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“Because Dmitri didn’t listen.” She gestures over my shoulder to the entryway with her glass of wine.
I twist around and catch sight of my husband, looking gorgeous as ever in the charcoal Hugo Boss suit I love and that broody frown that completely disappears the moment he lays eyes on me.
As soon as I see him, I forget that we’re surrounded by my colleagues. I forget that I asked him not to be here. I only care that he is here, ready to support me as always.
I fly towards him, but Mischa beats me to the punch.
“Papa!” he cries. “I’m a bear!”
Laughing, Dmitri snatches Mischa by the underarms and tosses him into the air. “And what a fearsome bear you make! I like your hat, too.”
“Rogan gave it to me,” he explains, patting his hat proudly. He smiles widely when he sees me. “Guess what else, Papa? There’s a cake with Mama’s name on it!”
“There was,” I acknowledge as I join them. “Except someone’s already eaten so many pieces that Mama’s name is pretty much gone now.”
Mischa smiles sheepishly and ducks his face into Dmitri’s shoulder. The moment Dmitri sets him down, he’s gone, back to pretending to be a bear again.
Dmitri laughs as he wipes off the frosting smear that our son left behind. Then he turns to me and frowns again for a brief moment. “Before you say anything, I’ll only stay for a minute.”
I grab his hand and pull him into me. “Don’t you dare. Stay with me.”
“I thought?—”
“I was being stupid and childish,” I admit. “And insecure. You’re my husband and I want you here. So will you forgive me and stay? Please?”
“Say no more, moya zhena. I’m with you ‘til the end of time.”
I make it up to him by giving him a full-on kiss, right on the lips, in view of every Egorov employee present. I’m usually pretty strict about stuff like that, but tonight, I decide to make an exception.
Mostly because I’ve got more than one thing to be happy about.
Which reminds me…
“Do you have a moment to spare or do you wanna get to the cake before your son finishes it all?”
“The only thing I want to eat tonight is you.”
My cheeks flush instantly. “Dmitri!
“Don’t blame me. You’re the one who’s a stickler for honesty.”
Shaking my head at him, I grab his hand and lead him through the crowded room to one of the balconies that surround it. The moment we’re outside, the Chicago wind hits us from all directions.
“It’s cold as hell out here,” Dmitri curses. “Let’s go back in.”
“No!” I stop him. “I want someplace quiet. Away from the crowd.”
That seems to get his attention. “Okay? What’s going on? If it’s that little shit, Mitchell, giving you problems about?—”
“It’s not about Mitchell, or about this promotion—which, by the way, I’m over the moon about.” I move into the circle of his arms and immediately feel warmer. “And I couldn’t have done without you.”
His voice is a soft rumble in his chest. “Nonsense. You did it all on your own. I was just smart enough to recognize your talent and get out of your way.” He kisses the top of my head. “Anyway, I should be thanking you. You’ve doubled my profits for the Design division.”
I can’t help smiling proudly. But I didn’t bring him out here to talk business. “How about we call it even? Because I’ve got a promotion for you, too.”
I feel his confused frown. “You didn’t get promoted that high just yet, Mrs. Egorov…”
Laughing, I put both of my frozen hands on either side of his face and look up at him. “I think I did, actually. Because I’m promoting you from father of one… to father of two.”
It takes a moment for the news to process. When it does, his jaw falls open and this incredulous look of wonder takes over.
My God, how I love that look. It makes me want to bear Dmitri’s babies again and again and again just so I can see it a million times.
“I—You—We—Fucking hell, how long have you known?” He doesn’t wait for me to answer before he pulls me into his arms and lifts me off my feet to spin us both around in a circle. It’s still cold out and Mitchell still resents me and my sister is gone and a million and one other problems await us in the future.
But for right now, right here, life is perfect.
Not a damn thing out of place.
