Along the Lines of Love | ✓

Chapter 16 : Picturesque

Happy Reading!

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Yeh mausam ka jaadu hai mitwa...

♪

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The weather was pleasant with the sun playing hide-and-seek with the clouds, in the first hour of their drive. Each one of them was enjoying the drive with very little talk inside the car.

The long silence was brought to an end when Gargi asked Sharanya to pass her two sandwiches. Sharanya went about unpacking systematically and in a minute's time she had handed Gargi two sandwiches wrapping them in tissue paper.

"Nikhil," Sharanya said drawing his attention forwarding the box towards him.

He glanced at the box and then picked one in his hand. Her other hand held out a tissue for him. He took it gratefully muttering a 'thanks'.

Sharanya placed the lid back on the box and placed it in the bag.

"You're not having any?" Gargi asked, as she had turned in her seat to face Arun, so that she could feed him while he drove.

"No, I had a proper breakfast in the morning, not hungry." Sharanya said.

Nikhil was glad he hadn't told anyone he had had breakfast at home before starting. He wouldn't get to eat this yummy sandwich. His mind already wanted a second. The ringtone of his smart phone rang aloud over the soft Bollywood number playing. He glanced at the screen. It was from office, his secretary, Pavithra.

"Hello," He spoke into the phone noticing from the corner of his eyes the glances he got from the women. Was there an unsaid rule to not pickup phone calls during a road trip? He wondered.

"Yes, on Monday. Assign that to Rishi, and ask him to coordinate with Sachin. Inform, Sachin that since I will be out of office until Monday afternoon, I have requested him to look at it, both verbally and email. Yes. Okay, remember what I said earlier."

With that he ended the call.

Gargi was looking at him with unusual interest. It put him at discomfort. One look at her and he knew something was cooking in her head.

"Nikhil," she dragged his name chewing, "how is it to be the CEO of a company?"

Nikhil blinked. He hadn't expected that at all. "In what context?" He asked.

"Like, you know, the responsibility. I mean, like literally every person is directly or indirectly reporting to you. Doesn't that put weight on your shoulders?"

Nikhil nodded understanding her question. "When you're new to anything it's difficult. But with time you just get the hang of it. Over time, you realize you just need to have a core team of people who are self driven, and responsible. Things get easier, I just need to make sure I have a good sense of what they're up to and what they expect from me."

"Hmm," Gargi nodded, turning the volume a bit more. "What's the worse betrayal you've got from an employee?" She asked looking back at him.

"I didn't know this road trip came with an interview." He deadpanned.

Gargi smiled, answering, "Worry not, I don't work part time for any of your competitors or magazines. So, tell me. I have always wondered what kind of psychology a man behind a start-up has. This is just a very convenient time to put that curiosity to rest."