Chapter Nineteen
The following day at work when Pesh found a lull in patients, he stepped into the nurses’ station. While he said hello to some of the other men and women of the nursing staff, he had a singular focus of getting to Megan. When he joined her at the counter where she was doing paperwork, she jumped like he had tasered her.
“Go away,” Megan hissed.
He chuckled. “You know, I think I can be seen back here in the nurses’ station without arising any suspicion. After all, I could be discussing a patient with you.”
“Then you better start talking in patient codes very soon.”
“I wanted to know if it would be all right to pick you up at seven on Friday evening?”
When Megan jerked her gaze off the chart she was working on, her blue eyes bulged in horror at him. In a low voice, she said, “I cannot believe you are talking about a date here at work. Do you care anything about my reputation?”
He held his hands up defensively. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking besides the fact that I missed you and wanted to talk to you.”
Megan’s expression softened. “I’m sorry, but we can’t be that way here.”
Pesh opened his mouth to protest when a voice behind them cut him off. “Don’t you two look cozy,” Kara mused. Pesh whirled around to find Kara staring at them with venom burning in her eyes.
“Excuse me, but I need to get another chart off the carousel,” Megan said, with her head tucked to her chest.
She turned to go, but Kara reached out and grabbed her arm. “If you don’t mind, exam room Three needs a clean-up.”
“Kristi is the only one authorized to give me orders around here,” Megan replied.
Kara pursed her ruby red lips. “Insubordination and sleeping with a doctor—you really have a career death wish, don’t you?”
Megan started to protest, but Pesh stopped her. Glaring at Kara, he said, “I want to talk to you. Alone.”
After shooting Megan a triumphant look, Kara let Pesh lead her out of the nurses’ station and down the hall. “What in the hell do you think you’re doing?” he demanded.
“Saving you from making a huge mistake. You don’t need a girl like that—you need a woman to take care of you.” When her hands started to snake up around his neck, Pesh grabbed them.
“Don’t touch me!” he snarled.
A sultry smile spread across her face. “You liked when I touched you before.”
“That was one time—a drunken mistake that I regret daily, and I never intend on making again.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “So you’re throwing me aside for a young bimbo?”
“Do not speak that way about Megan ever again. Do you hear me?”
“And do you really feel that she thinks you’re worth throwing her career away for?”
Pesh closed the gap between them. Looming over Kara, his entire body shuddered in anger. “Listen to me when I say that if you threaten to expose Megan one more time, I will make life a living hell for you. As the supervising physician over the ER, I can have you shipped off to some hellhole far from here.” He glared down at her. “Do you understand me?”
She slowly nodded her head as the realization that there was nothing between them finally dawned on her. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to go clean my exam room.”
As she hurried past him, Pesh exhaled a breath of relief. He never used that tone of voice with women, or men for that matter, unless he was absolutely pushed to do so. But Kara’s previous behavior and the way she’d acted today had forced him to become what he wasn’t. At the feel of a hand on his back, he whirled around.
Megan gave him a beaming smile. “My hero!”
He laughed at her expression and words. “You don’t have to worry about her harassing you or me for that matter. I took care of things.”
“I heard you.”
He grimaced. “You did?”
She nodded. “It was amazing.”
“I’m glad you thought so.”
“I’ve never had a man take up for me like that before.”
Pesh shook his head. “That’s a shame.”
“If we weren’t in the middle of the ER’s hallway, I’d kiss you to show my gratitude.”
He smiled. “I’ll gladly take a rain check.”
“Oh you will? That’s good to know.”
Lowering his voice, he said, “I’ll expect that kiss later tonight when we’re alone. And I don’t just want it on the lips.” His brows rose. “I want it on several places on my body.”
Megan grinned. “I think that can be arranged.”
“I’ll be looking forward to it.”
“Dr. Nadeen?” a nurse called from the top of the hall.
“Yes?”
“You’re needed in rxam room Four.”
“As soon as I finish this patient consultation, I’ll be there,” he replied.
At his blatant lie, Megan covered her mouth to hide her giggling. “I have to go. But can I come over tonight?”
“Yep. Let me get Mason fed and bathed, and then I’m yours.”
“See you later.” He winked at her before he turned and started down the hall.
A few nights later Pesh found himself speeding along the quiet streets of Megan’s neighborhood. His phone dinged once again. Slowing down, he took a peek to make sure it wasn’t the hospital. He wasn’t too surprised to find it was another text from Megan. He could tell from the way she had been frantically texting him that afternoon and evening that she was nervous, which was totally surprising to him. She was so strong and fearless that it was hard for him to imagine her ever feeling nervous. But he supposed that in Megan’s mind she had good cause to be nervous as tonight he was introducing her to his family.
After he picked her up, they were going to his sister, Shveta’s, house for dinner. His parents, along with at least one of his brothers, would be there. Although he had spent a lot of time with her family, it hadn’t quite meant the same thing as her spending time with his. He didn’t know if her nerves stemmed from simply meeting his family or if they were from the fear of how far their relationship had progressed in the last few months.
He turned into the driveway at ten after seven. He didn’t even get up the front porch steps before the door flew open, and Megan rushed out. Her diminutive figure wobbled a little on the black high heels she was sporting. She wore black pants, and a dressy red top that had a lot of beading. It reminded him of the kurta, a style that women from his culture wore. He wondered if she had chosen it for that reason.
“You look beautiful,” Pesh murmured, leaning in to kiss her tenderly. When she didn’t warm to his touch, he gazed down at her. “What’s wrong?”
Rolling her eyes, she snapped. “Duh, I’m really nervous.”
“You’re really that worried about my family’s opinion of you?”
She threw up her hands. “Of course, I am. Your family is very important to you. I don’t want…” She tore her gaze from his.
“You don’t want what?” he pressed.
“I don’t want to bring shame to you.”
He bit down on his lip to keep from laughing at her. He couldn’t believe Megan was so concerned with his family’s opinion. His heartbeat accelerated at the thought. It had to mean she really was falling in love with him. He brushed a silky strand of blonde hair out of her face. “Sweetheart, you’re not the first American girl I’ve brought home with me.”
“Yes, I’m well aware of that. I’m also aware of the fact of how well your family loved and accepted Jade. It might not be the same way with me.” She stared up at him. “I’m not like her, Pesh. I’m not meek and good-hearted.”
He shook his head. “That’s not true. You are good-hearted. I see that part of you each and every day.” Cupping her chin with his fingers, he brought her gaze to his. “You saw my brother, Dev. Through all of his missteps and antics, my parents still love him very much. So I promise you there is nothing you can do to where they won’t like you or where you’ll bring shame on me. Okay?”
She gave a reluctant nod. “Okay.”
Taking her by the hand, he led her off the porch. Once he’d gotten her in the car, he went around and slid into the driver’s seat. When Pesh cranked up the car, Megan gasped in horror. “What?” he asked.
She motioned to the clock on the dash. “Oh my God, we’re going to be late. Can I make a worse first impression?”
Pesh laughed. “Maybe I should tell you a few things, etiquette wise, so tonight will go a little easier.”
“What does that have to do with us being late?”
“Because it’s considered good form to arrive thirty minutes late.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes.”
“Huh, I didn’t know that.”
“Well, how could you?”
“I tried doing a little research. I even watched Monsoon Wedding,” she said.
Pesh laughed. “Did you now?”
“Yeah, it was pretty good. I kinda hated there weren’t more dance numbers and songs.”
“Megan, I’m pretty sure none of my family is going to break out into song like in a Bollywood movie tonight,” he said, with amusement ringing in his voice.
She rolled her eyes. “I didn’t expect them to, smart-ass.”
He tsked at her. “So testy tonight.”
After exhaling a long breath, she gave him an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry I’m so bitchy.”
“You’re not bitchy.”
“And you’re lying.”
“Regardless of your out-of-control emotions, I know that my family is going to love you just as much as I do.”
The moment the words left his lips he grimaced. There was the Big L word. They hadn’t actually exchanged it yet, and now he’d managed to screw up and say it before he could find the right time.
“Oh God, did you have to say that now? Like I’m not nervous enough!”
“I’m sorry,” he murmured.
Burying her head in her hands, she groaned. “This is...you are…I…”
“Look, you don’t—”
“I love you, too!” she shouted from behind her hands.
His hands jerked on the wheel, and he sent the car careening onto the emergency lane. When he recovered and got the car back into the right lane, he dared himself to look over at her. She peeked at him through her fingers. “I love you, Pesh. I really f*cking do.”
“Oh Megan,” he whispered.
Pulling her hands away from her face, she gave him a genuine smile. “I love you more than any man I’ve ever known.”
“I love you more—” Suddenly he found himself unable to continue. Did he love her more than he had Jade? He had spent years with Jade and had only months with Megan. If he did love Megan more, what did that say about his relationship with Jade?
She reached over and took one of his hands in hers. “Hey, you don’t have to say what I said. Our situations are completely different.”
He clenched and unclenched his jaw. “No woman wants half a man’s heart,” he argued.
“But I know it isn’t half your heart. And I wouldn’t want you to stop loving me just because I died, so why would I expect you to do the same with Jade?”
“It’s not fair to you,” he croaked.
“Life’s not fair, baby. You have to get used to that one.” She squeezed his hand. “Besides, I know what I feel when I feel your love. There’s no half about it. You love me with all your heart and soul.”
“I do. I honestly do.”
Unfastening her seat belt, she lunged over to kiss him. When she started to deepen the kiss, he had to pull away. “Hey now, you gotta stop that or we’re not going to make it to my parents.”
She giggled and then eased back down into her seat. She managed to behave herself the remaining five minutes. When he pulled into his parents drive, he saw it was already crowded with cars. The sight of so many people set Megan off, and she began tapping her fingers nervously on her leg.
“Ready?” he asked, as he turned to her.
“As I’ll ever be,” she muttered.
He shook his head as he got out of the car. Like always, he opened her car door and helped her out. As they started up the sidewalk, Megan was a flurry of movement. She smoothed down her hair and then she adjusted her top. Then she fiddled with her purse on her shoulder.
“Quit fidgeting,” Pesh whispered, as he rang the doorbell.
“I can’t help it. I’m nervous.”
He grinned down at her. “Megan, they’re going to love you. I promise.”
She shook her head. “They’re going to hate me because I’m not a submissive Indian woman. Wait until they hear I had a child out of wedlock. They’ll be ready to disown you then.”
The door flew open, cutting off the rest of their conversation. “Brother, it’s so good to see you!” his brother-in-law, Sanjay, cried. After he hugged Pesh, his gaze went to Megan. His eyes widened, and he gasped in surprise. “Uh, hello.”
“Hi,” Megan said.
Sanjay gave Pesh a curious look. “You didn’t tell me you were bringing company.”
“This is Megan.” With a self-assured tone, he added, “She’s my girlfriend.”
“Really? Well, what about that?” Sanjay gave Megan a welcoming smile. “We’re so glad to have you.”
“Thank you,” Megan replied.
As Sanjay turned to go into the living room, Megan smacked Pesh’s arm. “You didn’t tell them you were bringing me?”
He shook his head. “No, I like the element of surprise when it comes to my love life.”
“S-Seriously?” she sputtered.
“It’s better this way. Trust me.”
Before she could say anything else, Pesh started taking off his shoes. Wide-eyed, Megan watched him. Quickly, she stepped out of her heels and put them in the pile next to his. “More etiquette you forgot to tell me?” she hissed.
He patted the small of her back. “You’re fine.”
As they came into the living room, Pesh felt Megan tense at his side. He supposed that it was overwhelming coming into a room packed full of strangers. His sister, Shveta, came forward first. “Hello brother. You’re looking well this evening.”
“Thank you. So are you.” He hugged her tight. As he pulled away, he glanced down at her swollen belly. “And how is the future prince doing?”
Shveta smiled and brought her hand to her abdomen. “He’s busy kicking me at the moment.” When she spied Megan behind him, she gasped. “And who is this?”
He drew in a breath and gazed around his family. “Before I go through this with each and every one of you, I might as well get it out of the way. I want to introduce you to someone very special, my girlfriend, Megan.”
Deafening silence reverberated around the room after his statement. His mother and father exchanged a glance before staring back at Pesh. Megan tucked herself even closer to his side. Although public displays of affection between men and women were frowned upon in his culture, he wrapped his arm around her waist. “Well, say something,” he commanded.
“We’re sorry, son. It’s just you caught us off guard,” his mother said.
His father’s bushy brows rose. “So you’re really dating, eh?”
“Yes, I am.”
At his declaration, his father clapped his hands and grinned. “That is most wonderful to hear!” He came forward to embrace Megan. “You are very welcome here.”
“Thank you,” she said.
“I’m Charlie,” his father introduced.
“Megan,” she replied, with a small smile.
Pesh peered past his father where his mother stood chewing her lip. He could tell she wasn’t entirely happy that another blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman was standing beside her son. While Shveta and Arjan had both sought out Indian partners to marry, he and Dev were somewhat the black sheep since they hadn’t chosen to settle down with women within their culture.
Finally, his mother’s manners won out over anything else, and she stepped forward to shake Megan’s hand. “I’m Lavani. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Nice meeting you, too,” Megan replied.
The room then fell into an awkward silence. Pesh glanced around, willing someone to say something. His mother cleared her throat. “I’ll go and finish up dinner.” As she started into the kitchen, Shveta followed her, along with Arjan’s wife. Since it was customary for women to be in the kitchen, Pesh found it to be only Megan left with the men.
It didn’t go without her notice either. “Should I go and offer to help?” she questioned, in a whisper.
“Sure. That would be nice.”
Her expression told him that she really didn’t want to leave his side, but she did anyway. Once she was out of earshot, Pesh found everyone’s eyes on him. “What?”
Charlie chuckled. “You even have to ask, my son?”
“So ask your questions and get it over with before Megan comes back in here,” he replied, as he collapsed onto the couch.
He faced a barrage of questions about where they met, how long they had been seeing each other, and how serious was it. He mustered as much patience as he could to answer them all. When he was finished, the men sat back in surprised silence.
“I never thought I would see the day,” his father mused.
Sanjay shook his head. “Oh, I knew the day would come. I saw that when he was out with Emma.”
Charlie’s brows furrowed. “Emma?”
Pesh pinched his eyes shut and wished his brother-in-law didn’t have such a good memory. “Just a friend.”
With a snort, Sanjay replied, “You certainly didn’t look at her like she was a friend, even if she was pregnant.”
“You were with a pregnant woman?” Charlie asked.
“Alpesh how could you?” his mother demanded from the doorway.
“How could I what?” Pesh asked.
Lavani’s expression was horror stricken. “Get a woman…in the family way.”
Pesh rocketed off the couch. He glanced past his mother to where Megan stood. “You’re…?” he couldn’t even form the words.
Megan’s face flushed blood red. “No! Of course, I’m not!”
Lavani gave him a confused look. “Not her,” she replied, pointing at Megan. “This Emma that Sanjay speaks of.”
Bringing his hand to his forehead, he rubbed furiously to try to ward off the ache that was starting to pound in his head. Everything was getting shot to hell so fast. “First of all, Emma and I were never intimate. She was pregnant by the man she is now married to. Yes, I took her to the opera with Sanjay and Shveta, but there was nothing really between us.” He shook his head and couldn’t help wondering if he would ever have to stop explaining what had happened between him and Emma. “Second of all, could everyone just back off for a second? I mean, you’re not exactly giving Megan a very good impression of our family.”
A nervous laugh erupted from Megan’s lips. She covered her mouth with her hand, trying to hide her giggling. He winked at her, and she lowered her hand to smile at him.
“Fine, fine. Now that we’ve cleared all that up, why don’t we eat?” Lavani suggested.
“That sounds wonderful,” Charlie replied.
As they made their way into the dining room, Pesh went to Megan’s side. “You surviving okay?” he whispered.
“I’m hanging in there. I may need a drink when we leave.”
“Just no Silver Tequila for you,” he mused.
Without the others catching her, Megan smacked his arm. “Ass,” she hissed under her breath.
He chuckled as he held out the chair for Megan. “Thank you,” she said before sitting down. He then eased in beside her. As the dishes began making their way around the table, he felt Megan kick him. When he glanced at her in surprise, she whispered, “Where is the silverware?”
“We eat with our hands.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes.” He leaned over to whisper in her ear. “But don’t use your left hand because it’s considered rude.”
She jerked back to stare wide-eyed at him. “I’m left handed,” she protested.
He fought the urge to smile at her horror. He could tell that she would rather die than do something to embarrass him in front of his family. “You’ll be fine. They won’t expect as much out of you since you’re American.”
“Alpesh, whatever is it that you’re whispering about?” Lavani asked, narrowing her eyes at him.
“I was just telling Megan what a wonderful cook you are. She loves Indian food, so I’m sure she’s in for a treat.” Pesh squeezed Megan’s knee under the table. She cut her eyes over to him and smiled.
Once the plates had been passed around and everyone served, they began to eat. “Mmm, the samosa is delicious,” Megan complimented.
“Thank you,” Lavani replied, with a beaming smile.
As his mother turned her attention to Shveta, Pesh bowed his head and spoke in a low voice to Megan. “Once I tried bribing Beau with some samosa.”
She laughed. “You did? Why?”
“I was at Aidan’s house checking on Emma when she was on bed rest. I guess you could say he didn’t like me invading his turf.”
“Would he not take it from you?”
“Oh, he took it, ate it, and seemed to enjoy it. But I didn’t make any friends that night.”
Megan grinned. “Good old Beau.”
Pesh raised his brows. “You’re siding with the dog?”
“In that scenario, yes. He was merely protecting Emma and Noah.”
“I see.”
Tilting her head at him, she added, “Besides, I don’t like any scenario where you and Emma are anything more than friends.”
“I was there in a medical capacity,” he argued.
She wagged her finger at him. “You brought dinner with you. That fact alone shows you were there for more than just practicing medicine.”
When he quickly pushed her finger down, she gave him a look that was a cross between puzzled and infuriated. “Are you trying to silence me?”
“No, I’m just helping you save face. We don’t point—it’s considered rude.”
Megan’s eyes widened. “I’ve done something else wrong now?”
“You’re fine.”
She shook her head. “Next time, you better plan on giving me a crash course in Indian culture before you even think about bringing me around your family.”
Across the table from them, Shveta cleared her throat. When Pesh and Megan glanced at her, she smiled. “You’re doing fine, Megan. Please don’t worry about following all the rules of our culture. We certainly don’t expect you to.”
Megan returned Shveta’s smile. “Thank you. I would never dream of doing anything to offend you.”
“Of course you wouldn’t,” Charlie replied.
Pesh didn’t dare sneak a peek at his mother. After all, she was the one who upheld the traditions and customs of their heritage while his father had tried to Americanize himself as much as possible, right down to changing his name.
Charlie dabbed the corners of his mouth with his napkin. “I understand you have a son, Megan.”
She smiled. “Yes, Mason is almost two. He’s my entire world.”
“You should have brought him with you this evening. We would have loved to meet him,” Shveta said.
“Maybe next time. Of course, after you see how much energy he has, you might change your mind.” As the table laughed, she glanced over at Pesh. “Mason truly adores Pesh, and Pesh is so good with him. His patience is infinite.”
Pesh smiled. “He’s a good boy. I enjoy spending time with him.”
“So it’s serious between you two?” Lavani asked.
“Uh, well—” Megan began before she was interrupted by the doorbell.
Sanjay rose out of his chair. “That must be Dev.”
“How surprising that he’s so late?” Shveta mused with a smile.
Pesh almost laughed at the horrified expression on Megan’s face at the mention of Dev. “You didn’t tell me he was going to be here!” she hissed.
“I wasn’t sure if he was coming or not. But don’t worry. Things are fine between us now.”
Megan gave him a skeptical look as Dev walked into the dining room. “Hey everybody,” he said, throwing up a hand.
At the sight of Megan sitting next to Pesh, Dev’s eyes widened. “Well, well, if it isn’t Miss Right Hook,” he mused with a smirk.
“It’s Miss Left Hook, actually,” she corrected.
Dev grinned. “Good to know.”
“You’ve met Megan, Dev?” Lavani asked curiously.
“We had the pleasure of meeting each other one day when I went by the hospital to see Alpesh.” At Megan’s sharp intake of breath, Dev winked at her. He then eased down across from them and began piling food on his plate. “So you guys work together and now you’re dating, huh?”
“Yes,” Pesh replied.
After taking a bite of his samosa, Dev motioned at them while he chewed. “Alpesh is sort of your boss, right?”
Pesh could feel Megan’s anger rising. “No, actually he isn’t. I have a preceptor, or head nurse, who is my boss. And before you can make it sound any seedier, it isn’t against the hospital rules to date each other. Besides, we met each other long before I started working at Wellstar.”
“Is that right?” Dev replied.
“Yeah, it is.”
A slow grin slunk across his face. “I like you,” he said to Megan.
“You have an interesting way of showing it.”
Charlie chuckled at the head of the table. “My, my, Alpesh, haven’t you picked a feisty one?”
Pesh glanced at Megan, who had flushed the red color of her blouse. She gave Charlie a weak smile. “I apologize.”
With a tsk, Charlie replied, “Please don’t. It’s been rather refreshing to see you putting Dev into his well-deserved place. I understand you punched him, too.”
When his mother gasped in horror, Megan fumbled under the table for Pesh’s hand. He squeezed it reassuringly as she ducked her head. “Um, well, I’m sorry to say that I did.”
“In Megan’s defense, I totally deserved it. I punched Alpesh and said some really shitty things.”
“Dev!” Lavani cried.
In true Dev fashion, he rolled his eyes at his mother’s outrage. “We’re fine now. Everyone calm down.” He met Pesh’s gaze. “I’m happy for you, brother. You’ve made a good choice.” He cut his eyes over to Megan. “I hope you both will be very happy together.”
Pesh was taken aback by the sincerity in both Dev’s words and his expression. “Thank you.”
Megan nodded. “Yes, thank you.”
Dev leaned back in his chair, clasping his hands behind his head. “And now to ensure that my news overshadows any excitement brought on by the two of you, I’d like to announce that I’m getting married next month—”
Lavani once again gasped in horror. But Dev wasn’t finished. “And I’m going to be a father.”
Pesh’s mouth gaped open as the table erupted in absolute pandemonium. He wondered if his mother was going to pass out. Turning to Megan, he found her with her napkin over her mouth. From the way her shoulders were moving up and down, he could tell she was laughing. He leaned over to whisper in her ear. “Guess we’re off the hook, huh?”
She grinned. “Yeah, I think we’re good.”
“I love you.”
“I love you more.”