He loaded our stuff in the car and opened the door for me, I mumbled a soft thank you and buckled up.

He got in and started the car, a smile playing on his lips making me wonder the reason behind it.

"Hey whats the reason behind that smile?" I asked

He chuckled

"Just remembering your first car ride with me"

I glared at him hearing this because he was making fun of me

I was 16 when manik started driving yes without a licence but he would take me with him. Well the first time I sat in the car with him, he was driving fine until he pressed the break really hard because a cute dog came in the way suddenly.

No thats not the reason why he was smiling, he was smiling because I went flying to the front, and I did get hurt on my forehead which he was worried about but I had this bump on my head so he started calling me Humpty Dumpty

"Manik stop it" I said folding my arms against my chest

"Acha sorry baba but you gotta admit it was funny"

"Ha ha h very very funny, shut up" I said making him laugh louder

"Manikkk" I whined

"Han Jaan" he said in between his laugh

I swear my heart skips a beat ever time he uses endearments, I love how effortlessly he loves me

"Bas na mani"

"Okay bas, is my cutie hungry" he asked, eyes up ahead on the road

"A little bit" I said

"Open the console, I have snacks there until we stop for dinner"

I opened it to find all my favourite snacks, like legit everything, from chips to chocolate to candy. There was a single rose too, a red one.

"Manik" I whispered

he hmmed

I looked over and grabbed his arm, he looked at me for a second and put his arm on my leg since I was sitting with my legs crossed up on the seat

"Whats up" he asked as I caressed his arm

"Thank you, I appreciate it a lot"

"For what, love"

"Just everything"

"Thank you nandini" he said squeezing my leg a bit

"For what, love" I mocked his voice and his sentence

He looked over for a second and grinned, he has this adorable grin he gets when he is happy

"I like when you call me that" he said leaning over and kissing the side of my head

"Mani focus on driving"

"I am"

"You said thank you, what for?" I asked again

"For forgiving me so easy which I'm still not sure why you did but you did and I am thankful for that. I am thankful for your care, your love, just you Nandini. I never express myself because you understand me without words or expressions. You read my body language and I love that. You mean the world to me nandini and I don't wanna be in a world that doesn't have you in it"

"I forgave you becasue my heart couldn't handle being away for longer, I saw guilt in your eyes"

"But you could have made me grovel more and made me jealous and stuff" he said making me giggle

"Sir I know you very very well to know if another guy came close to me even if it's to make you jealous he would have left with broken bones"

"That's for sure" he said agreeing making me laugh

"No but on a serious note, Manik I couldn't bring myself up to being with any other guy and if I did the same as you there would be no difference. I got hurt but that doesn't mean I will hurt you. In a relationship of any kind you have to understand and work together"

"You know little mouse, you don't look so sophisticated and deep but you are so intellectual and understanding" he said making em pout

"Excuse you monkey malhotra"

"Its a compliment, love"

"Still"

"Where did you want to stop for dinner?" He asked

I just hummed because I was too focus on his hand that was running up and down my calf in a very comforting way.

"Dinner sweetheart, jeez where are you lost?" He asked

"Noooo don't stop" I blurt out without the filter in my head could actually filter it gosh

he looked over at me as we approached a red light.

"Dont stop what?" He asked

"Mhmm no nothing, okay so dinner right, I want Chinese" I said knowing its one of his favourite too

"Chinese is fine but"

"But the thing is what is this surprise at home?" I asked

"Its something"

"Manik"

"I can't spoil it, we will be home in about 45 minutes so wait till then"

"Are we getting dinner outside" I asked

"Yes, we can go to that place you like" he said

"Can I get brownies too" I asked

He chuckled hearing me

"Of course, you can get whatever you want. We can even stop at that ice cream spot"

"Oh boy, manik malhotra are you drunk" I asked

I mean honestly manik never really says no to me but he always argues not actually arguing just bickering about how much unhealthy stuff I eat

"Darling would I really be driving if I was drunk" he asked

"No but you are crazy sometimes" I said making him chuckle

"Shush" he mumbled

The remaining ride back home was quiet not in an uncomfortable way but becasue manik was talking to a client, no he wasn't holding the phone, it was on handsfree.

"Okay sounds good, ill be in the office in the morning" he said

"Okay sir, goodnight"

"Night" he replied cutting the call

He looked over at me with a small smile

"Im sorry, it was important or I wouldn't have picked it up"

"No need to apologize, I know it was important"

We reached the restaurant ad as we pulled up in the parking manik unbuckled himself and turned his body towards me. His hand still on my calf which was so intimate and romantic for me.

"I mhmm I got something for you" he whispered in that voice, the voice that lets me know he is nervous

"Nervous" I asked moving my hand to hold his arm

"A bit"

"It's okay relax, you know exactly what I like and if you got me something, anything other than that disgusting gross salad you eat I would be happy" I said making me laugh

"Not the salad"

"Then we are good, lets go eat" I said

he nodded unbuckling my seatbelt.

"Lets go munchkin" he said

I hopped out of the car and jumped around running int he restaurant

"Hello ms" it was jack, he knows we are regular customers and thats how he knows us

"Hi jack, how are you"

"Good, how are you"

"Perfect as always" he chuckled a bit

"Where is your mans" he asked

"Coming" I said

"There he is" jack said making me look back to see manik coming in with the phone on his ear

"Hi man" manik siad

"Sup dude"

"Nothing much"

"Usual" jack asked referring to the table

"Ya rooftop" manik siad

He nodded guiding us to the rooftop, we sat down and jack didn't even need to wait to get our orders becasue we always order the same thing so he left to get our food.

Manik was still on the phone with im assuming international clients by the way he was talking, it was so sweet that manik was holding my hand and kept giving me puppy eyes becasue he was still on the call

He is so sweet.

Our food came out a couple minutes after manik got of the call, we talked about random things during dinner and then instead of getting desert we headed out becasue I remembered we had ice cream at home.