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“Take a step back from this edge,” my brother urged me. “Focus on what you have. Just how are you aiming to get back at this man? What role does his daughter play in all of this?”
I leered at him, earning myself another big sigh from what sounded like the depths of my brother’s lungs. “Don’t give me that, Alexei,” I groused. “This situation has presented itself to me. How else am I supposed to handle it?”
“I’m not saying that I don’t agree with you,” he said. “That man was wrong, and you nearly paid the price for it. What I am saying is that his daughter has done nothing to deserve whatever you’re thinking about inflicting upon her.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Max …”
“I’m serious.” If he wasn’t with me on this, he was against me. I couldn’t waste any more time trying to convince him of something I knew was right. “Why are you even here? The last time I heard from you, you were in Seychelles.”
“That was two months ago.”
“Exactly.” My brother loved to travel. I had more than enough money to fund his travels, and he had access to whatever he needed. He had always been something of a dreamer. I tried not to worry about him.
“I guess I got homesick,” he said.
“Are you calling San Francisco home, now?”
Ruth came in cautiously, balancing two espressos on saucers.
“Wherever you are is home, Max,” Alexei said smiling for Ruth’s benefit as he took the espresso from her. “Spasibo, lyubov moya.”
“Stop it,” I barked sharply, making Ruth jump, before switching back to English. “Not professional, Lex.”
“It’s okay,” Ruth said, handing me my drink. She jumped again when I brushed her fingers with a purpose. “I don’t even really know what he said. Well, besides spasibo. That’s ‘thank you.’”
I stared at her. “You know Russian? How?” I could watch her blush all day.
“I only know a few words,” she said. “Just the basics. I, um.” She coughed self-consciously. “I was a pretty big fan of this company for a long time. I might’ve learned a few words as a hobby.”
“Well, that calls for a demonstration,” Alexei said, always ready to cause trouble. “Let’s hear it, kotyonok.”
“Alexei.” I scowled at him, feeling oddly possessive. “I won’t warn you again.”
“Is there something wrong with the word ‘kitten?’” Ruth asked, puzzled.
“Term of endearment,” Alexei informed her cheerfully, and she looked like she was ready for the floor to open up and swallow her whole. “Don’t be shy. Share what you learned.”
She took a deep breath. “Privyet, shlyukha.”
My brother howled with laughter. “Hey, slut!” he translated, holding his stomach with mirth. “That’s what you learned?”
“Oh, no,” Ruth moaned softly. “I thought it was a casual greeting.”
This woman was full of surprises.
Four
Ruth
“Welcome home!” Becca, my roommate, sang as I crashed in the door of our dorm room. “How was the first day?”
I loved Becca. I really did. We’d been roommates since our freshman year, paired randomly and inseparable ever since. Opposites attracted, I guessed — she was a dreamy, flighty, flirtatious music student, and I was the practical business administration and communication double major. An overachiever. No time for dating. Boring.
But right now, the last thing I wanted to do was debrief her on my crap show of a day. What an absolute disaster.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” I said, too gutted to even try and put on a brave face for my roommate’s sake.
