Harlequin Desire January 2021--Box Set 1 of 2 Maisey Yates (sad books to read .txt) 📖

his business, clearly trying to ease the tension around the dinner table. At some point, Sameer and Karishma deftly moved the conversation to easy topics like movies and politics. Without thinking, they slipped between English and Hindi as they spoke, Divya included. When they weren’t grilling him, the family had an easy way with each other, and he had to keep himself from staring at the beautiful smile on Divya’s face when she looked affectionately around the table.

At one point, Naina asked him a question, and he had no idea she was speaking to him. Divya elbowed him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that.”

Naina smacked her head. “Sorry, Ethan, we don’t even realize when we’re speaking Hinglish.”

He smiled gamely. He was used to being the odd man out, the one who didn’t fit in. He took another bite of chicken. It burned his throat, and the whiskey soured his stomach.

“You haven’t eaten much, Ethan. The food not to your liking?” Divya’s mother asked.

He knew it was irrational, but he could swear she could read his mind. “The food is great. I’m just enjoying the conversation.”

She scoffed. “A conversation you only half understand, just like this family. You’ve only seen one side of Divya.”

Anger surged through him. It was one thing to question his motives but another to insult him. He turned to Divya, expecting her to stand up for him, to say something to her parents, but she resolutely avoided meeting his gaze. A familiar ache settled into his chest. Divya didn’t know it right now, but she was going to reject him, just like all the other women in his life.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

“Let’s have dessert in the kitchen,” Rani suggested. Divya shot her sister-in-law a grateful look. It hadn’t been easy for Rani to fit into the family, but she’d found a way to take control of her house. It would eventually be okay with Ethan too. Wouldn’t it?

The kitchen island was far more informal than the dining room table and it would help Ethan relax. She’d felt the tension in his muscles all through dinner. She’d tried to warn him about how difficult her parents could be, had told him how to handle things. But he was ignoring her advice. Did he want to sabotage this dinner?

It was a large island with several counter chairs. Rani excused herself to put the baby to sleep. The staff served chai, coffee and kheer, an Indian rice pudding that Ethan seemed to enjoy. Divya made a point to keep the conversation in English. She hadn’t realized just how much they spoke in Hindi. Sameer made a gallant effort to keep the conversation on neutral topics. It felt stilted, as it had at dinner. Divya thought about Gauri’s comments about her American sister-in-law. Would it always be awkward to have Ethan around her family?

After dinner, Arjun directed Divya and Ethan to the study for a nightcap. From the look on Ethan’s face, he would rather have drunk more whiskey. The study was cozy with book-lined shelves, a couch and two leather chairs around a coffee table.

Ethan and Divya were left alone. She didn’t need to hear what was going on outside the study to know that her siblings were being dismissed and her parents were plotting.

Ethan reached for her hand, but she eyed the door. “While I’d like nothing more than to throw you down on that couch and kiss you senseless, I know PDA is not okay. I just want to touch you for a second.”

She smiled and took his outstretched hand. He pulled her closer to him.

“You’re doing great,” she said.

He smiled. “You’re a really bad liar.”

She looked into his impossibly blue eyes. “You can do this.”

“And what if I can’t?”

“You have to.” She’d meant it as a joke, but her voice held a high, desperate note. He placed his forehead on hers and she leaned into him.

“Divya!” Her father’s shout as he and her mother entered the room made Divya jump away from Ethan like he was radioactive.

She took a seat in the leather chair, forcing Ethan to take the other chair. He couldn’t resist touching her, and her mother’s eagle eyes wouldn’t miss how physically comfortable they were with each other.

“So, Ethan, what do you know about Divya’s new singing career?” Her mother could teach a class in making a loaded question sound friendly.

Ethan exhaled while she tensed. He had no idea what was coming. “I think she’s incredibly talented.”

“Do you think it’s a respectable profession?”

Ethan frowned. “I think it’s a legitimate career, just like being in business. Entertainers in this country are highly valued.”

“So you’d be okay with Divya wearing skimpy clothes and dancing around a stage while drunk men ogle her.”

Ethan took a sharp breath. “That’s a stereotype of entertainers that doesn’t have to be true. Divya can do what she’s comfortable with, and I’ll support her.”

“So you’re the one who’s been encouraging Divya to pursue this crazy plan to give up her law career and become a singer,” her father said accusingly.

“He helped me understand what I wanted. He generously bought studio time so I could explore my musical abilities,” Divya interjected.

Ethan turned to her parents. “Divya has an amazing talent and deserves our support to pursue a new career.”

“Singing is a hobby. Divya, if you really want to pursue this, we can buy you all the studio time you want.” Her mother leaned forward. “You had your fun. It’s time to come back to real life.”

Divya bristled. Her parents didn’t get to decide what she wanted for her real life. “This is something I have to do for myself, Ma. I want to live my life on my terms. The way I want.”

“Just a few days with this American and you’ve forgotten your whole upbringing,” her mother muttered.

“Mrs. Singh, I respect your culture and your point of view, but Divya is an intelligent, independent woman. She has the right to make her own decisions, to choose what she wants to do with her career