Chapter Twenty- One: What's Cooking?!

"Rishi Sir!!!!! You are joking...Please say Yes...Pleaseee!!!!!!!!"

"Then in that case, No Geet Mam! You don't have an appointment with Maan Sir today!"

"Why not today Rishi Sir??? Has he got clients from Mars????!!!!" asked Geet in disbelief

"Then in that case, Sorry Geet Mam, Khurana Constructions strictly signs deals with proper humans from Earth!"

"Wow! That will be the opening sentence of my project!!!!!!!!Thank you! " snorted Geet, sarcastically!

Geet rang off in a huff!

Now that is what is called a perfect plan being ruined! As there were no lectures to attend after the break in college, Geet expected to start her project right away but now since there was no appointment with Maan, she knew she won't be entertained in AR!

"Babaji! You must have opened a popcorn shop by now na??!!!! " cribbed Geet, "I know Maanji is deliberately doing all this!!!!After all his quota of planting obstacles on my path is not over yet!!!!!!"

Geet had to do away with her grumblings when the prof entered the class!

Khurana Constructions

Time did not have wings...not at all...Maan had serious issues with the soul who quoted that time had speed...Although the day in office was turning out to be busy as always, still Maan felt that the hands of the clock were too stubborn to move...And no! He did not purposely refuse to have an appointment with Geet...Infact he direly wanted her with him...But because of his Dad he had to let go of the thought of meeting Geet...

That day, Vikrant had come to office to attend the Board of Directors meeting with Maan. Also he was suspicious that something was definitely wrong with his angry-young-man son...Maan strongly had the feeling that if Geet came to KC, he (Maan) would surely be distracted from work which would strengthen his dad's suspicions!

After the BOD meeting got over, Maan was in his cabin when his phone rang & the caller name brought a well-deserved smirk on his face...

Before he could speak, the oppressed caller from the other end blasted in his ears so much so that Maan had to distance his ears from his phone!

"Mr Maan Singh Khurana , what do you think of yourself haan?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My mistake that I put up with your attitude problem & seeked an appointment but no! you are not even willing to meet me!!!!!!!!!!! Ek toh KC is such a giant company & the time given for research is very less  aur upar se you are showing your  nakhraas!!!!!!!!!!!!!Ridiculous!!!!!!!"

Geet yelled in one breath! Maan smirked hearing her breathing heavily!

"Can I speak something in my defence?" he asked calmly.

"You should!!!!" she snapped!

"Aww...I didn't expect you to miss me so much!! Mera dil toh garden garden ho gaya! Oh by the way, today is your holiday as I am in no mood to trouble you!"

His velvety voice enraged her more!

"Listen Mister!!!! I am talking about my project & I'm not at all missing you, understand?!!!!!!"

"Aww...Mera dil baadal baadal ho gaya Geet!!!"he pretended to be hurt, actually he was hurt but he didn't make it evident!

"Then in that case, I have to reconsider my decision of having an appointment with you tomorrow for the project! Haan but if would like to have a cup of coffee with me, then you are most welcome today itself!"

His mischievous voice made Geet pout ruefully!

"Babaji ! Inka kuch nahi ho sakta!!!!!"

He heard her rambling!

"D-Dekhiye---"

Maan saw Vikrant entering the cabin so he cut the call which shocked Geet to no ends!

"Maan...Are you alright????" asked Vikrant surprised, "It's very weird to say this to you but...You seem so"lost!"

"Y-Yeah Dad! I'm lost in work! So much work! I-I have called an HOD meeting today...I mean tomorrow!! L-Lots of work!"

Vikrant was even more surprised to see his son stammering!

"Anyways,Since the BOD meet is over, I am leaving! You take care of yourself beta!"

Maan nodded. Vikrant left.

Maan sighed!

On the other front, there was some another khayali pulav cooking in Geet's head!

"Hwww!!!!!!!!! Maani cut my call!!!! Why did he cut my call????Unhone pehle aisa kabhi bhi nahi kiya...Babaji, did I blast on him too much?? I shouldn't have done that, hai na Babaji??"wondered a worried Geet

"See, there is no point in panicking! You must right now go to AR & see whether Maan thik hai ya nahi, hai na? Lets go!"

Geet hurried to office. The security stopped her at the gates but she was in no mood to listen! They knew who she was & so let her in! But that horrified the receptionist to the roots!

"Mam Please! Try to understand! You can't meet Maan Sir without an appointment! My job will go!!"

She almost ran behind Geet but Geet did not listen!

"Your job won't go! Pakka promise because I don't need an appointment to meet Maan!"

Geet's running feet came to a standstill & she was left wide-eyed when she saw Maan with a young female client in the formal lounge! It seemed as though their conversation was over & they shook hands...! Though their handshake was very formal, Geet did not like it at all!

Maan was startled to see Geet standing at a distance with a sullen face! She then traced her steps to his cabin. The client left after which Maan too walked in his cabin.

"Who gave you these flowers?" asked Geet eyeing the bouquet in his hand.

"The client gave it to me. She has a really good business sense, I must say! It will be great to work with someone like her!"

That did not go down well with Geet though he said it in thorough professional manner!

"Yeah Yeah why not!!!! Babaji, he must have cut my call because of her, hai na?!!!!!"

Maan was unaware of what Geet was thinking as she was able to mask herself effectively!

"Waise if you want these flowers, you can take it. They are of zero use to me." said Maan while sitting behind his desk.

 "No! Why should I take it! She brought it for you na so you only keep! After all, she is very talented as you said!!!!" said she pretending to be unperturbed but in mind she wanted to murder the client for giving Maan flowers!

The manner in which she spoke puzzled Maan!

" Since you have landed over here, lets talk about your project!" he said earnestly.

"Dekhiye, don't change the topic! I have not come here for the project but to----" she stalled abruptly, "to ask why you cut my call because you never do that!"

Geet completed her say in her mind!

Maan watched her with twinkling eyes. She threw her gaze all across the cabin but not at him!

"To drink coffee with me?" he asked roguishly.

"N-N-N-N-No!!! I came here to...to..." Geet looked all around her, mentally searching for a convenient lie!  "Yes!!! I-I came here t-to i-inspect whether K-KC is there in r-reality or is it just an i-illusion to the eyes...! H-Haan! W-Woh kya hai n-na, b-before s-starting any project, one must conduct a s-site visit...! S-S-So... "

Her entire loophole explanation was full of stammering which left Maan completely amused! Geet realized she messed up everything! She mentally smacked her head!!!

"Geet!!!!!!!!! Your this statement will be quoted in the Gunnies Book of World Records as The Most Lamest Excuse' !!!!!!!!!"

She stood glancing sideways! Maan advanced towards her while she stepped backward...

"O...kay? So now if you are "enlightened" by the Almighty that KC  is a huge reality, will you care to put forth your "real” intentions of landing here?" asked Maan, smirking!

"W-W-W-W-Woh...I-I-I----"

Her heart throbbed as he inched closer...

At that precise moment Rishi entered the cabin! Maan gave him a rueful look & the poor terrified fellow realized that he hadn't knocked!

"Then  in that case, S-S-S-Sorry S-S-S-S-S-S--"

Rishi was about to scurry out but Geet stopped him! After all, Geet got a proper excuse to dodge Maan's question!

"Rishi Sir wait!!!!!"

Geet ran towards him which was not taken graciously by Maan! Rishi saw that his Boss was balefully looking at him!

Rishi adjusted his spectacles but glanced sideways not looking at Geet!

"Maan! I came to office today so that I can say sorry to Rishi Sir for being slightly rude over the phone in the morning! Sorry Rishi Sir!!!!!"

Geet made a puppy face fluttering her innocent eyelashes at Rishi! He did not look at her as he saw Maan's terror looks at him through the corner of his eye!

"Rishi Leave!!!!!!"

Scared, he hurried out hearing Maan's cold voice!

Maan then yanked her towards him. Her hands unconsciously began adjusting on his shoulders. After a whole morning wait...finally...finally she was there...with him...close to him...Geet found his intense dark eyes staring at her...Her breaths halted when he brought his face closer to her...She closed her eyes managing her galloping heart beats as she felt the edge  of his nose trailing down her cheeks. He was hopelessly drowned in her so much so that he didn't even know when he lost control on his own self. Her mind went black feeling his intoxicating breaths all over her face. She was on the verge of moaning when he slowly reached her ears & whispered huskily...

"Let's  make  your project over a mug of coffee!"

 Her trance broke hearing him. She was shocked at their closeness & at once distanced from him. She was uet again confused & flustered!

"H-Have you i-invented some n-new c-coffee plant that you are so hell bent on sipping coffee with me?!!!!!" she snapped bluntly.

Maan smirked!

"Aww...Chalo thik hai! Lets postpone coffee & seriously discuss about your project!"

"Zarurat nahi!!!!!"

"I am serious really!" he tried to make her understand.

"Forget it!!!!"

"I am extremely serious Geet---"

But she had already walked out of the cabin! Maan was left puzzled by her odd behavior!

Hostel

It was late evening & Geet was pacing to & fro in her room.

"Geet! What on earth had happened to you???!!!! Maan had literally agreed to start with the project par nahi you foolishly refused!!!! Why the hell did you refuse???!!!!!"

Geet sat down chiding! Actually, she somewhere knew why she had refused...

"Geet, was Mt Everest on the verge of falling down because he cut your one call? No na? Then why are you so much affected????!!!"

Her phone rang bringing her out from her thoughts...Her heart missed a beat when she saw the caller name...But she once again recollected how he had cut her phone...Geet decided to ignore his call but the very next second she answered it!

"Thinking about me?" came his velvety voice.

"My mind doesn't gets salary & bonus to keep thinking about you always!!!" she said dryly.

"Whoa! So you're angry with me just because I didn't trouble you much today, right?" he asked mischievously.

Geet frowned.

"Dekhiya aap---"

Maan had to yet again cut the call when he saw Dadima  entering his room! Geet again misunderstood him & was shocked!

"He again disconnected my call???!!!!!"

Geet dialed his number again but he again cut it as Nani was still around!

"Maan  aisa kyun kar rahe hain???!!! I think I'm not relevant to him!!!!!"

Angry & hurt, Geet tried to sleep roughly pulling the blanket over her...