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Chapter 29
It was my turn to pick the music and I put on one of my favorites; The Russian gave it a nod of approval. We were doing the drive to my parents’ place for Monday lunch. I know, traditionally people have Sunday lunch, but we both work or play on Sundays and I have Mondays off. The Russian took the day off too, leaving Eddie in charge and Sasha gloating she’d get to the coffee van before him for once. We were almost tempted to swing by for a coffee on our way, just to beat her and see her reaction ... ha, that would have been worth it. Oh, I forgot I was supposed to be on her side when it came to the coffee van!
I glanced at The Russian as he drove ... so handsome. He was wearing a collared black shirt with his jeans and Dr Martens – plenty of rubber on those soles to make a quick escape I imagine. Feeling my gaze, he looked in my direction.
“I’m not nervous!” he said, again.
“Are you sure?” I teased him. “Not even just a bit?”
He scoffed. “Parents love me. I’m charming, handsome, a good prospect ...”
“Modest,” I added.
“Modest,” he agreed. “I’m big enough to look after their daughter and successful enough to give her a good life. Although I failed on one of those of late.”
I leaned over to run my hand along his arm, up to his shoulders, and massaged his neck.
“Don’t say that,” I said, “you can’t be with me twenty-four hours a day, and I was stupid getting into his taxi ... let’s not go there.”
“If you keep doing that we’ll be going somewhere else very shortly, and it’s got nothing to do with your folks,” The Russian said, as I kneaded his neck.
I laughed and drew back a little to keep my hand on his shoulder.
“So, tell me all I need to know about your family in five minutes,” The Russian said.
I puffed my cheeks out and expelled the air slowly.
“Okay. Mom’s the straight-shooter, tough one. She organizes Dad, the church, me, the neighborhood, anything she can. She’s pragmatic and she won’t fall instantly in love with you, no matter how adorable I think you are, or you think you are,” I said.
He scoffed. “We’ll see about that.”
I didn’t mention that she had never liked any of my boyfriends. They all fell into categories: too smart, too rude, too disrespectful, too lacking in ambition, not good enough for me, and on it went. I didn’t want to make The Russian be anything but himself around her. I thought about Dad and filled The Russian in.
“Dad is a gentle, kind man with a typical sort of dad sense of humor. His parishioners love him because he is compassionate and open, and he can be very serious when he needs to be, and very over-protective of me.”
“Hmm, great,” The Russian said. I could only imagine what was going on in his mind. “Are you closer to him?” he asked.
“Definitely. Mom is not big on affection. But that’s okay, I know she’s there for me and she’s proud of me ... I think,” I said.
“How could she not be? So am I going to meet any brothers or sisters that I have to charm as well?” he asked, tongue-in-cheek.
“No,” I smiled and shook my head at him.
“That’s fine, I’ve won over the most important family member,” he said.
“That you have,” I agreed. “But ... don’t mention the incident the other night to them, please.”
“Our great sex? Hardly!” The Russian said, keeping it light.
I rolled my eyes. “No you big head, the taxi incident.”
The Russian smiled. “I won’t. But can I ask why?”
“Because Mom is pragmatic and Dad is over-protective. I’ll get a lecture on personal safety from Mom who’ll say it was my fault for putting myself in that situation, and then Dad will start calling me every second day. I’ve left home, I like it that way,” I said.
“You’ve said that several times now since we’ve met. Clearly as an only child you must have felt smothered or something ... but don’t worry, I won’t leave you there.”
I was going to correct him but then the road to the church came into view and I had to give The Russian directions. As we turned into the street, I felt a warm familiarity seeing the church and my parents’ house.
