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“It’s about devotion to another person; caring, duty, and sacrifice. An arranged marriage is based on permanence. It is a contract between two like-minded people who share the same values and desire for companionship and family. There is no heartache, no betrayal, no boys pretending they care, or using you and throwing you away, no promises unkept—”
He lived large and loud and was unashamed to let his emotions spill over, whether it was happiness or grief or even sympathy for his only daughter’s many heartbreaks.
“It’s a good omen to meet a corpse when you start out on a journey.”
“I do worry.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “You can’t go through life alone.”
So today, I just couldn’t manage office wear. It’s called self-care, and we all need it sometimes.
“Why are you talking to him?” Layla snapped. “He’s the man.”
“Is this a sales technique?” he whispered in her ear. “A little demonstration for Hassan about what he can expect in bed? Or is it just for me? Because, sweetheart, if he doesn’t marry you after this, I will.”
“I wouldn’t marry you even if you got down on your knees and begged.”
“What’s the matter?” Sam had returned to his desk and was banging on his keyboard like it had done something wrong. “I can’t find myself.” “That’s very profound. I didn’t expect that from you.”
Beloved daughter My Layla Make her happy Treat her with kindness and respect
“How do you know it’s not your greatest weakness? Maybe there are times you should give up and you can’t. I kept trying to be as good as Dev, but I never was. I kept trying to make my relationships work, but I couldn’t. So finally I gave up on finding my Westley and now I’m going to marry someone I don’t love so I don’t have to deal with all the drama. Stubbornness isn’t always a positive quality.”
“I think it’s maybe because you made me feel safe when Faroz was flashing his gun and telling us stories about being tortured. My subconscious must have figured you were my best bet for a happy Bollywood ending.” “You think I could protect you?” He looked so bewildered that Layla had to laugh. “Of course I do. It’s who you are. You might be trying to kick me out of the office, but you’ve been protecting me since the day we met.”
“The pier looks beautiful at night.” Layla looked over the bay toward the city, the lights twinkling in the darkness. “Very romantic.” “I thought you’d given up on love and romance.” He stood beside her, acutely aware of her body so close to his. “I still believe in them. They just aren’t for me.”
“It’s almost like Dev took that away from me when he died. I can’t even contemplate being close to someone because I just can’t lose someone I love again.
“You need to experience it, Sam. You can’t live your life at a distance.”
“Do you see the beauty?” “Yeah.” Mesmerized, he watched her dance. “I see you.”
Sometimes it can grow quietly in the background until one day you realize it is there.”
Patels don’t treat people differently when they have special needs. We just try harder to let them know they’re loved.”
“I’m serious, Sam. One month ago I was sitting at my desk with only a dream about starting something new and no idea how to do it, and all I could think about was how to get you out of the office. And now my dream is happening. I’m starting to build something great, and I’m doing it on my own. Having you in the office, watching you run your business, is inspiring. And instead of wanting to chase you out . . .” Her cheeks heated. “I want to let you in.”
“What are you afraid of?” He cupped her cheek, tilted her head back so he could stare into the warmth of her eyes. “Falling for me?” Her eyes slipped closed and she drew in a ragged breath. “Yes.”
“Do you need some help?” “I would honestly rather die.”
“You’re carrying a heavy burden,” she said gently. “One that isn’t yours to carry.”
“The only way to get something right is to get many things wrong.
“You weren’t worth the effort,” she said finally. “You aren’t worth the waste if I throw them at you now, and you aren’t worth the loss of my self-respect.” She fixed him with a glare as John pulled open the office door. “And you certainly aren’t worthy of me.”
“He’s destroying his life and taking down everyone he cares about with him because he can’t accept that he’s not responsible for all the bad things that happen in the world.”
I forgive you. Those three words broke him, even though he didn’t know why. Something inside him crumbled. He hadn’t asked for forgiveness, but now he wondered if it was what he’d been looking for all along.
But now it looks like you’re starting to pick up the pieces. That’s when you need your friends the most.”
“Failing means you tried and couldn’t do it,” Nasir continued. “Quitting means you gave up.”
“So you did it for you,” Nasir said. “To make the guilt go away. To feel like a man again—to feel worthy.”
“You failed yourself by wallowing in your guilt,” Nasir said. “You can’t be in everyone’s head, guessing what they are going to do. The real measure of a man comes not when things go right, but what he does when things go wrong.”
“You can’t fix anything until you fix yourself.”
Your biggest fears came true, and you’re still standing.”
I never know what the day will hold. Walking into the kitchen every morning is like going into a battlefield. She challenges me. She makes me a better person.
“I thought I lost everything, too.” His father’s voice thickened. “But today my son came home.”
You can torture yourself forever but it doesn’t change anything,
