I don’t want this.
That’s the only thing I can think of as I stand in front of the mirror in the cafe’s bathroom.
After giving the waiter my order, I excused myself to use the bathroom, and maybe even wash my face.
But right now I’m just standing here, having a stupid breakdown.
But I can’t –
I can’t stand here and pretend I’m fine with this. That it’s okay for me to pick a random stranger and strike up a deal with him. How will I fake a marriage with someone I barely know and have no similarities with?
I might succeed in fooling my parents, but how will I fool myself?
Because we don’t match.
At all.
And yet, I have no other choice.
It’s either him, or someone I don’t know at all, and will most probably dislike more then Khizer.
At least marrying Khizer will be less torturous.
Plus, it’s useless worrying now. I’ve already proposed, and he has accepted, and I will not show him I’m regretting this by going back on my word.
Taking one last look at myself in the mirror, I come out of the bathroom, heading towards our table.
The cafe is small and simple, spacious enough to hold about twenty people at most. It’s not very popular, so it’s mostly always empty.
And peaceful too, with soft music playing in the background, the scent of sizzling meat and baked chocolate mixed together clinging to the air, making my stomach rumble.
Khizer looks up when I approach our table.
“Shall we begin?” I ask, taking a seat.
He takes a sip of his coffee. “Ladies first.”
I blink.
I wasn’t prepared.
It’s dumb, I know, but I’d been so busy with the rape case, then there were the threats and the preparation of the new cases I’d taken on, that I’d been pulling all nighters the last couple of days, and had been running on two cups of coffee per hour.
Long story short, my mental state was trash and thinking up rules and regulations for this marriage was at the bottom of my priority list.
Sleep was first, and I haven’t been able to do that yet either.
But again, he didn’t have to know that.
I give him a nod, picking up my bag and taking out my notebook and pen.
“First of all, Mr. Malik,” I begin, opening the notebook to a fresh page, “I’d like to highlight that ours will be a purely professional relationship.”
He nods. “Obviously.”
“And so, no matter what happens, we are not allowed to cross the boundaries set by the other person.”
He takes a sip from his coffee. “Those boundaries being?”
“That’s what we’re here to decide.” I say smoothly.
I liked how I was always able to go with the flow, and still make it look like I’d thought it all through beforehand.
No matter how unprepared I was for something, I always ended up handling the situation quiet well, as well as someone who would have come prepared.
It’s not my strongest flex as a lawyer, since my entire career depends on me showing up prepared, with a collection of facts and arguments, but during times like these, it helps a lot.
Khizer nods thoughtfully.
“Would you like to tell yours first?” I ask.
I’d rather listen to his first so I’ll know what to ask of him.
He shrugs. “Nothing much, just don’t get in my way.”
I frown. “Could you be a bit more specific?”
He opens his mouth to speak, but the waiter comes over with my tray of food, placing the sandwich and fries in front of me.
“That is a HUGE sandwich.” He says with bewilderment. “It’s the largest I’ve ever seen!”
He wasn’t wrong there. The sandwiches here were very large. The bread was shaped like a croisssant, but it was thrice its size.
Mine was overflowing with steak beef and cheese.
I grin. “Yeah, there sandwiches are very large. And even more delicious.” I pick mine up. My mouth was salivating just at the sight of it, the smell of cheese and meat making my stomach rumble with impatience. “You’re missing out big time.”
Despite trying to take a small bite, since Khizer was staring at me holding the sandwich, I couldn’t. It looked too delicious and I was too hungry.
I take a large bite, and end up with a glob of cheese dripping down the corner of my mouth.
Khizer hands me a tissue and I quickly wipe it away. “Sorry, it was too good to resist.” I say after swallowing the bite.
He stares at me, eyes wide, bemused. “Clearly, you’re smiling like a crazy person grump!”
“Am not!” I huff
But I probably was.
Anyone who ate this sandwich and did not smile with ecstasy was NOT normal.
“You are.” His gaze falls on the dripping sandwich on my plate. “How good is this to make YOU smile?”
“Very good.” I pick it up again. “Plus, stop making it sound like I don’t smile.”
He gives me a look. “Do you?”
Shooting him a glare, I take a larger bite then before, just to entice him more.
I can barely stop myself from smirking as I watch him watching the sandwich go back down on my plate.
“You should order yourself one.” I say after swallowing the bite. “It’ll be a good change from coffee.”
I know from experience.
Maybe that’s why I was enjoying it so much, because the only thing my tongue has tasted since last night is coffee, and I have a feeling Khizer’s did as well.
Now that I think about it, he’s probably very familiar with late nights and empty cups of coffee
His personality makes me forget it, but at the end of the day, he is the CEO of a huge company after all.
Khizer shakes his head. “I’m not hungry.”
“So?” I grab a couple of fries and dip them in ketchup.
He raises an eyebrow. “Why would I eat if I’m not hungry?”
I roll my eyes. “Because you feel like it.”
He shakes his head. “Eating even though you’re not hungry is stupid.”
My eyes widen. “Mr. Malik, are you possibly on a diet?”
That would certainly explain him eating a croissant during lunch hours.
“No!” He scrunches up his nose. “I’m just not into eating if I’m not hungry.”
I smirk, taking a sip of my lemonade. “That means you’re on a diet. Only people who are on a diet eat when they have to.”
He shoots me a glare. “I’m not on a diet!”
“Then order a sandwich!” I challenge.
“But I don’t want to.” He huffs.
“Really? So you’re just staring at this cheesy globe of heaven for no reason?” I tease.
He opens his mouth to deny this, but before he can reply, his phone rings.
He picks it up, looks at the screen, then gets up.
“Give me a moment.” He mutters, then walks out from behind the table, exiting the cafe.
I watch him leave, then quickly wipe my hands clean with a tissue.
I might as well write a couple of conditions while he’s gone.