just as she’d suspected and feared. She forced a smile to her lips. “Great. Sounds like—” She paused, looking for the right word.
“Fun?” he suggested, in a thoughtful, quiet murmur she didn’t think she’d heard from him before.
“Hmm, fun,” she agreed, almost spitting out the word before turning away from him, unable to maintain her fake enthusiasm at his proposition any longer. She turned on the hairdryer and dropped her head upside down. If he said anything further she didn’t hear it.
As the blood rushed to her head, she told herself to get a grip. She was here now and had Jumal all to herself. She should enjoy every minute of the next few weeks. No regrets. Life was too short and was meant to be lived. She’d learnt that valuable lesson in life much sooner than most.
A week later they were guests at Mr Ansari’s home. His daughter and new son-in-law were visiting from Italy and it was apparently a cause for celebration. Pip had grabbed a bottle of champagne as a thank-you gift from Jumal’s supply. He hadn’t even thought of taking something and Pip merely shook her head at him and rolled her eyes. She did that a lot.
The company had been welcoming and entertaining and the meal delicious, and he was now enjoying a post-dinner drink with Daniel Vincini, whose family was well known in the cruise line industry.
“So how long have you two been engaged?” Daniel asked, tipping his glass towards him and then Pippa.
Jumal choked slightly and felt the burn of the brandy rage down his throat. He cleared his throat before answering, “Oh, we’re not engaged.”
“Oh sorry, I just assumed—”
“What?” Jumal asked, genuinely interested in what it was that made people think they were a couple.
“Look, I’m sorry, I meant no offence,” Daniel said, holding a palm up.
“No, I’m just interested,” Jumal assured him. “You’re not the first person to assume we’re together. I just wondered what made you think it?”
“Oh,” Daniel said, nodding in understanding. “Well, I guess it’s just the way you look at each other and interact. I mean you’ve barely taken your eyes off her the entire time you’ve been here and, well, I’m newly married so I know,” he added with humour. “Plus you just acted so comfortable with each other over dinner, like when she ground the pepper on your salmon. You didn’t even ask, she just knew—just like a couple would—and my father-in-law mentioned that you were engaged.”
He hadn’t even noticed the pepper. “I stare at her,” Jumal said in a low voice to no one in particular. It was more of a statement than a question.
“It’s not just you,” Daniel quickly clarified before he pointed his glass towards Pippa. “She watches you just as keenly, and especially when she thinks you aren’t looking.”
Interesting.
“So anyway, Jumal—”
Jumal tore his focus away from Pippa and turned his attention back to Daniel, still distracted by the idea that she watched him. “Hmm?”
“I wonder if you’d be open to a new business proposal.”
“Always,” he confirmed, taking a sip from his glass and glancing over to the other side of the room where Pippa and Rana were giggling together. Pippa added a scream of delight and grasped Rana’s arm. The woman was like a chameleon, he thought, she could fit in anywhere with anyone.
Daniel hit his open hand against Jumal’s arm forcing his wandering attention back to the here and now. “Great, let’s meet up soon. I think you and I would work well together. We’re looking to branch out and catch the western European cruise market. Think that might be something you could be interested in—building cruise ships—or are you a military man only?”
Jumal thinned his lips and nodded slowly. “Could be just the diversity I’m looking for.”
Pippa and Rana made their way over to them. “Here try this,” Pip offered, holding up a small dessert treat to his mouth for him to taste. “Good, huh?” she asked, nodding.
“Hmm-hmm,” he agreed and licked his lips where her fingers had lingered for a moment. He spotted her slight blush before she regained her composure.
“Anyway, guess who designed Rana’s wedding dress, Jumal?” she quizzed.
He swallowed the food before pursing his lips. “Erm, no idea,” he said, taking a sip from his glass.
“Only Alix,” she exclaimed excitedly, grabbing hold of his forearm. “She flew into London to meet up with him and have him design it for her. Isn’t that amazing? Such a coincidence.”
Pippa went on to explain to Rana and Daniel that