shaking her head. ‘You are never going to believe what I have to tell you.’
***
A month later…
‘So the question remains,’ Harpa said, spooning the last of her gelato into her mouth as she and Cosima sat at the little table on the terrace. ‘To meringue or not meringue.’
Cosima grinned. She and Arlo had been here in San Francisco for two weeks and she’d finally been able to spend some time with a vacationing Harpa and the two of them were having a ball, hitting every tourist trap in the city.
‘Definitely not meringue and it’s way too early to think about that. We haven’t set a date yet.’
Harpa shrugged. ‘Why wait? You and Arlo are practically married already.’
Cosima rolled her eyes. ‘Cool your boots, Harp. Let’s talk about what you’re wearing tonight.’
Harpa smiled shyly. ‘I have a beautiful sari that Iqbal sent me. Orange and gold. I think I might wear that.’
Cosima sighed. ‘Lovely…you know, I think it’s great you’re communicating with him. It makes me hopeful for the future.’
‘Our dad will always be our dad,’ Harpa said hurriedly, and Cosima patted her hand.
‘I know. But it can’t hurt.’
Harpa studied her sister. ‘You’re a very forgiving person, Cos. I wish I were more like that. Like that woman Arlo used to date – she has you attacked, and you go for coffee with her.’ She pulled a face and Cosima laughed.
‘Once, Harp, I went for coffee with her once and only because she’s with Nav now and I know it makes him happy. Anyway, I do have news…we’re going to stay in Frisco a little longer than we said. Tal and Arlo have been talking; we’re opening a west coast office of the company.’
Harpa’s eyes grew wide. ‘Wow. Will you be the boss?’
Cosima grinned. ‘Hell, no, it’s still Tal’s company and can you imagine me, a junior architect, being suddenly promoted above the colleagues who had been with him for years, just because I’m boning the major investor? Instant credibility destruction, no thanks.’
‘So…’ and Harpa grinned wickedly, ‘Arlo’s just your boss in the bedroom?’
‘Hey, you better believe I’m the boss, sis.’
They both laughed then Cosima sighed. ‘Can you believe this year? All that’s happened?’
‘Even for us, it’s been a real doozy.’ Harpa looked out over the Bay and shook her head. ‘Incredible highs and seemingly bottomless lows. The worst was when you were gone. I’ll take Mom being a fucking bitch over and over rather than that again.’
Cosima clinked her glass against her sister’s. ‘Cheers to that.’ She checked her wristwatch. ‘What time do we need to pick up Mikah?’
‘Three…listen, I can do that then take him to our hotel. You go home and get ready, it’s your engagement dinner after all. What are you wearing?’
‘Very pale pink tunic dress. Skirt’s way too short but what the hell?’
That’s what I like to hear. The Malhotra girls slutting it up.’ Harpa chuckled. They both got up and started back towards the car then, abruptly, Harpa stopped her sister and threw her arms around her.
‘Thank you for being so understanding about Iqbal, and Nav, I know he’s delighted that you’re friends again. Not just that, thank you for bringing me up, for making me the person I am.’
Cosima hugged her fiercely. ‘You made you the person you are, Harp.’
***
Arlo had been feeling antsy all day. It wasn’t the party that evening; it wasn’t even the pile of work on his desk. It was just…a feeling. It had started this morning after Cosima had gone to meet Harpa, a sense of, God, just dread. Was it because everything in their lives suddenly seemed settled and happy and right? Was he just being cynical, waiting for the other shoe to drop?
‘Get your head out of your ass,’ he muttered to himself. There was so much to do here, back in his office in San Francisco – it had seemed strange to him to come back here after all those months in New Orleans. Margaret was delighted to have him back, and she and Cosima had immediately gotten along – so much so they would gang up to tease Arlo whenever they could.
He looked up as Margaret came to the door. ‘Just to let you know, Jack Hampton’s plane was delayed so he’ll meet you at the restaurant this evening. Naveen is coming alone – thank God – and Cole and his new wife send their apologies.’
Arlo shrugged. ‘I thought they may not come.’ He’d invited his old friend as a way of beginning to rebuild their friendship after Sabine – he and Cole had met for drinks after work and said their pieces to each other.
‘I wouldn’t take it personally; the baby is due any day,’ Margaret said, sanguine. ‘How’s Cos, is she excited?’
Arlo smiled, his whole body relaxing at her name. ‘Very.’
‘Have you bought that girl a ring yet?’
Arlo chuckled. ‘Believe it or not, she says she doesn’t want one – doesn’t want the appearance of being ‘owned’. God, I love that girl.’
Margaret rolled her eyes. ‘She’s definitely not Sabine.’
‘That she’s not – although she tells me Sabine is a changed woman.’
‘I’ll reserve judgment on that if you don’t mind. Anyway, everything that’s urgent is done…why don’t you go home and enjoy the afternoon?’
He smiled at his friend. ‘You throwing me out?’
‘Yes – and not just because I want to go home and get dressed.’
On the drive back to his apartment, the feeling of dread seeped back into his bones, but he pushed it away. Nothing was wrong, everything was fine.
He forgot all his fears when he saw Cosima, wrapped in a towel, fresh from the shower, her long dark hair hanging in wet strands around her face. Scrubbed clean of make-up, she looked five years younger.
‘What a shame you showered,’ he murmured as he slid his arms around her waist, ‘because I’m about to get you very, very dirty…’
Cosima chuckled as he pulled her towel from her then ran his tongue down her spine. ‘Well, now, that’s a nice idea…oh dear god, Arlo…’
He tumbled her to the carpet and kissed from her throat to her belly. Cosima wriggled with pleasure as he stripped quickly and hitched her legs around his hips and before long, they were moving together in a slow, leisurely motion. Arlo’s thick cock drove into her rhythmically as they kissed, drinking each other in.
Afterward, they showered again and dressed. Arlo wore a dark gray suit that highlighted the salt and pepper hair at his temples, his dark green eyes. Cosima slipped into the pink dress she had bought. It was a loose fit and clouded around her body as she moved. Her caramel-colored legs were shown off by the pale color, and she strapped leather sandals on to complete the look.
‘Gorgeous,’ Arlo approved, and she twirled for him, before kissing him again. ‘You kiss me like that, and we’re going to get all mussed up again.’
Chuckling, Cosima steered him out of the bedroom. ‘Come on, Don Juan, let’s get going.’
At the restaurant, they were greeted by their friends and family and Cosima hugged Jack and Mikah, kissed Harpa. ‘Thank you for being here, it means the world.’
Naveen joined them a little while later. Seated next to Cosima, he leaned over to kiss her cheek.
‘You look radiant, Sima, I’m very happy for you both.’
When Margaret and Tal and Jennifer from her office got there, they ordered wine and food and sat talking. Cosima looked around the table. Everyone I love is here, she thought and sighed happily. Arlo, at the opposite end of the table to her, grinned and mouthed I love you to her. She blew him a kiss and giggled. Jack, on her other side, was talking to Nav and Cosima could see the mistrust still in his eyes. Old habits die hard, she thought.
The food was extraordinary, the wine vintage and flowing and after dinner, Arlo stood to make a toast as the champagne was being poured into flutes and handed around.
‘Friends, thanks for coming tonight to help celebrate with us. It means a great deal to both of us.’ He paused and looked at Cosima. ‘It’s now just over a year that I sat in a restaurant on a tropical island in the Indian Ocean and looked up to see the most beautiful woman I had ever laid eyes on. Not just her obvious physical beauty, something shone – and still shines – from her – warmth, love, brilliance. I was lost the moment I saw her.’
‘Cosima, my life began when I met you. Throughout this year you have been through so much, things that a lesser person would not have survived. You are my heroine, for all time, and I lo
ve you with every cell in my body, every breath in my lungs. Thank you for the honor you bestow by promising to be my wife. I cannot begin to repay your gift, but I’ll happily spend my whole life trying. Friends, please raise a glass to my beautiful fiancé. To Cosima.’
Everyone smiling raised their glasses towards a furiously blushing and tearful Cosima. ‘To Cosima.’
She couldn’t speak, couldn’t express how she felt at that moment. Instead, she got up and went into Arlo’s arms, and they kissed passionately, not caring who was watching. Their friends cheered and laughed.
During coffee, they all switched seats and Cos finally got to sit next to her sister. ‘That sari is heavenly,’ she said, nodding approvingly at the orange silk, decorated with a hand-stitched gold paisley design.
‘Isn’t it? I forgot how much I loved to wear a sari, so comfortable.’ Harpa’s dark hair was piled on her head and decorated with a Matha Patti, a head chain. Cosima smiled.
‘You’ve inspired me…no meringue, I think I want to get married in traditional dress.’
‘Perfect,’ Harpa looked excited. ‘Wow, can I help choose your sari?’
‘Of course, you’re my maid of honor. Listen…I was thinking…do you think if I asked Nav to give me away, he would?’
Harpa’s smile faded. ‘I think he would…but, Cos,’ she lowered her voice, ‘with the history….don’t you think you should ask Jack? After all, he’s been with us for years; he is part of our family.’
Cosima blinked. ‘I hadn’t even thought of that. Gosh, I feel bad now…perhaps that would be better.’
‘Don’t worry about it tonight,’ her sister said, ‘let’s just enjoy this wonderful evening.’
At eleven p.m., they stood to leave. Walking out, Arlo and Cosima linked hands. ‘Did you have a good time, baby?’ She gazed up at him adoringly, and he grinned, brushing his lips against hers.
‘A great time, sweetheart. We should get engaged more often.’
The restaurant led out onto the sidewalk and the night air was cool. Arlo had arranged limousines to take every back to their hotels, and as they said their goodbyes, Cosima hugged Jack.
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