NINE

A fter switching tables to join Naya and her husband Terence, Barn and I ordered our meal and enjoyed it in the company of his parents. They were lovely, maintaining an animated and easy conversation that had me exploring my childhood, but also learning much about Barn.

“I must say,” his father said as he finished his plate. “You are a very lovely girl who has obviously been brought up right.”

“Thank you,” I said, though I had no idea what he was referring to. Brought up right? Why? Because I didn’t put my elbows on the table or because I allowed Barnaby to speak without interrupting... without correcting? Was I being too docile and sweet? Or did he simply appreciate my easy manner and ability to converse adequately?

“Ayra really is a great producer,” Barnaby said, pride evident in his eyes as he gazed at me. “We’re together almost every part of every day.”

“There’s no better way to get to know one another,” Naya said. “Spending time together is key to a solid relationship.”

The table was cleared and as dessert and coffee were brought out, conversation turned to worldly matters and current events. Talk of the climate crisis became a little heated between Barn and his father as the generations clashed over who to blame and how to remedy the situation, but in the end, they respectfully agreed to disagree.

As we stood to leave the restaurant, our bellies full, Naya reached out to give me a warm hug.

“I’m so very happy to see you two together.”

We all walked out together, Naya and I chatting while Barnaby and his dad trailed behind us.

“I do hope to see you again soon,” Naya said as she and her husband prepared to leave.

“I’m sure you will, Mum,” Barn quickly said as he kissed her on the cheek.

The older couple walked away leaving Barn and I standing there, watching them.

“They are quite the couple,” I said. “Clearly so in love.”

Barn shrugged, unimpressed. “Hmm. Yeah. I guess.” He turned to face me, a pleased smile on his face. “The important thing is that they are both wild about you. I could see it in their eyes, the way they looked at you. It was clear they appreciated meeting you and getting to know you a bit.”

“I think in some ways, your mother and I are very much alike.”

He nodded. “That’s why I’m really hoping that we’ll be able to work out this arrangement.”

He led the way to his car, and as I followed behind him, I tried to figure out what he meant by 'arrangement.’

Opening the passenger side door, he waved me in. I hesitated, wanting to ask him a hundred questions.

“I know that this is quite sudden,” he said before I could say anything. “But I really like the idea of pursuing this relationship with you.”

My breath caught in my throat. A relationship? With me? It was all so out of the blue. Yet again, we had been working together on this project these past days... even if we weren’t necessarily working close together. Perhaps he’d been watching me from afar all this time, admiring my work, my ways.

“So,” he said. “What do you say?”

Keep calm. Don’t gush. “I think we should certainly look into it,” I finally remarked.

“It would be so great,” he said. “Mum would be so happy to hear it.”

The more I thought about it, the more I realized he was right. Not only would his mother be happy, but so would mine. After all, she had set up the initial date with Barnaby. While the feminist in me prickled at the notion of an arranged marriage as was still so prevalent in India, in this particular instance, my mother’s choice of a mate for me was so on the nose... I simply could not refuse.

My own Mr. Darcy. Yes, indeed.

“Still pondering my proposal, as it were?” he said with a crooked grin. But before I could give him a definitive answer, he leaned in to kiss me.

It wasn’t a quick and chaste kiss. It wasn’t a tender and tentative kiss either. It was a full on passionate, deep and exploratory kiss, complete with his tongue swirling around mine. I leaned heavily into him, consumed by the intensity of the kiss. The softness of his lips and the taste of his mouth. It was all too good.

Suddenly I was Lizzy for surely this was how Lizzy felt as Mr. Darcy covered her lips with his own. Yes. The tender yet determined passion of his kiss, owning me, possessing me, devouring me.

I floated on a cloud; cloud nine. “Oh, yes,” I murmured through the kiss, wanting more and more of him. “Yes!”