Page 13 of Since You Came Along (Ever Since #1)

‘Y ou’re joking, right?’ Abhay asked, glaring at him.

Raghav smirked. ‘Not even a little. Now, get to work.’

A while later, the kitchen looked like a war zone. The flour was strewn across the floor, and a sharp smell of burnt caramel lingered in the air. The men were scolding each other, screwing up even the simplest tasks like mixing butter and sugar.

When Raghav had shared his plan to bake, they’d protested, but after he explained everything, they’d calmed down. Their fury burned for her. No one even considered ordering the brownies. This was their way of showing her they cared.

Abhay had even scolded Raghav for not checking on her earlier. ‘You’re not the only one living here now. Stop acting like it. Be more attentive, Raghav,’ he had said.

Raghav had taken the scolding in stride, determined to be more observant. Swayam had suggested sneaky ways of taking care of her like he and Siya did, and Raghav was grateful for it.

As they tried to bake, the men discussed how to teach Rutvik a lesson. Abhay suggested using a cricket bat, Luv wanted to get handsy with scissors, and Raghav preferred using his bare hands. Swayam laughed at their ideas, encouraging them to be more creative.

As chaos reigned in the kitchen, Raghav smiled despite everything. This was just the first step. And he wouldn’t stop until Meera realised she didn’t have to face the world alone.

But soon, Raghav knew it was a losing battle. It seemed like a straightforward task; a quick YouTube video and he’d have delicious caramel brownies. Turns out, it wasn’t. Not at all. He knew he wasn’t a culinary genius. He could barely make Maggi without burning it.

Abhay and Luv were even worse. Swayam, for all his confidence, cracked two eggs into the batter with the shells intact and mixed them in without realising. That disaster meant tossing the entire batter and starting over.

They tasked Luv with making soup for Meera. When Abhay tried to swap duties, Luv had brandished a knife, proclaiming, ‘This soup is going to be my trump card to woo Meera, so back off, peasant.’ That earned him a swift punch in the stomach from Raghav.

Eventually, they found their rhythm. Raghav could see why Meera enjoyed baking. Once they got past the frustration, there was something relaxing about it.

Then came a soft, raspy voice from the doorway, startling them. ‘What’s going on here?’

Raghav turned to see Meera standing there, bundled in a blanket. Though she still looked weak, there was some colour back in her cheeks. At least she didn’t appear like she’d collapse any second.

‘I’m making soup for you!’ Luv declared with pride. ‘And these guys are trying to bake,’ he added with a dramatic eye roll at the mess.

Meera smiled at him. She noticed Swayam and asked, ‘When did you get here?’

‘A while ago,’ Swayam replied, his voice softening. ‘Why didn’t you call me when you were feeling sick?’ He already knew the answer, but asked anyway.

Meera shrugged, her expression unreadable. Her silence spoke volumes, and Swayam exchanged a knowing glance with Raghav. They both sighed in unison.

Abhay stepped in, his tone light. ‘Raghav told us you weren’t well, so we decided to come over and make something for you.’

‘That’s sweet of you guys, but it’s unnecessary. You don’t need to go through all this trouble,’ Meera said, shifting her gaze away.

Abhay shot her a pointed look while whipping butter and sugar for what must have been the fourth time. ‘Not everything is about necessity. Sometimes, we do things just because we want to.’

Raghav set down his whisk and walked up to her. He reached out and rested his palm against her cheek. He exhaled in relief at her normal temperature and asked, ‘How are you feeling?’

Meera nodded but winced at the movement. ‘I’m okay.’

She can’t lie to save her life , Raghav thought, biting back a smirk as he turned back to the caramel.

‘You’re doing it wrong,’ Meera told him, following behind. ‘If you keep whisking like that, the butter and sugar will separate. Let me do it.’

When she reached out for the whisk, Raghav shot her a warning look. ‘No, you’re not. You need to rest.’

‘I’m fine,’ she insisted, reaching for the whisk again.

With a swift motion, Raghav caught her hand and pulled her close. His voice dropped to a firm whisper. ‘Sit down and let us bake, or I’ll lock you in the bedroom. Don’t test me.’

Her eyes narrowed in defiance. ‘Fine. Ruin your brownies. I’ll go help someone else,’ she huffed.

Raghav released her hand, his lips curving into a smile. ‘You can try. Let’s see if anyone lets you.’

He watched, amused, as each of the guys turned Meera down. Even Luv, whom she thought would give in, remained resolute.

Finally, she dragged a chair to the corner of the kitchen and sat down with a dramatic sigh, muttering under her breath. When Swayam reached out to steady her, she flipped him off.

In her stubborn resilience, Raghav saw a glimpse of the woman she was beneath the weight of her struggles. It stirred a deep sense of protectiveness within him.

Raghav couldn’t help but ask, ‘Why are you so hell-bent on taking over? Can’t you let us do something for you?’

Instead of snapping at him, Meera paused and then said, ‘Sometimes, baking doesn’t go as planned, and that can lead to accidents. You guys don’t know what you’re doing, and I don’t want anyone getting hurt.’

There was a sincerity in her voice that tugged at his heart. He asked, ‘You really want to help us?’

Meera nodded, her determination clear. She got up, but Raghav quickly held up his hand to stop her. ‘Help us by telling us what to do. Just stay there and guide us.’

She hesitated for a moment, then agreed, knowing that was all she would get for now.

Meera sat on the kitchen counter, sipping her hot chocolate and guiding the group of men through the baking process. Her advice made everything run smoothly.

There was a sense of warmth in the air. She had come to think of them as her family. When that shift had happened, she couldn’t say for sure, but the feeling was unmistakable.

Raghav was standing beside her, his clothes smeared with flour and butter, as he added teaspoons of milk into the cookie batter. He didn’t seem to mind the mess.

Her thoughts wandered back to the memory of their kiss. Her lips tingled as she recalled how he had been so demanding and passionate. She wanted to thank him for everything he did today, but she knew how he would react if she did it.

Before long, the oven timer beeped, signalling the brownies were ready. The men sighed in relief. Meera couldn’t help but smile at the sight. My silly family , she thought fondly, as they congratulated each other like little kids.

As they sat around eating the brownies, Raghav wondered whether they’d done enough to meet her high standards. He recalled his mother-in-law’s advice to him, ‘ Never bake for her, son. She’s very particular about baking, and trust me, you don’t want to get lectured about what you did wrong. ’

He handed Meera a plate of brownie, and she took a bite. She chewed, her expression unreadable as the guys held their breath for her verdict.

Meera looked up at them and smiled. ‘It’s fantastic. You guys are pro. Thank you.’

The guys erupted in cheers, high-fiving each other like they had won a championship. But while they celebrated, Raghav tasted the brownie and found it bitter and burnt.

He looked at Meera, who sat there eating everything they’d made for her with a smile on her face.

He couldn’t help but think she had never looked more beautiful.

When she winked at him across the kitchen, something inside him clicked.

She belonged here, with him and their friends, in this messy little home they’d built together.