Page 76 of Stumped

Twenty-Five. Drop-dead beautiful

Elias

After meeting Vera’s family and being welcomed so warmly, I’m excited for her to meet my siblings. Especially since our dynamic is similar to what she has with her brothers. I imagine that’s now Nina feels when we’re lovingly overprotective of her. She might not say it so positively, but whatever. The success of the afternoon is also why IinsistedTamara join us in Mahabalipuram?1. Didn’t take much convincing—“a beach house with access to a private beach and no work for three days? Sign me the fuck up” were her exact words.

And I agree, it’s the best way to unwind.

With our busy schedules, and Patrick and Nina going off to Paris this year, finding four days when we’d get to be together was almost impossible. Since I was benched for the first two months of the ICL season, I figured picking a random week would work. Thankfully it doesn’t go against my schedule now that I’m back on the team. Having won our last few matches and our run rate being exceptional, we’re already set to play the first Qualifier this weekend. That means we have this whole week off. Coach Kumaran wasn’t overly pleased by the request to skip practice, but I wasn’t above using my shoulder injury as a need for rest.

Coming along on the trip are Bash and Samar—I have no clue what excuse they made—and a couple of Patrick’s and my friends from growing up in Cochin. They’re only staying for a day but everyone else will be there until the end of the weekend. I had to promise Coach I’d join the team for our flight to Ahmedabad on Saturday morning, so I will unfortunately miss out on the last two days of the getaway.

When we pull up to the beach house, two cars are already parked in the front. The women make their way inside while I grab our bags. Even though this is the first time my friends are meeting Vera and Tamara, I don’t need to get involved in introductions. Instead, I go to meet with the cook and discuss the plans for our stay. Since I book out this same house every year, the staff know me and I’m familiar with them. They like trolling me about the Renegades when we’re on a losing streak, much like everyone else in my life.

Walking through the main room, I step outside to find my friends floating in the pool, hands filled with beers. Tamara’s nowhere to be seen, so after ensuring they’re okay, I guide Vera to the biggest bedroom on the top floor. She falls backwards onto the bed and I lean against the doorway as I smile. Never in my years of doing this getaway with my siblings have I brought a woman, but she belongs here. With me. In my life. For as long as I can keep her. My phone buzzes and she props herself up on her elbows with a scowl.

“I thought the rule wasno phones? Because James had a conniption when I told him I’d be unreachable.”

I imagine her assistant in hysterics and chuckle. But the sound fades when I see the texts from Dhruv. “Ah, fuck.”

“What’s wrong?”

My agent is good at his job and he’s gotten me this far, so I know he’s usually being helpful. This is anything but. Links to gossip columns and tabloid photographs is not how I wanted tostart this holiday. He prefaces everything by saying ‘I told you it wasn’t a good idea to get involved with her’ and my rage bubbles. I join her in bed and drag my hands through my hair as I look through what he’s sent me.

“Oh.”

“That’s it?” I ask, noticing her expression hasn’t changed.

“It was inevitable, right? You, the Renegades superstar. Me, the hot woman you can’t take your eyes off.”

Shaking my head, I look at the picture open on my phone. She’s right, I can’t take my eyes off her. The first slide is of us at the secret gig, the second one is from the night out with her friends and the third is us in my car. It hasn’t taken the ‘journalists’ too long to connect Vera to the brunette from a month ago, but they still don’t know who she is. Which is a blessing. I haven’t given much thought to what the Renegades management will say when they know I’m in love with the woman who owns the company they hired to do our marketing.

Dhruv

You should be focusing on the next few games, not partying and drinking your weight in alcohol.

This is what you pay me for, E. Trust me when I say she’s bad news.

Especially if Jaishankar finds out you’re fucking her.

Vera scoffs as the notifications appear at the top of my screen and presses the button to lock my phone. I’m hovering between rage and disgust, because I don’t know how to react to Dhruv’s words. This isn’t only about me being in a relationship, but I can’t figure out what his deal is.

“Ignore him,” she says, arms sliding around my waist as her chin lands on my shoulder.

“What happens if Jaishankar does find out about us?”

“Nothing. I…I don’t know, actually. There was no clause or rule mentioned in the contract. I read it thoroughly before signing and again after we got together. But I’ll have my lawyer look again, to cover all bases.”

“Fuck, I’m sorry, peaches.”

“Don’t apologise for this. We’re adults and we can do whatever and whoever we want.”

I gesture to my phone with a grunt. “But everyone else has opinions about it now.”

“That’s their problem. The only opinions that matter are ours.” Turning my head, I meet her eyes and she smiles. “Dhruv should be thinking of ways to protect you, not criticise you.”

“He’s been with me since the beginning.”

“I know, but maybe you should talk to him. I don’t care what he says, because he’s not important tome. But it’s not the same for you.”

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