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“If you say so, then I’ll take your word for it.”
Relieved and happy about how it all turned out, I wasted no time pulling out the food Catherine grabbed for us. Between salads, meat, cheese, bread, and fruit, we had more than enough to satisfy us.
Nik popped the champagne, poured us each a glass, and then handed me mine. He offered a toast with his champagne flute in the air. “Here’s to making it this far.”
Snickering at the sentiment, I gently clinked my glass against his and nodded. “How optimistic.”
“That’s the kind of energy I’m hoping to surround us with while we figure everything out.”
As easy as it would be to steer off course and get stuck in another endless discussion about Nik’s affiliations, I didn’t want to spend our evening fighting. I wanted it to be nice, and for us to experience a real date for once.
“Did I ever tell you about the first time I had a hangover?”
As Nik sipped from his glass, he shook his head no. “Go on.”
“I was only ten, and one of our distant relatives died, so we were all at the celebration of life. They had a table full of cocktails made with so much juice you couldn’t even taste the alcohol in them, and since it was in another room while people gave their speeches, nobody noticed each time I snuck over and took a drink. I had enough to turn the rest of the day into a blur, and the next day, Vik was afraid the next celebration of life would be for me.”
As Nik laughed at the story, I couldn’t help but join in. It had been so long ago, yet the memory was fresh in my mind.
“Not a single person watched you walk off?”
“Apparently, the speeches were very compelling,” I managed despite my amusement.
Nik chuckled, making that youthful gleam reach his eyes. “I must say, I didn’t take you for a well-seasoned alcoholic at age ten.”
“Needless to say, I was well supervised at family gatherings after that, and the alcoholic beverages were very clearly pointed out moving forward.”
“I can see why.”
In good spirits, we shared the food, drank champagne, and exchanged more stories between us.
It was nice to have the chance to sit with one another without any distractions and bond naturally. I felt more optimistic about us and the progress we were making together.
As we laughed and talked about our fond memories, I even felt like we were back in Europe, losing ourselves in the endless conversation. It was almost like the unsavory parts of our reunion after the trip never happened. Like we had the chance to pick up where we left off.
Even if things weren’t perfect, it made shielding him from my brothers and their potential manhunt for him feel worth it.
“I never wanted Catherine to be completely dependent on me,” Nik went on to say, acquiring a slightly more serious demeanor then. “She was hesitant when we first moved here since she had only ever known Russia, but she eventually came out of her shell. She decided to study to become an aesthetician, and she has loved it ever since.”
“From what I can tell, she has the eye for it,” I said, fond of Catherine and everything she had done for me. She became a beacon of hope for me, and she deserved every good thing in the world.
Nik snickered. “She used to try and practice on me all the time.”
With my interest piqued, I narrowed my eyes at him in question. “And did you let her?”
He shrugged. “Occasionally. There’s nothing wrong with being well-manicured.”
“There certainly isn’t,” I said with a laugh, glad we could be relaxed around each other.
Since the picnic seemed to put Nik at ease, and he was more receptive than usual, I knew there wouldn’t be a better time for me to try and get his permission. My education was worth it.
“Speaking of studying,” I started, hoping the whole thing wouldn’t blow up in my face. “I have some in-person training coming up, and I won’t pass if I don’t go. I was wondering if I might be able to slip away for a few hours to make sure I don’t flunk out.”
As Nik considered my words, those nerves became more erratic within my gut, and I couldn’t stop myself from rambling.
“I promise I won’t try to run off, and I’ll come right home after it’s over,” I said, desperate for the chance to continue the very thing I had my heart set on. “Maybe it can be a kind of trial run to gain your trust?”
He absently drummed his fingers against the side of his champagne flute while he looked away in thought. Eventually, his gaze returned to me in a measuring stare. “You’ll have to be escorted there and back.”
