Page 11 of Bedazzled
I was talking to Ella on my way downtown. “Ezio’s making me go to an ‘important corporate function’ tonight,” I said, imitating his nasally voice. “He swears there are key players from some real estate group that he’s been romancing.”
She laughed, such a supportive friend. “Is that like that time he told you there was a corporate retreat in the Poconos and when you got there you and he were the only ones?”
“Probably,” I groaned, “he’s such an assface. I charged him for the Uber drive back to the city for that little stunt. I think it was like $1,200 bucks.”
“Good,” Ella said, “he deserved that. Give me a call if you need to be rescued tonight.”
“Like the blind date 911 texts we used to send each other?”
“Exactly! But hey, it might be fun,” she said.
“How about you, Els? Have you spoken to Maksim since you got back from St. Johns?”
There was silence for a moment. “No.”
“That man is such as dick,” I snarled. “Why couldn’t he have been all sweet and charming like his brother?”
“You still have a thing for Yuri, don’t you?” Ella teased.
“No!” I lied, “It’s just that magical bedazzled dick of his. It’s supernatural. It cast a spell on me.”
“We’re not talking about my brother-in-law’s junk,” she said.
“Swear to god, Els! Yuri’s dick could be seen from space, like the Great Wall of China! It’s the Eighth Wonder of the World! I think he moved my intestines three inches to the left, his dick is-”
“I’m hanging up, Tania.”
“I’m telling you there is no getting over that bedazzled dick, and-”
There was a sigh, then the call disconnected. Whatever. She couldn’t handle the truth.
“You’re here! Good,” Ezio bustled up to me the minute I made it through the door of Le Bernardin. This place was one of the most expensive restaurants in Manhattan, and apparently, the Vladelets Real Estate group was big enough to buy out the place for the evening.
Taking my elbow, he started steering me toward the center of the room. “Now, I want you to be at your best tonight, Tania, this could be our biggest client in ten years and-”
Planting my feet, I stopped dead. “Are you expecting me to sleep with him, or something? Because that shit is not happening. And this whole conversation requires a drink.” His mouth opened and I held up a warning finger.
Stopping a wandering server, I took one of the square glasses from her tray. The drink was a pretty yellow color. “What is this?” I asked, lifting the glass to the light.
“Our signature cocktail for the Vladelets Group,” she said. She was either sincerely excited about this drink or a stage actress getting by with server gigs. “It is infused with the aroma of tangy citrus spice, made with Grey Goose VX Vodka, with bitter orange and cardamon accents.”
I took a sip, it was as good as her drink narrative. “Super tasty, thanks!” She smiled brightly and moved on as my boss's sweaty paw latched onto my arm again.
“This is important, Tania!” He’s breathing heavily in my ear and I’m already wishing I didn’t give up religion years ago because now would be a good time to ask God to just kill me and put me out of my misery.
“I can listen if you let go of my arm,” I snarled.
“Is this man bothering you?”
I close my eyes in defeat. It was Yuri. Of course, it is.
Throwing back the rest of my drink in one go, I sucked in a deep breath and turn to face him. Oh, yeah, I forgot that I had to look up until my neck cracked to look this gorgeous giant in the face.
Yuri looks smugly delighted, “Hello, darling. How are you?” He leans down to give me the Russian social kissing thing, kiss on the left cheek, the right, then the left again. “But back to my earlier question, is this man bothering you?”
I looked at my boss, whose expression is a sad mix of terror and hope. “You know Mr. Morozov, Tania?”
“Yuri, this is my boss, Ezio Papachristodoulopoulos of the Papachristodoulopoulos Equities Group. He is very interested in yourreal estateventure.” I try to imitate his haughty raising of the eyebrow thing but it just gave me a look of perpetual surprise. “You’re a man of many talents, aren’t you, Yuri?”
