Busted in Bollywood by Nicola Marsh Read Free Book Online Page A

schmucks.
    Anger slashed through my nerves. What right did he have to invade Rita’s privacy? “Aren’t you a clever dick?”
    He grinned like a naughty schoolboy caught with his hand in the ladoo jar, and I couldn’t help but like him. Damn, he had class. He could’ve made a fool of me in front of his family and the assembled hordes but he hadn’t. Perhaps I should be grateful rather than abusive.
    His brow creased as he pretended to ponder, before snapping his fingers under my nose. “Yeah, my IQ isn’t bad, which brings me to my proposition.”
    I envisioned nasty connotations when guys said the P-word, yet when Rakesh stared at me with a mischievous glint in his eyes, I almost laughed. “Why don’t you fill me in? You’re going to anyway.”
    “My plan’s simple. I keep my mouth shut about your deception, you score me an introduction to Amrita.”
    “What ?”
    “I want to meet Amrita. In person.”
    “Why?” Call me thick, but I didn’t understand.
    “I’m intrigued by a woman who’d go to such lengths to ditch me.” He shrugged and took three steps, which constituted pacing in the small foyer. “Any woman with that much daring is worth meeting.”
    His face lit up and I thought, Wow. Here’s a smart, funny, understanding, gorgeous guy who’s into my best friend.
    Closely followed by , What’s the catch?
    I’d learned from my mistakes. No way would I dismiss or justify suspicious behavior from a guy ever again. “Why don’t you jump on a plane and go meet her? Why perpetuate this sham?”
    His eyebrows shot up like I’d proposed he scale the Taj Mahal in his underwear.
    “Because if this gets out, her parents lose face, Amrita’s marriage prospects are irrevocably damaged, and, worst, she’ll be ostracized from the Indian community.” He shook his head and crossed his arms. “I refuse to be responsible for that, even though she sent an imposter in her stead to dump me.”
    I’d better add Upstanding and Moral to his growing list of attributes.
    “Not to mention my family will bear the brunt of gossip and scandal.” For a moment his mutinous expression relaxed and I glimpsed vulnerability. “My dad’s got a heart condition. Nothing serious, but he could do without the stress.”
    I sighed and stopped plucking at the crystals embroidered on my tunic’s hem. “I can’t fault your motivations but I feel like I’m a bit player in a sweeping Bollywood saga.”
    He made a fake movie clapboard with his forearms and snapped it shut, an action I’d seen a hundred times while watching the extras on DVDs. “You’re not a bit player; you’re the star attraction, Amrita .”
    The thought of continuing this charade left me cold, but his reasons made sense. I couldn’t stand the thought of my best friend being dragged through a scandal that might taint her reputation in her community—something she should’ve thought of before we started down deception road—so I’d do this. So much for our foolproof scheme. Rather than ditching Rakesh as planned, I now had to play the devoted fiancée during my stay. And arrange a meeting between Rakesh and Rita. Fun. Not .
    “Okay, I’m in.”
    We shook on it, co-conspirators in a game I hoped wouldn’t end in tears.

chapter three
    After I agreed to Rakesh’s plan, he became my new best Bombay buddy. He stuck by my side during the party from hell (a hundred of the Ramas’ closest relatives and friends each wanting a piece of me), fended off his mom, charmed Anjali, and generally made me like him more.
    Then I met Drew.
    I’d exchanged air-kisses and empty hugs with Pooh, Diva, and Shrew for the required two minutes. I’d fake-smiled for camera flashes coming from all directions, and bade farewell to the rest of the family, including my new mommy. After telling Anjali I’d meet her outside, I sighed in relief I’d made it through the evening relatively unscathed—discounting Rita’s betrothed blackmailing me—when a tall figure stepped