Page 53 of Bedazzled
I hated shaking with a wet hand but it’s not like I could wipe it on my zillion-dollar dress so we shared a damp handshake and her smile never wavered.
“Nice to meet you, Oksana. I’m guessing you know Yuri?”
She nodded, “We attended the Ares Academy together, he was my brother’s best friend there.”
My brow furrowed, “Is that a boarding school?”
“You could call it that,” she shrugs.
Giving her my best suspicious stare, I asked, “Are you getting all mysterious on me?”
“Yes, I am,” she smiled impishly, “It will likely not surprise you that Yuri was always the life of the party. He ran a very successful side business, smuggling alcohol and other forbidden items to sell to the underclassmen. But as to what the Academy is, that is a long explanation and better suited to a conversation over lunch sometime.”
My heart warmed a bit, a possible friend? “I’d love to.”
We were swapping contact info when the door opened and Mila swept by majestically, refusing to look at either of us.
“I take it you’ve already met her?” Oksana said. “She chased Yuri relentlessly for five years or so. She must be furious that he slipped through her fingers.”
“Yeah, I did meet her,” I said. “She looks incredible. Satan did a good job when he created her.”
Oksana opened the door for me, her face was almost purple from holding in her laughter. “He also did a fine job with her personality.”
“The people who have to tolerate that woman on a daily basis are the real heroes,” I said. “Shall we sail gracefully back into the ballroom?”
“We shall,” she agreed.
Yuri caught sight of us and he had a genuine grin for Oksana.“Pchelka,”he said, kissing her cheeks, “how good to see you! Is Ruslan with you?”
“Nyet,he’s designing a new cyber security system for the Lloyd’s banking group right now,” she squeezed his hands. “I don’t seem to recall an invitation to your wedding for my brother and me in my mailbox?”
Yuri’s jaw tightened, just slightly but I caught it. “As you see, that wedding invitation was for the wrong woman. Now I have the pleasure of introducing you to Tania, my bride.” He smiled down at me and I was mildly disgusted at myself for how grateful I felt for his words and for slipping his arm around my waist.
“So Oksana, why does Yuri call youPchelka,that means little bee, right?”
She looked mildly mortified. “When I was sent to the Academy, I brought a very sharp switchblade with me. Whenever a boy would hit on me or act like a creep in some way, I’d just give him a little poke in the butt to teach him some manners.”
Yuri was laughing. “Osip Agapov needed sixty-three stitches!”
She shrugged, “Hereallyneeded some help with his behavior.”
It was quite possible that she was going to be my favorite new person here in St. Petersburg.
Oksana eventually excused herself and went back to her date, and Yuri held out his hand.
“Shall we dance?”
Yuri…
What was I doing? Did I not walk away from her in the garden that day because I was not strong enough? Now, in a crowd where any weakness could prove fatal?
For one moment, I did not want to have to calculate the risk/benefit ratio of every action. I just wanted to dance with my wife.
Tania’s eyes were wide, “Um… Sure, I guess.” It wasn’t the delighted “yes!” she’d always given me before, but I would take it. A clear lack of enthusiasm was what I deserved.
The crowd parted for us like the Red Sea, with all the little fish - and the occasional shark - staring at us. Some of the whispers were audible.
“I’m surprised he brought her out of hiding…”
