Her voice carried a sense of eagerness and genuine care. Feeling guilty about how I rushed off earlier and made a fool of myself, I nodded.
“Okay, I think I’d like that.”
“Wonderful. Come with me, then,” she said, waving her hand.
I sighed; a shower would have to wait. A flicker of gratitude thumped inside my chest, though, because a small part of me wanted to connect deeper with this woman. Her gesture spoke volumes, and I wasn’t going to shut her down again.
Curiosity mingled with anticipation as she led me to one of the drawing rooms. It had been completely transformed into a spa. Two ladies stood poised, their smiles mirroring Sophia’s. The soft scent of aromatic oils wafted through the air. With a graceful wave, Sophia beckoned me toward a plush chair. I settled into the seat, the tension in my muscles melting away. A glass of wine materialized in front of me, and I accepted it with a genuine smile.
Our conversation centered around beauty and fashion as we both tried to find our way around some of our awkwardness. As we delved deeper, the conversation turned to our mutual heritage. I listened, fascinated, as she shared her memories of Russia.
Each word resonated with nostalgia, and my curiosity was once more ignited by the knowledge that maybe my mother, if she had lived, would feel the same way. With each tale she wove, the imagery of St. Petersburg emerged. She spoke about family vacations on the shores of Lake Baikal. Her stories breathed life into distant memories of my own, and I absorbed them with a thirst for more. I could’ve listened to her talk forever.
As soon as our mani-pedis were done, we were treated to massages. It rivaled the one I’d gotten in Portland on the weekend with the guys. The therapists, instead of using their hands, had these sandstone pods they used to apply gentle heat and pressure. They glided over my skin seamlessly and made being touched by a stranger easier somehow.
A soft, drowsy haze tempted me to fall asleep; the soothing strokes had relaxed me immensely. A part of me wanted to give in, but the fear that my nightmare might return held me back from giving over completely. As the massage ended, Sophia’s voice danced through the air.
“Now on to part three. We’re going to have an old-fashioned girl’s night in with dinner and a movie.”
The idea of good food, cozy blankets, a sea of pillows, and further connection had me jumping at the chance. I’d gone from completely unsure of myself to actually enjoying her company.
Sophia’s excitement lingered in the air, hinting at her tipsy state. The sight of her this way—unguarded and relaxed—had me smiling. “Shower and put on your most comfortable pajamas, then meet me in the media room.”
An endearing charm colored her inebriated mirth—a lightheartedness I found irresistible. If only I could let go like that, relax and have a good time. Maybe it wouldn’t be so hard tonight. Embracing the moment, I nodded and hurried to my room.
The thought of slipping into my most comfortable pajamas left me with only one option. Alek’s were highly inappropriate outside of bedroom appearances, and Nik didn’t like me to wear any, so that left something from Ivan’s collection.
I settled on a cute lavender-colored brami-style cropped top, showing off my midriff and the matching pair of low-rise joggers. It came with a cardigan, so I threw that on and went to find Sophia. As I caught sight of her talking to Christopher, a playful grin on her lips, I couldn’t help but feel thankful for this brief period of time with them. Another memory to tuck away and fall back on when I was feeling lonely.
Dinner was served in the media room, and we settled in to watch a movie. It was one of those period romantic dramas and lighthearted. We shared a steady flow of wine, and I was having so much fun that I didn’t pay attention to how much I was drinking. We laughed and reimagined what the characters would look like in our modern world.
“Could you imagine how the scandal would have unfolded now?” She laughed as we talked about how social media would have made it more tantalizing.
“Not to mention the rumors would have flown so fast and free online. It would be so blown out of proportion, and everything viewed in the wrong context,” I added, toasting her.
“We should do some karaoke next,” she said, snorting as she laughed.
The thought of the straightlaced woman I’d originally met clashed with her request. But the sheer delight in her voice was potentially worth making a fool of myself. Something about unleashing our inner divas had me grinning.
“Oh, you should pick one you’d love to sing to Christopher,” I playfully suggested.
The request seemed to ignite a flame of excitement within her. Her eyes danced, and without hesitation, she sprang from the seat and opened up YouTube on the TV. As the familiar opening notes of “Genie in a Bottle” filled the room, laughter bubbled from deep within her.
Sophia’s voice was surprisingly good, and it made the collision of nostalgia and silliness even more entertaining. She began belting out the lyrics with abandon. Caught up in the music, she grabbed my hand, and we twirled and danced around the room. What started as a fun karaoke session transformed into our very own concert, and it was the perfect ending to an exhausting day.
Chapter 43
Ivan
I Love You, Too?
Seeing her beautiful facewhile she spoke to Sebastian earlier in the day, so carefree one moment and then, when she saw me, filled with such pain, knocked me for a loop all day. I was a fucking mess. Everything I once loved to do held no interest anymore. As I tried to go about stupid everyday tasks, she would drift into my mind, distracting me, teasing me, and torturing me.
It had gotten easier over the last few days, not having her so close, but I swear I walked into a room and could still smell her. I had taken off after the last set of interviews and was already home when Marcel came in. He was on the phone with a client, so I got up to leave, figuring he’d want privacy.
He grabbed my arm and pointed back to the couch, wanting me to sit.Shit, just what I needed. More pressure to talk about how I was feeling. I rubbed my temples as the dull ache behind my eyes intensified.
“We’ve talked about trying a different approach to them before. I want you to get out your journal and rewrite the ending of the nightmare in a way that is less threatening. Then I want you to send it to me.”
