Page 98 of Mistaken
My heart twists painfully. I remember. It was the night Maksim gently bathed me in our giant tub after rescuing me from the trio of people so evil that I refuse to even say their names.
“I’ll clean up, I promise,” it’s a listless response, but she knows I’ll do it.
“Okay, I’ll pick you up at 7, okay? Be ready!”
I’m running late when Tania shows up because I’ve broken down into violent weeping twice and had to keep reapplying my makeup. I wonder if Maksim is going out tonight. Not that Valentine’s Day is really his scene, but he has two nightclubs packed with women who’d give their right arm to sleep with him. The thought is so acutely painful that I have to sit down and breathe for a minute. The thought of losing Maksim cuts deep.You never had him,I remind myself,and you have to keep moving or you’ll drown in this.
I finish my makeup, nod, and say goodbye to the happiness that was almost mine.
“You look great!” Tania cries when I finally step out onto the street, tailed by Ivan. I’m wearing a dress Maksim bought me, a silky pale green dress that fits tightly until it flows into a big, swirly skirt at my hips. My hair’s down and curled into big, glossy waves and I’m wearing a pale green diamond necklace he’d given me that matched my wedding ring. But I’d left my ring on his bedside table.
“Don’t sound so surprised,” I tried to smile, “what’s this?”
Tania was practically dancing with excitement in front of a black Hummer limo. “You need to travel in the style to which you have become accustomed.”
The door opens and Maksim steps out onto the sidewalk. He’s wearing his black suit and the blue silk tie that matches his eyes. He is gorgeous. He’s also smiling, but his gaze is wary. “You look beautiful,” he says, kissing my bare left hand.
“What are you doing here?” I ask stupidly, but his smile is still kind.
“I would like to take you out on a date,” this beautiful dark angel says, his Russian accent is thicker like he’s… nervous? Maksim Morozov? No.
“Wh…” I can’t even finish single-syllable words. Impressive.
“It occurs to me,” he adds, “that I have never taken you out on a date. An outing that…” his mouth curves cynically, “an outing that you have agreed to. I would like to take you to dinner tonight, Ella.”
“Maksim, I just…” I want to go. God, I want to, so much. But it’s just going to hurt worse to say goodbye again.
“Please say yes,” he murmurs, “just for tonight.”
I look at his outstretched hand. Can I do this? “Yes. I’d love to.”
“Have a good night, you two!” Tania helpfully slams the door shut the minute we’re inside. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do! Make good choices!”
“I’m not sure what we could do that Tania has not already done,” Maksim says wryly, and I burst into laughter.
“That’s truer than you know.”
The limo is approachingGehennaand my smile’s a bit more forced. How are we having a quiet dinner in Maksim’s nightclub? But the car turns the corner where the line is snaking toward the entrance and heads in back, where there’s a private elevator that takes us up to the top of the building.
“This has been here all this time?” I gasped. The roof of the building’s enchanted. Seriously. There are twinkle lights strung everywhere, outdoor heaters to keep the space warm and a table set with white linen, flowers, and china place settings. “The view- look at this!” I’m walking from one edge to the next, admiring the lights of the city. I glance over and Maksim is leaning against a brick pillar, looking at me.
“I chose this location because I wanted to give you another - what did Tania call it? Another ‘meet cute’ story that will sound better retelling it than the first time we met here.” He hands me a flute of champagne and taps his glass to mine. “To a better beginning.”
Laughing, I take a sip, “Hear, hear!” The phrase “meet cute” coming out of Maksim’s mouth is hilarious.
The dinner menu was all of my favorites; mussels in white wine sauce, lobster with saffron rice, and I laughed again when I saw a plate piled high with Pirozhki buns.
“How is everyone?” I finally worked up the courage to ask.
“Yuri’s well,” Maksim leans back, holding his wine glass. “I suspect he and Tania are seeing each other again.”
“That scapegrace!” I gasp, and Maksim chuckles.
“Which means?”
“Scapegrace,” I reply absently, “a reckless person, an incorrigible rascal.”
“It fits,” he allows. “Mariya is doing well in school, but she’s already campaigning to attend college here in America. It’s possible that she might exhaust Mother enough by then to allow it.”
