Chapter 6

The sky was still a soft lavender when Rajesh’s car rolled out of the gated enclave. Kumar sat in the passenger seat, tennis bag between his feet, stifling a yawn. Cool morning air drifted through the open window, carrying the fresh scent of wet earth from last night’s rain.

Rajesh glanced over with a small smile. “Sorry for dragging you out so early, but the courts are best at this hour. It’s much cooler as well.”

Kumar nodded. “It’s fine, Appa. My body will adjust. How far is the club?”

“Only twenty minutes. Nothing is very far here, but the hills make every trip feel longer.”

“Yeah, I noticed that yesterday,” Kumar said, remembering the steep inclines and his embarrassing struggle with the manual transmission.

Rajesh grinned. “How did you manage the SUV? Those hills can be brutal if you’re not used to them.”

Kumar let out a short, embarrassed laugh. “I stalled a few times. The girls enjoyed teasing me about it the entire way.”

Rajesh chuckled. “I can imagine. It took me almost a week to get comfortable on these roads.”

They drove in comfortable silence for a moment before Rajesh cleared his throat.

“So ... what do you think of the girls?”

Kumar leaned back in his seat. “They’re ... a lot. Beautiful, obviously. And they know it. But they’re fun. Sharp. I like them.”

Rajesh nodded slowly. “They are good girls. Over the past three years, Latha and I have come to see Sofia and Layla as our own. Ricardo handled everything before he passed. The properties, the tenants, all of it. Isabella had to learn overnight while trying to hold Sofia together too. Omar and Yasmine have their hands full with the business and little Zara’s health problems. We try to support Isabella as much as we can. She’s like ... family to us.”

Kumar stayed quiet, listening.

Rajesh continued, eyes on the winding road. “Those two have gone a bit wild at times, but they’re smart. They know where to draw the line. They just need someone who sees beyond the pretty faces and the flirting.”

“I understand,” Kumar said softly.

Rajesh gave him a sideways glance. “Good. Be kind to them, kanna. Help them with their studies. They need direction more than they let on. You know they are like my own daughters now. Your mother and I feel like we have two new daughters now.”

“You replaced me so quickly huh Appa?” Kumar teased.

Rajesh smiled. “No one can replace you, kanna. But Sofia and Layla feel like our own daughters.”

“And Isabella certainly loves teasing you about that,” Kumar laughed as he saw his dad blush. “I don’t remember you ever being at a loss for words.”

Rajesh had a fond look in his eye. “Isabella is something ... Your mom and I are very close to her. She started out as our landlady. Now ... she’s family.”

“I’m so glad to see amma and you put down roots finally, appa. After all these years travelling all around the world, it’s good to see that you’ve found your people.”

The conversation shifted as the car climbed higher.

“So tell me about Charleston,” Rajesh said. “What exactly will you be doing there?”

Kumar watched the hills roll by. “I’ll mostly be doing research with Dr. Frost. He’s moving his entire lab and offered me a position as his research associate. I’ll also supervise a couple of undergraduate classes and labs. It’s rare to get this kind of opportunity so early without a full post-doc, so having him as a mentor is a huge advantage.”

Rajesh nodded thoughtfully. “You’re sure this is the path you want? Academia can be tough.”

“I enjoy it,” Kumar replied. “Statistics and combinatorics might sound dry, but there’s real beauty in the patterns. And Dr. Frost pushes for real-world applications. I like that. Plus Charleston has good weather, lower cost of living, and plenty of tennis courts. I don’t want to become one of those professors who never leaves the office.”

Rajesh laughed warmly. “You always did like solving problems. Even as a boy.”

Kumar smiled. “Still do.”

Rajesh cleared his throat again. “So are you ready to talk about what happened with Emily?”

“No pa. I don’t think I’m ready to talk about that yet.”

“Okay kanna. Just know that we are here for you. Anytime.”

“I know pa. Thanks.”

They reached the club just before seven. The morning air was fresh, the courts mostly empty. Rajesh parked and they grabbed their bags.

“Ready to get embarrassed by your old man?” Rajesh asked with a grin.

Kumar smirked, bouncing the ball once. “We’ll see about that.”

They stepped onto the court as the sun began to rise properly over the hills, painting the sky in soft oranges and pinks. Kumar rolled his shoulders, feeling the familiar grip of the racket in his hand. It had been too long.

Rajesh served first.

The ball flew across the net with surprising pace. Kumar returned it, but he was rusty. The shot went long.

Rajesh laughed. “Jet lag or just old age catching up already?”

Kumar shook his head, smiling. “Give me a few minutes. I’ll warm up.”

They played steadily. Kumar’s rustiness showed in the first few games as he missed volleys and was late with his footwork. However, the rhythm slowly came back. The sound of the ball on the strings, the burn in his legs, the early morning sun on his skin ... it felt good. Really good.

By the time they finished their third set, Kumar was sweating properly, breathing hard, and grinning.

“Not bad,” Rajesh said, wiping his face with a towel. “You’ll be back in shape soon. Now ... I’m going to play a few more games with my friends. Do you want to watch? There’s a nice pool or gym if you want to do something else. I’ll play for an hour or so more. What do you want to do?”

Kumar bounced the ball once. “I think I’ll hit the gym dad. It’s been a few days. It’ll be good to cool down with some sets.”

“Ok kanna. Let’s catch up for breakfast at the cafe when you’re done.”

He rolled his shoulders as he walked toward the gym, the pleasant burn from tennis still lingering in his muscles. For the first time since landing, the weight in his chest felt a little lighter.

— Kumar lay back on the bench press, gripping the bar tightly as he pushed through his fifth rep. His muscles burned in that satisfying way he had missed. The gym at the club was quiet this early, just the clink of weights and the low hum of the air conditioning.

“Hola, bombón,” came a bright, excited voice from above him.

Kumar racked the bar with a soft clink and sat up, breathing hard. His eyes widened slightly.

Sofia stood there in a simple gray t-shirt and black leggings, looking ridiculously good. The thin fabric stretched across her full, heavy chest, the outline of her sports bra just visible underneath. Her waist was tiny, flaring out into hips and an incredibly tight, spectacular ass that the leggings did nothing to hide. Her dark hair was pulled up in a messy ponytail, a few strands sticking to her glowing skin from her own workout.

“Sofia,” he said, managing a smile as he wiped his face with a towel. “Morning.”

She grinned, clearly delighted to see him. “I saw you playing tennis earlier. You looked really good out there. Rusty, but good. You have a powerful forehand. Just like Andy Roddick.”

“You were watching?” Kumar asked, raising an eyebrow. “Andy Roddick huh? You have a crush on him?”

“Maybe,” she said, biting her lip with a playful shrug. “Come on. Workout with me? I’ll show you around.”

Kumar hesitated for half a second, then nodded. “Yeah. Sure.”

They moved through the gym together. Sofia was surprisingly knowledgeable, pointing out the best machines, correcting his form on a few exercises, and chatting easily the whole time. Every time they spotted each other, their hands brushed. Every time she leaned over to adjust his posture, her breasts pressed lightly against his arm or shoulder. The chemistry between them was immediate and electric.

Kumar found himself studying her more than the weights. Beneath the flirty confidence and tight clothes, there was something softer. The way her eyes lit up when she talked about a new playlist she’d made for workouts. The way her hands moved expressively when she explained why she loved leg day. The shy little smile she gave when she admitted she came to the gym almost every morning.

“You used to play football, right?” Kumar asked as they moved to the cable machine.