The fool didn’t realize that it was written all over his face—a mere mention of her, and his eyes would light up. I momentarily struggled with calling him out but decided to sit back and watch this drama play out. At the very least, it promised to be an amusing spectacle, given how the two of them were with one another at the club the other night.
I pretended to ponder for a moment, then shrugged nonchalantly. “Fine. I’ll ask Sarah to come along, but I’ve got conditions.”
Nik burst out in laughter, slapping his knee. “Making him work for it. I love it. I taught you well.”
“Are you going to tell me these conditions, or are you going to make me guess?” Alek fumed.
“It’s an open-deck, no-couple-cards game night. I’m going to put my theory to the test. It’d be hilarious if she has a strict ‘black-hair-only’ policy when it comes to dating. I also get one open-ended favor to cash in at my discretion.”
Alek’s brows furrowed as I laid out my demands for asking Sarah to the event. Gone was his initial excitement, and his usual aggression crackled beneath the surface.
His frustration was evident in the clenched fists he held. I wanted to laugh but refrained as he wrestled against the compromise. His instinctual desire to be the one calling the shots itched to assert itself.
“I can see your mind racing. I suggest you weigh the risks and rewards carefully, but don’t take too long, or I’ll change my mind,” I teased him, which only infuriated him more.
Reluctantly, Alek nodded in agreement with my terms. “Fine,” he stated. “However, when you ask Sarah, I need her not to speak to Kinsley beforehand. I want it to be a surprise. If she suspects anything’s off, she won’t come.”
He turned to Nik, his voice filled with that never-ending confidence he seemed to have in abundance. “Nik, I trust you to handle Jenna delicately. The last thing I need is Alisha complicating matters. As for the remaining arrangements, leave them to me.”
And with that, we switched our conversation to additional planning we’d need to put into place for the weekend.
I realized how lucky I was in that moment, although my mind still hadn’t been able to completely distance itself from Vanya. I’d come to realize it never would.
Chapter 21
Kinsley
An Indecent Dress
“Ican’t believe I agreed to go out with him. What was I thinking, and why the hell does it fill me with so many butterflies? I feel like I’ll take flight any second.”
I spoke aloud to the three bears like an idiot. Their smiling faces were a stark contrast to their thoughts. If the damned things could talk, I knew exactly what they’d say.
“Text him and cancel. Just explain that you’ve thought it through, and it wouldn’t be a good idea. You don’t want to lead him on. It’s okay, there’s still time,”Summer would say. Somehow, I knew she’d be the practical one.
“Ha, she wants to do more than lead him on. She’s changed her mind. I knew she would; she practically swooned when she described him. Why am I not surprised?”Autumn would exclaim with her arms crossed.
“Don’t do it. You’ll regret it. I’m telling you now. You give that man an inch, and he’ll take more than a mile. You’ll end up on your backside in his bed in that damned lingerie. Mark my words, he’ll break your heart. And I’ll absolutely tell you, ‘I told you so.’”Winter would shake her head at me in disapproval.
I had to admit, something about this whole situation with Aleksandr made me realize that maybe it was time I started actually dating. I’d been putting it off for years now, but Owen’s death had taught me that being alone was hard.
If I didn’t want loneliness to be my companion for the rest of my life, I was going to have to put myself out there eventually. It was time I branched out and explored relationships outside of surface-level friendships. My heart lurched inside my chest at the thought.
“Season sisters, what do you think? It’s probably time, right? But what type of man? We’ve ruled out Aleksandr, other than this one date. So, what do you think, maybe a man who is sweet, loyal, and gentle? One who is fun but not intimidating.”
“You basically described a golden retriever. Save yourself the hassle and get a rescue,”Autumn would remark.
“Alek is golden,” I sighed loudly.
“Told you, she’s hopeless. Damn, I foresee a hell of a lot of tears coming our way,”Winter would add.
But my champion, Summer, would come to my rescue.
“Oh, stop, Winter. Autumn has a point. A rescue would be nice. The more I think about it, the more I love this idea. It would not only be a great first step, but it’d also give you the full picture of commitment. You have so much to give.”
I’d officially lost my mind. How did I find myself in this place?Pasha. It all started with him. He’d left this morning. He came by the café to tell me he was leaving. He was heartbroken that I hadn’t danced with him. I’d managed to avoid that disaster by agreeing to teach for Mr. Dulaine one day a week since it coincided with Pasha’s time at the studio.
Mr. Dulaine didn’t ask questions. He was simply happy that I finally caved. I knew I’d regret it, but at least the four-year-old beginners class was filled with excited students, and the moves were so easy it was as if I wasn’t even dancing ballet.
