Hello!
It’s that time of the month again when I come out with a new book. This month, it’s Gaurav and Natasha’s story that I’m bringing to you on 25 July. If you’ve read the first book in this series When I Kissed You, you probably may have come across Akanksha’s brother Gaurav, but only briefly.
When I Loved You is the story of old lovers reconnecting, a marriage of convenience, a cat with an attitude and well, a baby!
If you’re curious, I’ve got the first chapter of When I Loved You right here -
Chapter 1
Gaurav I still dreamed about her sometimes. Maybe not as often as I used to but she would appear in my dreams every few weeks. I would wake up, disoriented and confused, a part of me thinking I was in the past when we had been together. I didn't want to go back to those days because it was a period of confusion and pain combined with desire and lust and yes, love.
When I think about it now, it seemed silly that we had thought we were in love with each other. We were too young then. No longer teens but not fully grown adults yet. It was infatuation and other things like discovering the allure and appeal of the opposite sex but it couldn’t have been love, I told myself.
So why did I still see Natasha in my dreams? I had no clue. I woke up and rubbed my face and blinked. I had overslept today. I was really late. Muttering to myself, I jumped into the shower and emerged ten minutes later still feeling out of sorts. I didn’t have time to deal with juvenile bullshit. Things were looking up for me at work but I couldn’t afford to be late especially because it was a Wednesday and we had meetings every week at 10.30 am.
Since I was the project manager, I had to spearhead the meeting and make sure that everyone was following the tasks and get an update on what tasks still needed to be completed. Amma smiled at me when I saw her at the dining table, waiting for me, breakfast ready. I didn’t know if I had time to eat but I sat down anyway.
‘What happened? Why were you late?’ she asked, patting my shoulder.
‘I don’t know. I overslept. My alarm didn’t work,’ I said, patting her hand and then wolfing down the idlis she’d kept in the casserole to keep them warm.
‘Arrey, don’t eat so fast!’ she complained.
‘Amma, I’m already late,’ I mumbled, my mouth full.
‘Why did you stay up late then?’ she asked. I rolled my eyes. I wasn’t a child who couldn’t wake up early after staying up late. But obviously, I couldn’t tell her that I’d dreamt of Natasha once more and that was the reason I’d woken up late. Because I didn’t want the dream to get over.
I downed the glass of water and then got up. ‘Where’s Girish?’ I asked.
‘He came back very late from work yesterday, paapa, so he’s still sleeping,’ she said.
I rolled my eyes. ‘Amma, that’s not how it works. He still has to go to work today. Wake him up please,’ I said as I grabbed my motorcycle keys from the counter and walked outside. Appa was sitting on the verandah, sipping coffee and reading the newspaper. While I envied his relaxed life, I didn’t think I could ever be ready for a time when I didn’t have anything to do, places to go, and people to meet.
I waved a goodbye to him and hopped on to my motorcycle and strapped the helmet on my head.
‘Ride carefully!’ Amma called out as she stepped outside, handing me the tiffin carrier with my lunch.
I nodded. Careful was my middle name. I was the boring older brother who had to make sure everyone did their duties and chores, whether it was my siblings during our childhood or my colleagues or co-workers, now at work. I was the responsible one who didn’t let anything or anyone sway me into doing what I didn’t want to do.
I hung the tiffin carrier by its strap on my motorcycle handlebar and grimaced. I kept telling her I could eat in the office cafeteria but she never listened. She insisted on sending me a packed lunch like I was still in school.
Work was busy as usual and I managed to put all thoughts of Natasha away from my head and that was how I preferred it. During lunch time, I sat in the office cafeteria and ate the lunch that Amma had packed for me. It helped that many other people too brought their lunch like this, so I didn’t stand out for bringing something from home.
I came back to my desk and looked around. Many people hadn’t yet returned from lunch and I opened up Instagram on my phone. This was my guilty pleasure. I loved taking photos especially on the weekend trips I took on my bike, mostly on my own where I loved the feel of the wind on my face as I crossed highways and reached small hamlets where I’d spend the day looking out at the sky, the nearby hillocks and feeling one with nature.
Quite a few people followed my Instagram account although it wasn’t a verified account yet. I selected a photo from my last weekend trip – a view of lush trees that I’d taken from a curving road. I’d stopped the bike on the shoulder of the road and quickly snapped a couple of quick photos from my phone. I never added any filters and I uploaded it with a caption – ‘Wish this was my view right now’ and I posted it.
The likes started streaming in and I never bothered checking on who they were unless they left comments or DM’d me. Sometimes, women sent me naughty DMs, asking when I would take their photos and I’d ignore most of them. But when I was in the mood, I’d reply and it would lead to something more. A brief hook up that merely served to satisfy my urges and although it was common enough, I didn’t indulge myself that often.
Akku commented without fail, making me smile.
I shook my head as she was the first to comment this time, with a heart-eye emoji and a hug emoji. My baby sister was getting married in a few months to Neel, one of Girish’s friends although we’d been quite close whenever he would come home to play cricket back when we were kids. I couldn’t believe it was happening.
First of all, Akku going to Pune had made me uneasy but I had conceded that we had protected her for far too long and she needed to see the world in her own way. But then, in less than a month, Girish told me uneasily that Akku was in love with Neel, and I wanted to do nothing more than to get on a flight to Pune and kick Neel’s ass.
It was a good thing Girish talked me out of it. I didn’t want to know the details of how they got together. I didn’t think I could stomach it. But the two of them had visited Bangalore a few months ago when Neel had got his startup funding and I was startled to realise that my sister was a grown young woman. She showed us the ring that Neel had got for her and I couldn’t bring myself to grill him as much as I wanted to, because she was so happy.
So happy.
I wanted that for her. I was at peace, knowing that my little sister had found true love because I knew the look in Neel’s eyes. He could barely look away from her and when he had to leave her and go to his own place, he looked like being away from her was physically painful. Again, I didn’t want to think about the physical aspect of their relationship because Akku could never stay for long without touching him, either his arm, or she’d sit next to him so their thighs were touching. I think they were both glad when they left for Pune after their visit got over.
I wondered what it would be like to feel that much love for someone, to feel like you couldn’t breathe without them. To feel like you needed to see them or your day would just be ruined. I wondered if I would ever experience it. Once more, my thoughts went to Natasha unwillingly.
We’d been stupid kids, I told myself derisively as more comments and likes flooded in. I checked out Akku’s Instagram stories and going by how much they featured Neel’s house, I wondered just how much time she spent there.
I exited Instagram and put my phone face down as I got back to work.
That’s it for now folks! When I Loved You releases on 25 July and I hope you’re set to rock your weekend with this steamy romance!
Psst! I’ve already planned the next book which will be out in August and that’s Girish’s story. Lots of good times ahead!