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He gave a nervous laugh. When I didn’t react, he continued, “I’m looking for something similar to what Sujit is hunting for his new venture.”
Despite my best efforts, my eyes darted to Sujit again, but this time, I didn’t see him around the table.
I drew my brows in. “Sujit is looking for a new space?”
This took Manoj by surprise as his brows drew upward. “He hasn’t told you?”
I didn’t lie as a principle, but omission wasn’t akin to lying, I had determined over the years.
“What has he told you?” I asked instead.
Manoj’s face changed as he shuffled and took two steps away from me. He returned to the device in his hand and blew out another cloud of vapor. A bigger one this time.
“He hasn’t said anything to me either, but I know,” he said then instantly regretted it. “At least, that’s the rumor. He’s been most secretive about it.”
“Then why would you assume he would’ve shared it with me?” I asked, taking a single, measured step toward him.
Surprised by my advance, he studied me, then unleashed a menacing smile, at once charming and threatening. If only I were someone who would be impressed or intimidated easily.
“Well, I thought…” he said and trailed off, letting the pause linger between us.
I frowned. “Thought what?”
“You both are… aren’t you?”
I glanced indoors and frowned again. I was thoroughly enjoying this game. “We are what?”
“For goodness sake, you’re fucking him, aren’t you? And I’m going to be very disappointed if you say you aren’t because he’s clearly smitten with you.”
Finally, he’d said it, and I had him.
This time, I was the one unleashing a menacing smile. “I didn’t realize we were supposed to gratify you and your assumptions. I hope you are magnanimous in embracing your disappointment because we aren’t, and he isn’t,” I said and turned to leave.
“Wait!” The urgency in his words made me gloat. I stopped and turned back to face him. “Would you like to get coffee sometime?”
“As in getting to know me better coffee or a talk about work over a coffee?”
His lip curved at a corner and he raked a hand through his hair. That might have enamored many a heart, but I was immune to his charm.
“Well, a get to know you better coffee date. Or dinner, if you prefer.”
“I’m sorry, I can’t.”
His gaping mouth said he was taken aback. Men like Manoj weren’t used to rejection from women. But then, he had never met me before.
“Can’t or won’t?” he asked, trying to be witty.
“You want me to find you a space for your new project, don’t you?”
“What does that have to do with a coffee date?”
We heard a faint whistle and looked in through the glass door to see Adil beckoning us in. We both smiled back.
“You’re a business contact, and I don’t date my business contacts. It’s not in keeping with my professional ethics,” I said and turned to walk out without waiting for his response.
“All right,” he said as I slid the door open.
I cast him a quick look over my shoulder.