Best Laid Plans (Published)

Chapter 3

Saved by the bell. Truer words have never been said.

Arnav's threatening step towards the maddening girl halted when her cell phone rang loudly.

Khushi seemed to figure her good luck as well because the relief that dawned on her face rivaled the light that dawns on the sky at daybreak. But it was a little short-lived. Looking at the name blinking on her phone Khushi looked torn, then looked at the surly man standing in front of her, only to stare back at her phone. After a split second of deliberation, with a defiant expression, pressed the green button.

"Hey sweetheart," she said turning around for some privacy.

Earth dropped away from below Arnav's feet. Sweetheart?

"I was just going to call you," Khushi said as she took a few steps away from him, a smile playing on her lips.

How dare she? Sheer fury propelled Arnav's feet. Throwing caution to the wind, he quietly stepped closer to her. Not caring that her mental brother was home or that they were in the view of his men guarding the property.

"Bhaiya's engagement just got fixed, three days from now. Book your tickets right now, Archie. I want you here at least a day prior to the final dance practice"

Archie? A girlfriend? Arnav listened with a bated breath.

"ARCHER CALHILL," she shouted into the phone. "You better get your ass down here in two days flat, or I'll get my brother to drag you here screaming kicking."

Nope, not a girl. With his fury reigniting, running a background check on one Archer Calhill became his foremost priority.

"Don't worry about what I'll wear," Khushi was barking into the phone. "My name is Khushi Ranjan Vaghela; I can get my whole bloody wedding trousseau made in three days in this city if I want, let alone one dress. You just worry about getting here."

Modesty just runs in the blood of these Vaghelas, doesn't it? 

"How can you ditch me at the last moment, Archie? We have slogged for a full month in that Bollywood Dance studio for bhaiya's engagement dance. How can you let all our practice go to waste?" 

Arnav's eyes narrowed.

"You don't have to be afraid of my grandfather. Bhaiya was kidding."

Akash knows this guy? The one whom Khushi calls sweetheart? The muscles in Arnav's jaw tightened. Dammit! One thing, one f**king thing he trusted Akash with, that he won't let any guy near Khushi, and he had to go ruin even that one thing for Arnav. Useless worthless Asshole!! 

"Dadu is very nice, sweetheart. He will love you. And you promised me that you will meet him, now don't renegade."

A sudden panic gripped Arnav. Is this 'meet the family' kind of meeting? Over Archer Calhill's dead body!!

The sound of Khushi's tinkering laughter reverberated in the air next. "What? You demon!"

Arnav bored holes into his own little demon's back.

"You really booked the tickets while pulling my leg? God Archie, you will be the death of me one day." 

Or his own, if he keeps talking for five more seconds.

"Did you know how my blood pressure had shot up? Anyway, send my your flight itinerary. Your ride will await you at the airport."

Unable to endure one more moment of this chat, Arnav moved his hand to wrench the mobile out of Khushi's hand. But halted, when she herself wrapped the conversation, "Gotta go sweetheart. I am busier than a bee for next three days. See you two days from now. Bye."