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I gesture for Ruslan to follow me. “Well, come on then. Family and friends section is this way.” As we approach, the girls finally look up from Phoebe’s poster long enough to notice Ruslan. Both of them start squealing loudly as they make a run for him.
“Shut up,” I mutter the moment I’m standing next to Phoebe.
She’s grinning from ear to ear. “I didn’t say anything.”
Ruslan approaches with Caroline and Reagan hanging off him like human accessories. “Phoebe, this is my boss, Ruslan Oryolov. Ruslan, this is—”
“The best friend,” she interrupts, sticking her hand out to him. “Phoebe Lawrence.”
Ruslan gives her his full wattage smile. It actually annoys me—not because Phoebe doesn’t deserve it, but because I thinkIdeserve it, too.
Would it kill him to smile at me like that every once in a while?
We find a good spot on the bleachers and I try to shoot Phoebe a warning glare as she rattles off rapid-fire questions at Ruslan.
“How did you start Bane Corp.? How long have you been CEO? Do you ever take time off? Do you have an active social life?”
Her questions go on and on. But I have to give it to Ruslan: he never falters, never betrays irritation or impatience. He sits there, balancing Reagan on one knee and Caroline on the other, and answers every last one of Phoebe’s questions.
The only time she lets up is when the game starts and Josh gets possession of the ball. Phoebe holds up her sign, the girls screech, and Ruslan claps loudly.
At some point, in the middle of the game, Phoebe leans towards me. “Okay,” she says softly. “I approve.”
I’m genuinely surprised. Phoebe’s not usually so easily won. Especially when it comes to my boyfriends.
Not that Ruslan is anything of the sort.
“That’s it, Josh! Well done!” Ruslan exclaims.
It’s hard to miss Josh’s beaming smile as he runs past us. My gaze slides over to Ruslan’s sharp profile. He’s half-covered by Reagan’s curtain of hair and Caroline is busy playing with his watch clasp.
I know he’s not a “good guy” by any stretch of the imagination. But maybe, just maybe…
He’s a goodman.
39
EMMA
I’m in a happy feelings daze. I’m not quite sure how we went from the basketball game at school to Connie’s Creamery, but here we are.
Ruslan is at the counter with the kids, helping them settle on flavors, while Phoebe and I slide into the window table under a sign that readsRelationship Status: Ice Cream.
Phoebe shoots me a suggestive smirk. “This is a trippy day.”
“You’re telling me.” Glancing towards Ruslan and the kids, it strikes me that Reagan stillhasn’t let go of Ruslan’s hand. She’s been surgically attached to him since we left the basketball game. “I can’t believe he’s here.”
“He’s obviously here because he wants to be. It was his idea to come here for celebratory sweets. The man might be a genius..”
I bite my bottom lip. “He’s good with them, isn’t he?”
“Extremely. Who’d have thought, huh?”
“Yeah.” I shake my head with disbelief. “Who’d have thought?”
A few minutes later, Ruslan and his three new appendages join us at the table. Ruslan has to pull up a chair to make enough room for everyone.
I gesture for Reagan to come to me. “Rae, honey, you can sit on my lap.”
