“Wow, a GC at your age? Well, it is a start-up, so you must be like the only attorney on staff anyway.”
She sat up straighter. “Uh, no, I have a team.”
He looked impressed, which only irritated her more. “How did you end up in your field?”
“It’s what I’ve always wanted to do.”
He cringed. “Work for a start-up focused on helping women? Sounds like . . . a lot.”
Red flag. Kareena could see it from a mile away and they’d just started talking. God, what was she going to tell Sonali Aunty? More importantly, how was she going to get out of this?
“It’s a challenge, if that’s what you mean. What do you do down in Atlanta?”
He grinned, and a dimple winked in his cheek. “I’m a VP. It’s a lot of work, but I have to make time for dating, you know? Like tonight. My parents have been on my case about getting married for years. But I told them, guys, my worth is more than my relationship status.”
Kareena nodded. “Yeah, I believe that. We should be on our own timelines.”
“Exactly! And for me, I think it’s finally time.”
She’d been searching for a man for a few months now, and it irritated her—no, it burned her ass—to think that this man could probably find his soul mate faster than she could.
Shaking herself out of a downward spiral, Kareena asked, “You’re looking for an arranged match?”
“Oh yeah. A love match is great and all, but it’s not necessary for me.”
What the hell? Was she the only person who believed in love anymore? Since this was already feeling not-so-great to her, she figured that she had nothing to lose if she went all in.
“Vikram, can I ask why love isn’t important to you?”
He shrugged and swirled his liquid in front of the camera as if demonstrating a proper technique. “Because I come from a pretty conservative family, and we believe that when people marry, they marry the family, not just the person.” He let out a short laugh. “Also, dating is hella hard. I mean, I have so many time commitments. It’s just less stressful this way.”
They had a point, Kareena thought. “Dating is hard for me, too. That’s mostly because everyone is in my business since I still live at home.”
There must have been something she said, or how she said it, that had him freezing. “At home? Like, together?”
She nodded and motioned to her bedroom behind her. “Yes, I still live at home.” And she planned to for as long as possible.
“You’re . . . serious.” His eyes widened almost comically.
“You sound surprised.”
“I am.” He looked around and sat up in his chair, hands up in surrender. “Not judging. Do you live in a separate apartment or something in your parents’ house?”
Kareena shook her head even as her back stiffened at the judgment in his tone. “My mother designed this house. It was her dream home when my parents could finally afford a place. After she died, I started renovating it myself because I knew that’s what she would’ve wanted. It’s a labor of love.”
“Wait, wait, wait.” He let out a humorless laugh. “Kareena. Sonali Aunty said you were interested in dating someone long-term. He has to be ambitious, and a bunch of other requirements you’d shared with them.”
“That sounds about right. Why?”
His table lamp cast a shadow of harsh light across his face that made his sneer look ugly. “I’m not telling you anything you probably haven’t heard before, but maybe you should manage your expectations.”
“Excuse me? Manage my— Okay . . . I’m a sucker for punishment. Why?”
He gave her the once-over and shrugged. “Let’s start with the sweater vests. You’re not exactly opening yourself up for connection.”
She ran a hand over the soft fabric that covered her from shoulder to waist. “You’re judging me because of my sweater vest?”
“Hey, no need to shout.” Then he shushed her. He looked over his shoulder, and the green screen background shifted. “It’s late. Kareena, you just admitted that you live at home. I mean, women like you have to find solace in their job, because I doubt you’ll find a man to support you financially.”
“I’m hoping you’re not implying what I think you are, because that’s fucking obnoxious.”
His mouth fell open at the curse word, but like she could care.
His hands came up in a defensive gesture. “All I’m saying is that maybe you’re single because the things you’re looking for in a guy are what you’re really lacking in yourself? I mean, how can anyone take you seriously? Living at home as an attorney tells me that you have zero ambition to start your life. And let’s not even get into how you chose to wear a sweater vest to our virtual date. It’s summer.” He motioned to her maroon sweater vest. “It’s like a uniform or something.”