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I don’t make him wait.

The crowd parts as I walk towards him, their murmured compliments and approving smiles barely registering in my mind. The only thing I see ishim.

As I near Vishnu, I see the way his eyes take me in, his eyes staring a moment too long at the saree he gifted me last week.

“You’re making it impossible for me to focus on these conversations,” he whispers, his hand finding the small of my back.

“Mission accomplished,” I wink, smoothing an imaginary wrinkle on his lapel.

Before we can talk further, Krish clears his throat dramatically, interrupting my moment with Vishnu.

“Alright, lovebirds. Maybe save some of that for later?” he teases.

I laugh, leaning into Vishnu as he smirks at Krish.

“What’s your problem? Did I intervene when you and Trisha didn’t get out of the car for ‘several minutes’ after parking? We all know what that delay was for.”

The flush on Krish and Trisha’s faces is priceless as Krish scrambles to explain.

“Oh please, we were looking for the invitation card that fell somewhere in the car during the drive! This is the CM’s party—we didn’t want to bypass security just because we’re your friends.”

Vishnu’s shoulders shake with silent laughter, and I feel the rumble in his chest. But before he can respond, Meher and Devika arrive with Aksh. Trisha and I immediately turn to Meher, enveloping her in a warm hug.

“You’re glowing, babes!” we both say at the same time, making Meher chuckle. There’s something different about her smile today, a secret dancing in her eyes as she glances around the room.

Vishnu looks at his sister with a knowing smile. “Ayaan’s at the front foyer,” he says with a wink, reading his sister like an open book. “He’s with Raghav, bringing him in.”

Meher’s face lights up.

“My brother knows me so well,” she says, pulling Vishnu into a birthday hug. “Happy birthday, Vishnu.”

“You really are glowing, though,” Vishnu says seriously, studying her face.

Aksh jumps in with his usual mischief.

“Not just Meher—your wife and my Devika, along with Meher, had a salon appointment today, especially for this event. Of course, they’re all glowing.”

“Stop making fun of us!” Devika playfully swats her husband’s arm. “We needed a hair spa, that’s all. And did we complain when you, Ayaan, and Vishnu have your guy’s time, chilling alone without your us?”

Aksh pulls her close. “Trust me, sweetheart, most of the time at the pub, Vishnu and I just end up talking about how fatherhood has completely changed us.”

Vishnu agrees.

“Lucky Ayaan,” Krish chuckles. “He’s getting trained by the two best people.”

Trisha’s eyes sparkle as she looks at her husband. “You better start getting these training sessions from them then...”

“Me?” Krish’s eyebrows shoot up.

“Yes, you! Otherwise, when I give birth in the future, I’ll have to parent two kids—our actual baby and their father, who throws more tantrums than any infant.”

Everyone laughs except Krish, who playfully glares at Trisha before pulling her close.

“Listen, woman. I may throw tantrums, but at least I am entertaining. Imagine a life without my charm. Impossible, right?”

Trisha blushes at his flirtatious comeback, while the rest of us shake our heads, grinning at their adorable banter.

Just then, Meher clears her throat, drawing everyone’s attention.