Chapter 4

Simi couldn't have been more stunned. She was practically sweating since the time the sweet receptionist had told her about her husband who had already checked in. And how lucky she was to have such a charming looker for a husband. The girl had already called up the room and told the man Simi was here. What was going on? There was supposed to be no husband. This was insane. Did they have the right person? Of course, they did. The receptionist had double checked for her. And Simi had wanted to hightail it from there only that would have caused for a lot of suspicion. So she had just smiled and gone off to sit in one of the leather cushioned chairs kept around for guests. In her upset she didn't even notice the beautiful Christmas decorations around her. She hoped Preet hadn't sent someone else too.

As she sat back in her chair with a firm frown on her forehead another thought took root. What if it was Robbie? And she bolted straight to her feet. Jeez, if that was the case she was out of here. But how was that possible? Maybe he had finally attended his aunt's call and decided to come here and take care of the situation. And Simi groaned out loud. She dreaded meeting the man. What she dreaded even more was the fact that she will have to drive back another seven hours in the snow and approaching storm. She could book another room in the hotel though. Now here was a thought worth cheering for. But would they have a room? Considering it was peak time. And then wouldn't it be noticed that she wanted another room away from her supposed husband with whom she was here on a honeymoon?

Simi sat down again. She will just have to meet whoever this person was and see what the confusion was all about. But what if it wasn't? Then what was she supposed to do? She wasn't going to share a room with a stranger, that too a man. She just wasn't going to. She was so busy with her own thoughts that she failed to notice the tall man who had gone up to the reception and after talking to the chatty receptionist walked up to where she sat clutching her bag.

"Excuse me," he said and Simi looked up at him startled then forgot to look away.

He wasn't Robbie. And she had immediately breathed easy. But then her breath had hitched in her throat. He was tall and Simi guessed his height to be about six feet two, athletic in build, and casually dressed in his blue polo neck sweater and light blue jeans. The sleeves of his sweater was rolled up to his forearms. But it was his face that captured her attention and interest at the same time. Or was it his eyes? She couldn't be sure. He had the most unusual color. It was a strange mix of brown and green. She couldn't really make out which was the more prominent color. Straight nose, a square jaw, well-shaped lips and neatly combed short black hair completed his look. He looked straight out of a movie. It was rude, came the reminder to be gawking at a complete stranger like that. And she mentally shook herself. The man was disturbingly handsome but that didn't mean she forgot herself. She stood up. Shakily. He had a polite smile on his face.

"Yes," she responded. Did her voice sound okay? She hoped so.

"Hi, I am Neil Roy," the man said and extended his hand towards her.

"Simi Sardana," she replied with a small smile and took his hand in hers.

They were warm. His hands. And hers were cold. Half because of the freezing temperatures and half because of nervousness. If he noticed he didn't say anything. He had said 'Neil Roy'. That made him Indian. Bengali to be precise. But his accent was prominent. Very American. Must have been born and brought up here. Same as her. And those eyes. Who had that kind of color in India? Add to that the fact that he was a bit fair too. She wasn't sure what to make of him. He could easily pass for a European than an Indian.

"Have a seat please," Neil said as he let go of her hand and gestured for her to sit before he did.

Simi sat down again. Grateful, because her legs were feeling like jelly after the long drive and the fact that she was to have a conversation with him.

"Are you the man they said had checked in to the room I am supposed to be staying in?" Simi asked a bit tentatively.

"That would be me," Neil said casually but his eyes were watching her.

"Oh," Simi said and then frowned in confusion, "but Preet didn't mention she had asked someone else for help too," she told him and then went on, "had I known the problem was already taken care of I wouldn't have come," she said.

"Preet," Neil said thoughtfully and Simi didn't miss the familiarity in his voice. So he knew Preet. How? She felt a strange emotion inside her. She wasn't jealous was she? She wasn't. She couldn't be. But she didn't have time to ponder over it as Neil spoke again. "And how do you know Preet?" he asked.

"She is my cousin," Simi said. She was irritated. Why? She had no clue. And she blamed it on tiredness. Or maybe the fact that he was questioning her in a cool detached manner as if she had done something wrong. She had questions too. So many of them. "If you don't mind," she started, "would you like to enlighten me about who you are? Maybe a little more than your name," she said and smiled sweetly. Only her tone hadn't been as sweet. She was losing it. She watched him as he raised his eyebrow at how she had put her question then smile back at her. Politely of course.

"I was here to solve the same problem that brought you here," he said confidently and Simi envied him a little. How she had always wanted to be able to command a conversation or a situation. Only her lack of confidence always proved to be her undoing. "Only I wasn't sent by Preet," he said and paused watching her carefully, "I was asked by Robbie," he told her.

Simi had felt strange that he had paused in the middle but when he had told her who had sent him she felt her jaw drop. Robbie? He was Robbie's friend? Cousin? Was that why he had been watching her so carefully? It was to see how she would react. Ohhhhh. How she hated being caught up in situations. But that also made him untrustworthy. Simply because he was Robbie's friend. But it was wrong, whispered a voice in her head. Wasn't that what she taught kids back at school? Never to judge two apples in the same light. So just because he was Robbie's friend didn't mean he was a bad person. He was here to help too right. So maybe he wasn't as bad as the man who had broken her sister's heart a day before their wedding. Then again we are known by the company we keep, said another voice. She was tempted to ask him what he thought of how his friend had behaved. But she couldn't muster the courage. She wasn't the confronting types. Neither was she the vindictive, hold your grudges close to your heart types. In short she couldn't judge the man before her on the basis of him being friends with Robbie. Her father would have done that. And so would her sister and brother. But she couldn't. She didn't know what to think as of now. What she did know was that now knowing Neil Roy was Robbie Singh's friend, the charm of the man immediately lost a bit of its hold on her.

"I see," was what she said, "so you are here to help from Robbie's side, and I am here to fix this thing from Preet's side," she said more to herself than to him, "now what?" she asked thoroughly muddled.

"Meaning?" Neil asked with a slight frown.

"I mean, you have already checked in and I..." Simi said then drew a deep breath, "look, I had no idea Robbie was sending someone and I am sure neither did Preet, and now I am stuck. I can't check in with you...you know...because we are not..." she said as she pointed towards both him and herself with her hands, "a couple really, and I can't go back either," she said and groaned, "it is a really long drive back and with the snow...I hate driving as it is and to drive back in that snow, with another storm in the forecast," she said and shook her head, "now it would be really awkward if I ask them for another room, which by the way, I am sure they don't have considering the Christmas season and all the rush," she went on at a rapid speed, "so I am literally stuck," she said exasperatedly.

"Do you always talk so much?" Neil asked her amused.

"No...yes...no," Simi said and frowned, "I don't talk so much, it is just that I am really tired, and after driving for seven hours I had hoped of just checking in and crashing...but it seems that is not going to happen," she said morosely.

Neil was watching her. Again. Why? It unnerved her. This steady watchful stance of his. He seemed to be mighty sure of his actions. Another trait Simi was fast coming to admire and envy. It wasn't her fault. She had always wanted to stare down her opponents and in her case it majorly meant her siblings or maybe even her father. They all did that to her all the time. So it should have irritated her. Because Neil Roy was doing the same. But for some reason she didn't feel belittled. Maybe because that wasn't his intention. How did she know that? She didn't. But she kind of felt it. This careful watching wasn't because he was trying to bend her will or trying to look down on her. For whatever reason she knew that wasn't how it was.

"That is a long time," Neil said politely, "where are you coming from? Because I drove almost the same amount of time and I travelled from LA," he told her.

"You are kidding me," Simi said her eyes wide in her face.

"Not really, maybe another hour over the top," he said and shrugged.

"I took a flight to Sacramento and drove from there," she said still surprised.

"That shouldn't have taken you more than three and half hours, max four, with all the snow," he told her thoughtfully.

Simi didn't know what she could have said to that. So she just shrugged.

"It doesn't matter, my worry is what I am going to do now," she said and looked at the receptionist who was busy checking in another customer.

"How about a cup of coffee?" she heard Neil say and she turned to look back at him.

This time there was a warm smile flitting around his lips. And Simi felt herself gulp in reaction. It suddenly made his face more appealing. More soft. What was she thinking? He was right, she needed that cup of coffee.

"I wouldn't mind," she said returning his smile.

"Come on then," he said and rose to his feet.

Simi did too. Then eyed her luggage. A suitcase and a small cabin bag.

"We could leave that at the reception, they will take care of it," Neil said and without waiting for a response from her took her luggage to the reception and gave it to the bellboy.

When he returned he walked with her to the resort coffee shop. It was warm inside. But Simi still felt cold. Was it her nerves? Or was it the effect of this man? Or was it because she still didn't know what she was going to do about her situation. Maybe that coffee will help. Clear her head. Or will it be Neil?

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