Page 1 of Saving Forever
Prologue
Viktor
Three Weeks Ago
Weddings are not my favorite.
In fact, after being left at the altar last summer, this is the last place I want to be. Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, I really like the two people getting married and one of them happens to be my roommate. Not to mention, the wedding is at the home we live in, so unless I want to disappear for a day, and hurt my friends’ feelings in the process, I have no choice.
Luckily, West and Serena planned something elegant but casual, expensive while also low-key. The backyard is filled with people and music and laughter, as well as good food, unlimited drinks, and a place to dance. I know most of the people here, so it’s not uncomfortable for me, but as a native Russian, I struggle with the English language. Even after a decade in North America.
West and Serena are dancing now, bodies close, whispering to each other, and for some reason, I force myself to look away.
Love is an emotion that makes me uncomfortable. I don’t think I’ve ever been in love. Not really. Sure, I had girlfriends while I was in school but that was teenage romance and all I cared about as a teen was hockey. As an adult, I can’t think of anyone I’ve ever gotten that close to. Not even the woman I almost married.
If I’m honest, she did me a favor by not showing up for the wedding. Even though it was humiliating to be standing there in front of my extended family and for her to simply not show up.
My mother manipulated the whole thing, a modern-day arranged marriage because I’m apparently too busy and too shy to find a woman myself. That’s what she likes to think. In reality, I have no trouble finding women to spend time with. It’s the emotional connection where I struggle. I’m only twenty-seven, so I don’t understand what the rush is, but I suspect my mother is doing everything in her power to guarantee I’ll move home to Russia when I retire from hockey.
And I will never put myself in a situation where I’m embarrassed like that ever again. Even if it means hurting my mother’s feelings. She’ll get over it—the memories of my humiliation will probably be with me forever.
I walk back inside the house to find an empty bathroom and just as I get up the stairs, I hear a soft, panicked voice.
“…please. I’m sorry… I just need a few more days… I’ll have the money by Friday, okay? Yes, you have my word.” I freeze in the hallway, watching Serena’s friend Holly stuff the phone in her purse and then press her forehead to the wall. Like it’s the only thing holding her up.
Her shoulders begin to shake a little, and I realize—oh fuck.
She’s crying.
Whomever she was on the phone with must have really upset her.
And as much as people tell me I’m stoic and introverted, my one weakness is seeing a woman cry. Especially a beautiful one. I’ve always been a sucker for that.
“Holly?” I take a couple of steps toward her but stop when her head snaps up and she quickly dabs at her eyes with the tissue that’s clutched in her hand. “You are…okay?”
“No.” She manages a soft, watery smile.
“I can help?”
“Not unless you have a quarter of a million dollars lying around you can lend me.”
“Quarter million…” I frown. “You are in trouble?”
“You could say that.” She closes her eyes and pulls in a shaky breath. “A lot of trouble. And I’m going to have to do the one thing I never wanted to do.”
I cock my head, waiting.
“I’m going to have to admit everything to my father.” She’s not really looking at me, instead, staring at some imaginary point in the distance. “I’ll have to tell him about the money Nathan stole. My entire trust fund.” Her face tightens. “About the money I’m bleeding to keep the bird sanctuary running. And then the loan shark I visited.”
My thoughts are spinning. Partly because of the language barrier but also because of the words I do understand.
Stolen money.
Trust fund.
Loan shark?
Put together, those things aren’t good.
