“Do you know what I’m thinking?”

Finley was sitting at the table with Zara’s feet in his lap as they sipped coffee. He’d managed to wake her up and make love to her long and slowly in the middle of the night; doing all the things he couldn’t do during their bonding.

She’d fallen asleep with a contented smile on her face. She woke with a confused expression when she found herself tied spread-eagled on the bed and Fin was eating her out. Zara didn’t seem to mind once her mind caught up to the situation.

He let her suck him off in the shower since it was her idea. He would never turn down his mate’s request to put her mouth on him. It was his second favorite place in the world.

Since they had gotten dressed, she’d been quizzing him waiting for something mystical to happen with their bonding.

“Babe, I told you. Not everyone gets extra connections. With some mates it takes years for anything to even manifest.”

She looked a little grumpy but sipped her coffee thoughtfully.

“We don’t have to do this you know,” she started, her eyes staring at him over her cup.

“Yes, we do.”

“No, we don’t. We can go on with our lives as they are.”

“You still living at home? Not gonna happen, babe.”

She squinted her nose at him. “And when my mother puts a curse on you?”

“Can she do that?”

Zara shrugged. “I don’t know. Sometimes she speaks in Hindi so fast I can’t keep up. I figure she’s probably swearing or cursing someone. She could hit you with a shoe. It’s not very nice you know.”

“I’ll live if your mother decides to beat me with a flip flop. They’ll be here soon, do you just want to let me do the talking?”

“Hah! I can only imagine what you’ll say.”

“Just the truth, edited.”

There was a buzz at the door and Fin got up to answer it. The catering company was dropping off brunch and Zara stood away from the kitchen offering a smile and hellos to the staff setting up. They put out chafing dishes and set the champagne and orange juice to chill before they left.

“We could just ignore them when they knock,” she offered.

“Zara, your family is now my family. It will be fine.”

“How do I look by the way? My mother will find fault, but I only care about what you think.”

Finley took in the long brightly colored skirt and cropped blue shirt that had an edge of beading on it and made sure to burn a memory of how beautiful she looked.

“As Jett would say, you look like a pwincess.”

“A nervous princess, but I’ll take it,” she said, raising on her tiptoes for a kiss.

There was about twenty minutes before the door buzzed again and Fin got up to answer it. The door swung open and Fin gave her one last look accompanied by a reassuring smile.

“Mr. and Mrs. Chadha, welcome.”

Zara’s parents came in followed by an older woman wearing a purple sari, her silver hair pulled back in a bun and behind them a tall handsome man followed.

“Mama! What are you doing?”

Fin looked to Zara and the expression of shock on her face.

“Your Nani wanted to come along, what, was she not invited?” Her mother gave her a look like she was clueless.

“No, of course I’m happy to see Nani. Finley, this is my grandmother, my father’s mother.”

Finley reached for the old woman’s hand and held it in both of his. “I’m so pleased you could come.”

“He’s a looker, isn’t he?”

Mrs. Chadha cleared her throat.

“Zara, you remember Rishabh?”

“Mother!”

“Rishabh? Nice to meet you,” Finley held out his hand.

The tall man shook it, giving him an up and down look.

“Rishabh and Zara are old friends. You know his parents were thinking that they would be a good match,” her mother announced primly.

Mr. Chadha was standing with his hands in his pockets as though to say silently that he had no part in the proceedings.

“Welcome, Rishabh, brunch is ready,” Fin said, acting like it was totally common for his mate’s family to bring a prospective partner over for brunch.

Zara grabbed his arm and he just patted her hand. “But, Fin,” she started.

“The more the merrier, right?” he said to her with a wink.

“So, Rishabh, where do you live?” Finley asked, handing him a plate.

“Just Rish. Here in Seattle, I moved back home from England. I just finished my degree. My mother told me that Zara was still here going to school. I was intrigued.”

Finley nodded and made sure Zara’s parents were filling their plates before him. Once everyone was seated, Fin reached for the bottle of champagne.

“Mimosas? Or just champagne?”

“Do you normally imbibe alcohol during breakfast?” Mrs. Chadha huffed.

“Whenever I have something to celebrate, yes I do.”

“And just what do you have to celebrate?”

Fin could see Zara sitting beside him, her eyes pinging back and forth between him and her mother.

“Zara has agreed to be mine. So I’m sorry, Rish, but you’re too late.”

“Be yours? What does that even mean?” Rish asked. “You barely know her. You think you can just claim her?”

“It means that we’ve claimed each other. It’s how it works sometimes. We are lucky to have found our soulmates so young.”

“That’s bullshit,” Rish said, dropping his plate to the counter.

“Rish!” Zara said in shock.

“Zara, you know that our parents have wanted us together since we were children. Everyone understood that. You think I wouldn’t have found someone before now if I didn’t plan on marrying you?”

Zara took a step towards the tall man. “That is not my problem, Rish. How you’ve chosen to live your life is on you. I never agreed to marry you. I think matching infants up is ridiculous. It’s archaic and has no place in modern society. You can date and marry whomever you want. I’ve chosen my partner.”

“Zara Chadha, you are throwing away a chance at a normal life!” Her mother exclaimed.

“Normal how? I don’t even know what that means.”

“It means that Rish will understand you. He’ll take care of you!”

“You mean I will take care of him. Cooking, cleaning, encouraging his career all while I do nothing that makes me happy,” she ground out.

Finley wasn’t going to get upset. His mate was fighting for what she wanted, and he knew she wanted him. He had his entire life sitting next to him. There was nothing he needed to worry about.

“He makes all sorts of promises, but you have no idea if he can keep them,” her mother said, her voice pleading.

Nani, who had been hanging back, listening, walked forward, her cane tapping against the hardwood floor.

“Rish, if you’ve been holding out waiting for my Zara, then you are an idiot and not worthy of her. You’ve waited on an idea of who you should marry? Because your parents told you to? That is not the mark of a smart man. Zara can take care of herself. If she wants this boy to take care of her, then that’s also her choice. He seems handsome and smart because he’s picked my granddaughter. It shows intelligence and good taste. Maybe you should go sign up for one of those internet dating pages, Rish. Good luck to you.”

Nani found a seat and sat down, apparently done with her speech.

“So what the hell does this all mean? I’m just supposed to give up?” Rish said, his eyes angry.

“Yes, Rish. There is nothing to fight over! I’m not a prize to be won. I’m a woman making a choice and it’s not you. I wish you nothing but the best. Live long and prosper,” Zara said, giving him a Vulcan salute that might as well have been the middle finger.

“It means that from this moment forward, I take care of her,” Finley announced.

“No, her father and I take care of her. We put a roof over her head; we pay for her food, her schooling. We do that.”

“I know you do, and Zara has been very fortunate to have such loving and devoted parents. But I will be paying for the rest of her education. She will also be moving out and into a home that I recently leased.”

It was time for Mr. Chadha to speak up. “I’m not one to get in the way of the man that seeks his true love, but you barely know my daughter.”

“How long did it take for you to fall in love with your wife? You could say it took a while, Zara said it was arranged. But really, wasn’t there a moment that you just knew?”

Zara’s father looked to his wife who was gritting her teeth. “It was an instant. She made me a cup of tea before I asked. Her fingers brushed mine and I just knew.”

“It was that way when I first met Zara. There isn’t anything in this world I wouldn’t do for her. She wants to follow in your footsteps and I want to support her in that. I have money, but I still intend to work. I will make sure she gets through medical school and her residency with no worries about bills or anything else. I love her and she loves me.”

“I hear you talking, but I don’t hear Zara agreeing,” Rish said.

Finley waited for Zara to speak her mind. He didn’t need to speak for her.

Zara’s chair scraped as she stood up and reached for Fin’s hand.

“Mama, Baba, I love you both. I appreciate your support over the years. But it’s time I move out. Fin is right that I’ve chosen him. We need to be together. It the best thing for both of us. Rish, I don’t know you anymore. I’m sorry if you waited for me or were told that I was interested. I’m not. I have someone and honestly, I think we’re going to get married before the year is out.”

Zara looked at Finley and he replied, “Let’s go ring shopping.”

“Zara Chadha, you think you can just move out and move in with a boy we don’t know and don’t approve of?” her mother was more flabbergasted than angry.

Before Zara could defend herself her father spoke up. “That is exactly what she is going to do. There is no reason for you to not like this young man. He’s taking care of her and supporting her, a mother and father would be lucky to have a son-in-law like him. Now stop causing trouble and eat your eggs.”

Finley looked to Zara’s mother and then to Zara. She was looking up at him, her eyes brimming with love for him and for the support her father had just given her.

“Mrs. Chadha, I love Zara. She is an amazing woman and I know that is because you raised her to be strong and intelligent. I don’t think she’s made many mistakes in her life, I’m not going to be her first.”

“Mama, Fin’s like Baba, he’s a big man,” she started.

Fin wasn’t sure what that meant and his eyes shot between her parents and her.

“I’ve dated small men before,” she said throwing a look towards, Rish. “I know you knew or at least kind of knew. They were small men who thought small and acted big. They were brash; they showed off, they didn’t care about me because their lives took up too much of their time and effort. Finley is a big man, like father. He’s the quiet one in the corner that always has your back. The quiet one that doesn’t have to show off because he’s real. There’s no flash when a man is big enough to know he doesn’t need to be unkind to feel big. Finley Rochon is my big man, the man I’ve been looking for. You have your man to support you. I need mine.”

Finley gave her hand a squeeze and then brought it to his lips. “I love you, babe,” he said against her skin.

She turned from her mother and smiled a wobbly smile. “I love you too.”

They both turned at the sniff coming from her mother. Then another sniffle, then a hiccupping sound. Mr. Chadha wrapped his wife into his arms as she started to cry.

“Big man indeed,” Mr. Chadha laughed.

Rish stood up and shot a hard look at Zara, one that Finley did not like, nor did his bear. Then he shoved his hands in his pockets. “I guess I’ll leave. Sounds like this gora won’t mind you wearing the pants in the family and living off you. White boy with a doctor wife, he’s hit the lottery. Thanks for wasting my time.”

As he stalked to the door, Zara’s Nani called out, “Don’t let the door hit you, where the good Lord split you!”

“Nani!” Zara gasped, covering her mouth. Apparently, her Nani had been watching American sitcoms again.

When the door closed behind Rish, her Nani shrugged. “I never liked him. His hair is greasy and he cleans his fingernails in public. Never trust a man that does that.”

There was a lull after her grandmother spoke, and Zara let out a sharp laugh.

Mr. Chadha started scooping some fruit onto a plate. “I guess we might as well eat breakfast and get to know one another.”

Zara went over and gave her father a one arm hug while he balanced his plate.

When Mrs. Chadha gained her composure, she dabbed at her eyes and said. “We are having an Indian ceremony, a full ceremony. I hope you know where you can find a horse.”

Finley looked at Zara and raised his eyebrow.

“Don’t worry, I’ll walk you through it,” she said with a giggle.

Finley Rochon didn’t deserve her; he knew that like he knew his bear. But he’d be damned if he’d let her out of his sight. His mate was his One and she was going to be a brilliant doctor and they were going to have a brilliant life. He’d make sure of it.