Page 88 of If I Loved You Less
She has been in much higher spirits, and I am sure her feelings for Rizwan are to be credited for it.
Nothing like a new crush to help you get over heartbreak! Not that we have spoken of it. I am resolved not to interfere and cause trouble, and I have not.
Planning a picnic is not meddling! If I was meddling I would invite Shanzay only, then conveniently forget to go myself.
Instead, I invite Naadia and Asif. When I call Fawad to invite him as well – I must confess, I have been avoiding him, and he is the last one I call – he tells me he’s already aware. Shanzay called him. I find this strange, but do not dwell on it.
The day of, we all head to a local park, everyone bringing along one dish (except for me, I bring three). The middle of June means the weather is warm but not hot, and I was hoping for today to be one of those blissful afternoons, with shining sun and serene breezes, but we are out of luck in that department.
The sun is harsh, the humidity worse. The asphalt only increases the heat, but the park is filled with huge trees, which will provide ample shade once we settle in.
“Whose idea was this again?” Naadia asks, swatting a bee away in the parking lot. She and Asif arrived at the same time I did, in Asif’s BMW truck, which is now parked beside me.
“Hush,” I say, standing next to her and checking my reflection in her car window. Massive sunglasses cover half of my face, making me look like a celebrity. I smile. “Anyway, we have to be supportive.”
“To who?” Naadia asks. I press my lips together. Oopsies. I shouldn’t have said that.
“You might find out soon enough,” I sing-song. She shakes my arm. “Ow!”
“Tell me!” she says. “You know I can’t stand not knowing juicy secrets.”
I wiggle my brows at her. “Just pay attention.”
Asif, dear that he is, carries our picnic baskets, putting his muscular arms to good use. I nod approvingly, while Naadia wolf-whistles.
“Don’t objectify me in front of your sister,” Asif pleads. She ignores him.
“He’s been working out,” Naadia informs me.
“I love that for him and for you.”
“Right.”
Asif looks away, cheeks pink. We walk out of the parking lot to the edge of the park, standing in the shade, just as another car pulls up, and out comes Rizwan, skin bronzed and hazel eyes bright. Then, Shanzay arrives, and shortly after, Fawad.
“Here, let me take that,” Rizwan offers to Shanzay, taking her basket. Shanzay smiles warmly, and I resist the urge to nudge Naadia to see. They join us in the shade. “Shall we find a spot to sit?” Rizwan asks.
“This way,” Asif says, leading the way. “Let’s go further in.”
Rizwan follows him, and I see Naadia interrogate Shanzay as to who we might be needing to support. Shanzay, bless her, is as clueless as Naadia, even though she must know I have arranged all this for her.
Not that I am meddling! I am simply here for the outing. And perhaps something –someone– else...
“Shall we?” Fawad asks, falling into step with me. We round out the back. I nod, and we walk further into the park.
Tall trees spread up around us, shading us with their leaves. It is immediately cooler the farther in we go. Glimmers of sunshine peak between the trees, and as we walk forward, the world is a blend of gold and green, the sweet sound of birdsong background music.
I risk a glance at the man walking beside me. I have not seen much of Fawad in the past two months – or I have seen him the same amount, it justseemslike I have not seen him much.
As if every time he leaves, it is too soon.
He turns to me, and my heartbeat quickens.
“I thought I said this was casual,” I say, when he catches me staring.
“This is casual,” he replies, looking at his attire. He is wearing a light brown linen suit with a white shirt and looks quite handsome in it.
“That is not?—”
