I willed my racing heart to calm down. Which was worse? Knowing he had no real feelings for me, at least not enough to pursue a relationship? Or knowing he did, and we couldn’t do a thing about it unless one of us found work elsewhere?
I tamped down my nausea. I didn’t want to know which dead end I was facing.
Diya knocked at the front door and cracked it open like she expected a ghost. Of course, I’d been expecting her as we’d texted that it was safe for her to return.
“Hello?” she called out loudly.
“Hey, weirdo,” I replied, shoving aside all the raw badness churning in my head. I had to stave off anxiety.
She walked in and looked around. “Are you two decent?”
“Yes.” Heat surged across my face.
Diya closed the door and meandered toward the counter with two bags, Kimo right behind her with coffees.
“What’s all this?” I asked, leaning my elbows against the counter as Diya plated up fresh baked goods.
“Sunny is leaving this afternoon, isn’t he?” Kimo said.
“Yes,” I replied, saddened by the fact.
“We had to come by to say goodbye and have one last meal.”
“Aw. You guys. That’s so sweet of you. Most importantly, what did you bring me?” I joked, pushing aside how the truth—or a fake breakup to a fake relationship—would disappoint them.
“I went by your favorite café on the way in.”
“Kimo! You didn’t have to!”
“He really did it for the coffee and to see Sunny.” Diya eyed him. “Bromance in the air.”
Kimo shrugged. “I like making friends.”
Diya cocked her chin at the ravaged basket. “Get to the bottom of that?”
“Thanks for the chocolates and cake!” I grinned.
Her right brow shot up. “Did you see the bottom of the basket?”
“It was dark when we got back. We sort of just headed for bed. Socializing that much and loud parties really wiped me out.” I yawned.
“Uh-huh…” She searched the room. “Where’s—”
Sunny emerged from the bedroom, one towel wrapped low over his waist, exposing a sexy V-cut, while he rubbed another towel on his wet hair. He froze the second he saw Diya and Kimo, streams of water dripping down his neck and chest.
His eyes didn’t linger on Diya, but shifted over to me. I was staring shamelessly because damn! How was I ever going to not mentally undress him during work?
Diya whipped her head back to me, standing in between us, shocked. But only for a millisecond. A giant smile spread across her face as she exclaimed, “Bitch, you did finally get some!”
“Oh my god…”
Then she had the audacity to whip her head toward Sunny. “You apparently got it right!”
He didn’t even respond. No shock or embarrassment or regret. Just a nod, like he knew damn well that he got it right. He backtracked into the bedroom. “I should get dressed.”
Diya took out her phone.
“What are you doing?” I went for her, but she jumped away.
“I have to tell Mummie!”
“Why? Are you serious?” I ran after her, but that little girl was fast. Always had been.
“She wanted me to call her the second I knew for sure!”
“That we had sex?”
“No! Gross! That you’re serious!”
“You don’t know anything!”
Ugh, this was bad.
“Diya, stop! Please! Don’t tell her anything!”
She scuffled to the other side of the couch.
“Or I will tell her you’re thinking about marrying Kimo,” I spat point-blank, my hands on my hips.
