A Perfect Mismatch Read Online Free PDF Page A

the years had passed and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to pay her aunt back for all that she had done.
    The second reason was a strange one, which she need not have considered. But she somehow found it difficult to ignore the ramifications that appeared vital to the whole issue.
    Her antagonism towards Armaan stemmed from his callous attitude towards one and all. For the first time however, she instinctively felt that he was not untouched by his mother’s condition. In the short, very polite and stilted conversation, he had clearly stated the reason forhis decision to bend to his mother’s will. He was doing this because he did not want to see Vini suffer. Somehow, it had lodged a tiny speck of respect in her heart for the man and Zara had decided to grant him his request for a meeting, rather more willingly than she would have otherwise done.
    It was decided that Zara would meet Armaan for dinner at a restaurant of her choice. Zara was utterly confused about the terms and conditions, for what he politely referred to as an arrangement. Armaan had sounded courteous, chillingly so, and completely fake as she concluded later. If it had not been for his mother, he had emphasized, he would never have called her.
    In theory it sounded lofty and idealistic, but to put it into practice was another matter altogether. How was she supposed to behave with him, now that he had made the first move to be courteous? She decided to play by the same rules and pulled out the most severely formal outfit in her wardrobe.
    Armaan stepped out of his gleaming Mercedes, at the entrance of the restaurant Zara had chosen. He wondered if this was the worst day of his life. No, the worst day was yet to come. It would most certainly be the day of the damned wedding! He was having a hard time trying to quell the desire to bolt. The idea of marriage was not in his wildest plans for himself. He could not imagine himself playing husband to any woman, least of all to Zara.
    His phone rang. Zara was already waiting for him inside. He grimaced and stepped into the dimly lit romantic setting to see her wave at him from a corner table.
    Armaan could hardly see her in the black thing she wore. Clearly, the woman had a penchant for wearing gloomy drapery that covered her from the neck down. He could not ascertain its origin but it looked like a cross between a shroud and a long, loose dress. He wondered what she looked like beneath those voluminous folds of fabric and mentally kicked himself! What did it matter? The terms and conditions he was about to set for her did not include looking beneath the unflattering layers of her dress! In all probability, she was as large as a house and one block of ice from head to toe. Perfect reason for him to put his plan into action!
    He looked at her and felt his eyes ensnared by that direct gaze. In the semi-dark, mood lighting, she looked like a witch with deep grey eyes.
    “Nice place,” Armaan said to start a conversation hoping that it would not go wrong.
    Zara shrugged, nodding politely, “It is near my house.” Her voice was huskier than usual. He noted the difference in tone. There was a challenge there. However, it was curbed as was the cold light in her shimmering eyes.
    “I would like to thank you first, for accepting my proposal at such a short notice.” He kept his tone just as neutral and business-like as hers.
    “Let’s discuss the terms and condition before I agree to this, shall we?” Zara said, leaning back on her chair.
    It was of course a good idea to discuss it upfront and Armaan cleared his throat when Zara interrupted again. “I won’t be sleeping with you … and that is my only condition.”
    He stared at her as if she had thrown icy water on him. Then anger seized him in the guts at the insult. She had the gall to throw at him bluntly what … what he had wanted to tell her!
    Well, it was still an insult and fury goaded him to say with a sizzling bite, “That is the first of my