First Comes Like (Modern Love #3) - Alisha Rai Page 0,77

briskly, taking the phone from Chandu. “You lied to me.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Hello, Aji.”

The soft murmurs went silent behind him. He glanced around to find Jia watching with a furrowed brow. She must have realized who he was talking to.

“You have your grandfather’s blood in you after all, running around and having affairs.”

He turned away from Jia again. “That is not what is happening.”

“Oh? I read those texts. You are lucky Chandu thought quick and de-escalated the situation.”

“He didn’t de-escalate anything. I am engaged—”

“And not seducing some American sweetheart, ruining her reputation. You should thank him. I don’t see why this is such an issue. If these messages are to be believed, you have feelings for this girl.”

He opened his mouth, then closed it again. Damn it all. That bloody Arjun. If Dev said he hadn’t sent those messages, then his grandmother—or the world—would ask who did. Then he’d have to explain about Arjun.

Shweta doted on Arjun as much as she could dote on anyone, but Dev didn’t care about tanking that relationship. Oh no, he was concerned about spreading the news that Arjun had catfished Jia. He didn’t think she was a fool, but she hadn’t liked that he’d told Adil Uncle, he could tell. He couldn’t allow anyone to make her feel bad.

He hesitated a second too long, because his grandmother hmphed. “I knew it. I will not tolerate you seducing your way through another country. We have our name to consider.”

A stab of irritation hit Dev, but he shoved it down. Like their name wasn’t the only thing that was constantly considered. “I never seduced my way through the first one,” he pointed out.

“Which is why I’m surprised that it’s you I have to be having this talk with. In any case, this is all for the best. It’s time you settle down, you have the will to consider, and Chandu tells me this girl has a career, which means she is hopefully not chasing you for the money. Of course, I’ll give my final approval after I meet her. If she’s not acceptable, well, a broken engagement will still be better than an affair.”

Oh no. “What are you talking about?”

“I am coming there. I want to see you, and you will bring this girl to me.”

He stiffened. “There is no need for that, Aji.”

“There is every need.”

Dev’s eye twitched. He dropped his voice. “This isn’t seriously going to happen.” He meant the engagement, but he also meant his grandmother dropping into their lives.

“You will not change my mind. I’ve already chartered a plane and had the servants air out the Malibu house.”

He looked out toward the slice of the ocean he could see from Jia’s living room. “What Malibu house?”

“The one I rented.”

Dev massaged his temples. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“Would you rather I stay in a hotel room when I visit? Like a peasant? Expect to see me there in three days. That’s as soon as I can get away. You will bring the girl, and her parents if possible. They’ll know of me, of course, but they should get to know me properly.”

She said that like anyone would come running to see her if he merely said her name, and she wasn’t totally wrong. Jia’s parents no doubt grew up on Shweta Dixit movies.

The offhand way she referred to Jia set Dev’s back teeth on edge. “Her name is Jia, and I’d rather you not come—”

“Dev.”

The single word silenced him. He wasn’t hungry for his grandmother’s approval like his brother and cousin, but his mother had drummed a strong sense of respect toward his elders into his head. It was hard to counter that programming, even when his grandmother was being objectively ridiculous.

“Unless you can give me one good reason why your own grandmother should not meet the girl her grandson is serious enough about to send her passionate love notes, I will be there soon.”

He was silent. No, damn it, he couldn’t give her a reason, because it’s all fake even though I wish it wasn’t wasn’t a good reason. Or at least, not a reason he wanted to divulge to his grandmother.

“Goodbye,” Shweta said. The phone line cut. How on earth was he going to tell Jia about this?

He turned around slowly and spread his hands in front of him. “So.”

“I didn’t understand the language, but going by your tone, that did not sound good.” The beautiful Black woman sitting next to Jia leaned forward. This was