Professor Astor (Off-Limits)

Asha opens the door with a knowing look in her eyes, and I burst into tears all over again. She hugs me tightly, and I fall apart in her arms.

“Oh honey,” she says, rubbing my back. She just holds me like that until my tears subside, and then she pulls me into the house.

I’m only mildly surprised when I find a cup of masala tea waiting for me. Looks like Mom called her the moment I walked out of the house.

“Adrian Astor, really?” she asks.

I nod and raise my teacup to my lips, unsure what to even tell her. “It really isn’t what it seems like,” I murmur, my voice barely above a whisper. “I first met him nearly three years ago. Even back then, I knew he’d be special. You know how you always tell me you knew your life would never be the same again when you met Rohan? That’s what it was like for me. The time wasn’t right then, and I didn’t see him again until recently.”

“He’s your teacher and one of our clients, Ley.”

I nod. “I know. It isn’t ideal, and neither of us expected this to happen. We tried to fight this thing between us, Asha, I promise you.”

Asha nods, a small smile on her face. “But you can’t fight fate.”

I shake my head. “You can’t. When I saw him at Amara’s wedding, I walked away, never expecting to see him again. Then he showed up as my PhD advisor, and I thought I could perhaps handle that… but when you assigned me as his nanny, I just… I tried to get out of that, but I couldn’t. I should’ve walked away from that job, but I couldn’t walk away from Lucy and Colton. It had nothing to do with Adrian, and everything to do with him.”

Asha takes a sip of her tea and nods. “I get it, Ley. When destiny comes calling, there’s nowhere to hide. I assume Dad lost his shit because Adrian is white, divorced, and has kids? You know what he’s like. In his mind, our entire family and all our neighbors are already gossiping about you, and I’m pretty sure he thinks you just dating him has made you forget about every single one of our traditions.”

“Yeah, he wasn’t happy, to say the least. He told me to break up with Adrian.”

“Will you?”

“No. I can’t. I’m well aware that no one will accept us being together, Asha. I know that we’re in a precarious position, and that it won’t be easy… but despite that, despite everything, my life is better with him in it.”

She smiles at me and places her hand on my shoulder. “Then that’s all that matters. So long as you’re aware that this will be difficult, you’ll be okay. You need to speak to Adrian, though. Winning over Mom and Dad won’t be easy. If he isn’t willing to suffer through a week-long Indian wedding, then I’m not sure they’ll ever accept him. Honestly, I don’t even know what to tell you. This is going to be difficult, but you have my support.”

I drop my head to her shoulder and nod. “I love you, Asha.”

“I just want you to be happy, Ley. In the last couple of months, you’ve looked happier than I’ve ever seen you before. I don’t care who he is or what his story is. If he makes you happy and you’re certain he’s the one, then you have my blessing. For so long I didn’t think you’d ever want to get married, yet here you are, willing to defy Mom and Dad for the man you love. In a weird, twisted way, I couldn’t be happier about it. You’ve never had anything you thought was worth fighting for.”

She’s right. For years, I just went through the motions, too scared to really put myself out there. Until him.

“You do realize I have to fire you, right?”

I tense, my eyes widening. “What?”

“Ley, you’re dating a client. You broke our no-fraternization policy.”

I sit up and run a hand through my hair. “But who will take care of the kids?”

Asha looks at me and smiles. “I’ll send the very best staff members I’ve got, okay?”

I nod, my heart sinking. Perhaps some distance is exactly what the kids and I need, but it doesn’t sit well with me.

Though everything I’ve ever wanted is now closer in reach, it seems further away. Now that everyone knows about us, there should be no obstacles left, yet at each turn, a new one arises.

Are Thor and I going to make it to the other side unharmed, or will everything we’re about to go through leave scars?