If there was one thing I knew at the moment is that I have to go see Alek. I have to go see him. Even if I'm babysitting I'll take little Charlie with me. I don't care. I have to go.
A knock on my bedroom door caused me to jump.
" Yes?" I called as I quickly put the photo and envelope under my pillow.
The door slowly opened. The top of a blond head visible. Soon enough Luke walked inside. In his hands a bag of McDonalds and a cup holder with some shakes and drinks.
" Luke?" I say surprised to see him.
" Uh yeah so I know I usually text you letting you know I'm coming over but well-" he sighed. " Your apology, which I must say was a bit over the top but I know I'm awesome already, is accepted."
" Really? I thought you were still pissed at me. I mean I would make me beg for a while longer."
" It crossed my mind but well you are my best friend. I can't stay mad at you forever. Although even if keeping it a secret was for your own good." He pressed.
" I know. I know and I'm sorry for being a bitch about it last night." I apologize.
" Don't blame you. So, we put all that happened last night behind us? Lock it away and never bring it up again?" He held his hand out. Pinkie finger extended.
I couldn't help but roll my eyes.
" We are going to pinkie swear? What are we five?"
" Just do it!"
" Fine." I sigh as I hold out my own pinkie. " I promise." I grumbled.
" Because of your attitude I'm eating your fries." He said.
" What?" I cried.
" I bought the food. Practically mine. Although I did you get some chicken nuggets. If you say I'm a genius and the hottest guy in the city I'll give it to you." He grinned.
" Luke you are a genius and the hottest guy in the city." I recite. What can I say? I love chicken nuggets!
" Didn't sound so lively but whatever."he shrugged.
" So uh Luke..." I started as he was taking the food out the bag.
" Yeah?"
" Have you talked to Alek? Like since last night?" I asked.
" Yeah. This morning. We went and got breakfast. Why?" He gave me a look.
" Nothing." So they went out this morning. " Where'd you two go?"
" IHOP. Can you believe he's never been there? He liked the blue berry pancakes. Told him that you love blueberry pancakes. Know what he said?"
" Yeah I do cause I was there!" I say sarcastically. " No I don't because I wasn't there!" He rolled his eyes at me and muttered something under his breath too low for me to hear.
" He said, 'I'll make her blueberry pancakes every morning. Even if I get tired of them, which I never will, I'll make them for her'." A flutter appeared in my stomach. Is the how it feels like to have butterflies in your stomach? Because if it is it feels weird.
" Oh. That's very-"
" Romantic." Luke said.
" Yeah."
I start to imagine Alekzander cooking breakfast in the morning. His bed hair messy yet adorable. He'll try his best not to over cook the pancakes or burn them. Even make me coffee. Then I'll taste his pancakes. They'll be perfect.
" Cat?" I blinked and turned to Luke.
" What?"
" Here. Chocolate. Your favorite." He hands me the chocolate shake. I take it from him.
" Thanks." I take a slow sip. " Luke did you guys talk about last night per chance?"
" Practically the topic of conversation. He said he should've done it a different way. Coming up to you. Said he should've-" he stopped suddenly. His attention not focused on me but besides me. Following his gaze I saw that he's staring at my pillow. Well not the pillow but the envelope which is totally visible. " What's that?" He asked curiously.
" Oh uh-nothing." I say as I put another pillow over it.
" Sure. Give it." He starts to walk towards me.
" No."
" Cat seriously?" He gives me a look.
Hesitantly I reach for the picture under the pillow and reluctantly hand it over.
" Here." He takes it from me. Turning it over he reads the back and let's out a grunt.
" Wants you go meet him at the pizzeria where he kidnapped you. You going?" He asked.
" Well yes. Yeah I am-"
" Then what are you waiting for? The sun set in like ten minutes ago."
" What!?" I turned to my large windows and sure enough the sky is now a dark blue.
" You should hurry. Traffic is hell."
" Uh well I have a little problem..."
" All I can think is you having a lady problem. Are you?"
" No. It's just that I'm babysitting Charlie tonight." I tell him.
" Don't worry. I'll babysit him." Luke says without hesitation.
" You don't know the first thing about kids. Let alone babies." I retort.
" It's a thing called google."
" As if Google has all your answers!"
" I'll handle Charlie you get dressed and go!" Luke said as he walked out of my room. Good in hand.
Dashing out of my bed I go to my closet and pull on the first items of clothing I pull. Which is a white summer dress. Slipping on some sandals I rush to my bathroom and brush my teeth. I don't even mess with makeup. It's hot as hell outside. No way in hell am I going to sweat of forty dollar foundation. Nope. All I put on is lipgloss and some mascara. Once I have deodorant on and some lotion I rush downstairs.
My brother and Heidi are informing Luke of some things about Charlie. Once they see me Heidi tells me she already fed him.
" Don't worry I know." I remind them.
" Good."
" I already ordered pizza." My brother tells me before he closed the door behind them. I just gave him an 'okay'.
" You sure you got it all under control?" I ask Luke once my brother and Heidi left.
" Sure. What's he worst this little fella can do?" He said as he carried him.
I try not to tell him of the sudden vomiting or how he peed on my brother once when he was changing his diaper.
" Alright. Call me if anything."
With that I go off to the garage get in one of the cars and leave.
Traffic really is hell at this time. The damn sun set over two and a half hours ago. I'm late. Damn late to meeting Alek. I just hope he didn't leave.
Ten minutes later I finally parked the car before the pizzeria. Turning the engine off I looked out the window. The lights inside are on. The bright neon signs visible in the summer night sky. The open sign is flickering.
Taking a deep breath I get out the car and walk towards the door. I find myself shaking. I'm also breathing fast. Very fast. My hands are clammy as well. I quickly clean them on my shorts before I enter.
Alek is nowhere to be seen. The place is empty. Absolutely empty. In the back I hear some commotion. The moving of pots and pans. The sizzle of something on a grill. The sound of classical music also drift from the back.
" Hello?" I call out.
This looked a lot like where a girl enters the convince store at night and the rapist/kidnapper/serial killer appears from the dimly lit hallway. But they don't appear after the lights suddenly start to flicker and bam they're off. God I seriously need to stop watching horror movies.
The sound of footsteps catch my attention. A short overweight man made his way towards me. He seemed to be overly sweating.
" Ah! You must be the girl!" He said in a thick Italian accent when he reached me. With a napkin he dabbed the sweat of his forehead and cleaned his hands before he held out his own in formal greeting. " I'm Gustavo. It's a pleasure to meet you."
" Hi. Same here." He let go of my hand and I looked over his shoulder.
" He left." I looked back at him.
" What?"
" He left. Well stepped out. He's in the alley talking on the phone. Said to make sure you didn't leave." Oh well that's a relief. For a moment I thought he left.
" Want a drink?"
" Some water would be nice."
" How about wine?"
" But I'm under aged."
" The mr. Said only wine."
" Oh well okay. I'll just go sit over there." I motion to the large booth. He nods and goes back off to the back.
Sitting on the booth I can't help but scoff. This is the same booth Luke and I sat on before I went to the bathroom and Tristan used chloroform to knock my ass out.
Gustavo came back and put a glass of red wine before me. I thanked him. He said the good will be brought as soon as Alek stepped in. I just nodded.
Staring out the window I don't know how much more longer I waited. I do know I was about to finish the entire bottle of wine when footsteps were heard in the hallway. Looking up I expected to see Gustavo again. It wasn't. It was Alek.
He's dressed much more formally then I thought he would. In a full suit. It's dark in color and his tie is a very dark shade of grey with a simple design. His hair is combed back and his jaw freshly shaven. He looks good. Very good.
" About time! I almost finished the bottle!" I held up the bottle of wine and frowned. " Sort of did." I added.
" It's fine. We have more." He said as he sat down across me.
" Good." I nod.
" You look beautiful." He said.
" Really? I sort of dressed in a hurry. If I knew you would dress in a suit I would've cleaned up more."
" I am pretty over dressed." He chuckled.
" Ya think?"
" Sorry. In my line of work I'm constantly in and out of business meetings. Sorry to keep you waiting just now. I was on the phone. Business." He excused.
My eyebrows furrowed. What he said reminded me a lot of Dimitri when we were together in Paris. Always said he had business to take care of.
" It's okay. I'm sorry I was so late. Something came up and traffic was a bitch." I said.
" This city is notorious for traffic."
" Tell me about it." I scoffed.
" I'm glad you came. We can finally talk."
" Yes we can."
A silence settled over us. It's not an awkward one. Nor is it tense. It's just a slight pause for us to get out thoughts together.
" You want food?" He asked.
" No. That'll just distract me."
" Alright." He cleared his throat. " I don't know where to start."
" Why not with how are you?" I offered.
" Yeah, yeah. That's good. How are you?"
" I'm good. What about you?"
" Nervous."
" Really?"
" Yes. I honestly feel nervous. Sitting here. Talking to you. Embarrassing really."
" No it's not. I think you're nervous because you don't know where to start."
" You're right. I don't. I think it should-" he sighed and muttered something in Russian. He shook his head slightly before he turned to me. A fierce look in his eyes. " Catalina I like you. I really do like you. You know why I had to stay in Russia. Now that it is all over I came back for you like I promised. It took longer then I wanted to but- god damn it! This is really hard to put into words."
I couldn't help but grin. " You're doing good actually. And if you should know I like you too Alek. I have strong feelings for you. Very strong feelings that I at one point thought about killing them off but I couldn't. I just couldn't because I might actually love you and that scares me because the last man I realized I loved I-" I stopped. Thinking about Dimitri suddenly brought forth a rush of emotions. Memories I don't want to think about. Not now. Not ever again.
" Cat it scares me to." I stare at him curiously. " What I feel for you, I've never felt before. Never has any girl gotten my interest like you. Never has one even had me dreaming of them like you do. Or thinking about at all hours of the day. Catalina I love you and I want to make this work."
My heart skipped a beat before it started to pound hard in my chest. My chest rose heavily up and down with each breath. My hands are shaking.
He loves me. Alekzander loves me.
Say something! Say something you idiot! The voice in my head shouted at me.
" I want to make it work too."
He smiled.
" Good. That's good. Great."
" But first before we do..." I reached across the table and grabbed him before the front of his shirt. Pulling him to me I plant a hard kiss on his lips.
He's stunned. For a moment he's absolutely stunned until I feel him smile and he missed me back.