Cora said, pointing at Maybe, Yes to all that. Hes gorgeous. He clearly knows how to kiss and hes got a big dick. This is all very good. He brings you flowers and bread. Hes definitely worth a second date. Now, not to be a buzzkill or anything, but whats up with the situation with your parents? Maybe said you two are seeing someone about it?
Were meeting with an attorney tomorrow, Rachel said. Well file for a protection order against Mom and Dad both. Keep them away from Ink Sisters and Whiskey Sharp as well as the house. He needs to have it underlined that we dont want anything to do with him and that we wont tolerate any more of this threatening crap.
No one was going to cage her ever again.
* * *
WHICH IS WHAT she said to her attorney as she and Maybe sat in front of her the following day.
Sarah, their lawyer, nodded. First lets talk about the conservatorship. His chances are pretty dismal. Youre gainfully employed. Youre physically healthy and working on your mental health. Well get your therapists here and back east to file evaluations. Ill do it up front so we can be ready when the requests for them come.
At this point, given your stability, theres no reason to assume you cant handle the day-to-day decisions in your life. I know its easier said than done, but I want you to try and remain calm about this. I can handle most of it without either of you needing to be there. Thatll save a lot of time and he cant use the system to force you to see him. Sometimes thats enough. Once that avenue is closed, a lot of jerkoffs will lose interest.
I hate that hes just doing this to try to control me and harass Maybe, Rachel said.
Its not an unusual thing for an abuser to do. Its a classic move. Their attorney shrugged. I dont much like bullies so Im going to have a delightful time thwarting him. She put aside one folder and opened another. As for the protection order, I dont think youve got the grounds with your mother so Id suggest holding off. With your father, we might be able to get some leverage with feeling threatened. Hes big, hes come to your home uninvited. Hes threatening your independence. Its enough we can at least get a temporary order. Some guys back off and dont contest the order after the temporary expires after two weeks.
Hell contest it. Hes very into authority. The court is an authority. If the court tells him not to do something he feels entitled to do, hell contest it because he wont want a judge to feel hes an abusive guy. And hell contest it because he wont see himself as harassing anyone, merely being a good parent, Rachel said.
Their attorney tapped her pen against the pad on her desk. That could very well be. I just wanted you to go into the process understanding it and what your chances might be.
They moved to outlining some next steps and an hour and a half later, she felt a little bit better about her future and her ability to protect it. Shed taken some of her lost control back, steadied herself with it and now shed keep enjoying her life because shed earned every day.
* * *
HE TRIED NOT to rush, but it was hard because now that hed allowed himself to openly want her, it was like he couldnt hold it back.
Slow it down, dude, Evie bitched at him. You go showing up over there an hour early and shes going to think youre a creeper.
I have things to do before I go pick her up. Its rush hour anyway and I dont want to be late or have to hurry.
Generally, he tended to be really mellow about most things. It took a lot to get him riled up. But he hated to be late. Probably because his family was always so big and had so many moving parts that they tended to have been late for everything.
But his mother had volunteered himwithout even asking him firstto go with Evie down to Pike Place Market to pick up fruit for the bakery. And naturally his sister had wanted to stop at Beechers for cheese and then shed hauled him across the street, pointing at the florists shop. Give her flowers.
I was going to, he muttered. But this place did have really nice bouquets, especially for the season.
Where are you taking her? she asked.
Le Pichet, he said, grabbing a huge bouquet full of color. The pick-me-up, especially as it had been a dark, wet and cold winter, would be a good thing. And it enabled him to spoil her more.
Evie nodded, clearly impressed with his choice. He had a feeling there was a hedonist inside Rachel and he wanted to lure her out. Good food, good wine, flowers, pastries, Vic wanted to fill her life with treats and delights of all kinds.
Excellent choice, especially for an early date. Shes going to know you wont be taking her to gross chain places where everything has a punny name.
He withheld a curled lip because that was what she was trying to get from him. Little sisters.
Back at the bakery, his mother made him have a cup of tea with her as Evie packaged up the heart-shaped vatrushka hed promised to bring Rachel the day before.
I dont need to tell you to be nice to her. You have wonderful manners, his mother told him. I dont need to tell you anything because youre a grown person, a man who is kind and will do the right things.
She nearly always knew the exactly perfect thing to say. A lot of peoplehimself includedbitched about their mothers, but his was pretty wonderful. And supportive.
* * *
THE SHOP HUMMED with talking and the buzz of the tattoo machines as clients got their ink done. Rachels neck was a little sore as shed spent several hours on a half sleeve, bent at an awkward angle to get the lines laid just right.
But the work had been really good and she was proud of it, so the sore neck was worth it. Finley, her boss, Coras big sister and the owner/operator of Ink Sisters, plopped down in Rachels chair.
When is the hot Russian coming to get you?
In about twenty minutes. I really could have gone home and met him there. She shook her head with one of those what can you do movements.
Sure you could have. He knows that too. But he wanted to drive you. Thats nice. Its not like hes unaware that you can handle yourself and your commute. He wants to take care of you.
He did. Thats really what it was. So sweet and sexy. I bought a new sweater today. Im so stupid.
Why? Because you want your tits to look nice on your date? Girl, stop. Of course you do. Theres nothing wrong with you. Stop looking for problems.
True. She had enough as it was.
Finley continued, Hes cute. Hes nice. He has good manners, a job, a house. And he likes you. For you. This is all good. And, by the way, you did amazing work today.
Yeah? Rachel asked, grinning. She admired Finleys talent so much, and that shed been such a wonderful mentor and so supportive had been one of the major reasons shed been able to make a real go at tattooing.
It hadnt been easy. Rachel was good with paper and pen. Or pencils, chalk, paint, whatever. She was artistic. Not something shed really pursued earlier in her life, but in this new chapter, it had been part and parcel of every day.
But paper wasnt skin. And at first itd been a challenge getting past the fact that she was permanently changing someones body and the cost of a mistake was huge. She hated making mistakes.
But paper wasnt skin. And at first itd been a challenge getting past the fact that she was permanently changing someones body and the cost of a mistake was huge. She hated making mistakes.
Finley had repeated that some artists took longer than others to hit their stride, but that once Rachel trusted herself to do ink, shed be headed that way. Fear was holding her back from her real potential.
It had taken a while. Trust, especially of herself, hadnt been easy. But once shed taken the leap it had made all the difference. Trust in herself had unlocked something, had enabled Rachel to connect with the work she did on a whole new level.
Itll definitely go up on the wall with your other birds. The best of the shops tattoos were placed on the wall in the small waiting area as examples of the kind of work they did. It would give her some extra attention, which meant more clients.
Excellent, Rachel said, not bothering to hide how proud she was. Pride in yourself when you did your best was a good thing. That was one of her mantras and one day she might actually believe it.
* * *
SHE MADE IT a point to be outside at the curb right at seven. Over the years, Rachel had taken note of how punctual he was. Generally amiable, he got agitated when everyone lagged or made him wait.
He pulled around the corner and frowned when he saw her. It didnt stop him from double parking to let her in, though.
I said Id come in and get you, he told her once they were headed home.
Though Rachel knew what he meantthat he wanted her to wait inside so he could come to the doorshe couldnt seem to stop herself from acting like she didnt. Just to get a rise out of him. You did come and get me. Thats how I came to be in your car at this very moment.
You should have waited for me to come in and get you, he said in a grumbly tone.
Well, thats silly when I can just take a few steps out the front door so you dont have to try to find a place to park. Were not teenagers on a first date and you parked at the curb and honked your horn.
Sometimes I think you argue because it pleases you, he said and it made her laugh.
I think youre too used to how easy your life is. Youre pretty and charming so everyone just gives you what you want. You dont know what to do when anyone wont go along.
If everyone did that, life would be better. Its not too much to expect, he told her, the laughter in his tone obvious.
That was the difference between his sort of bossy and what her parents were trying to do. It was why he was charming and they were being abusive.
Funny how she knew that and yet it still caught her up.
It puzzled her but she put it away as Vic pulled up at her place.
The lights were on inside so Maybe and Alexsei were already home. Rachel had thought it was nice to have her sisters boyfriend around. Maybe had brightened even more since theyd become an item. She was more confidentif that was possibleand steadier. Love suited Maybe.
If for no other reason than the fact that he made Maybe happy, Rachel would have liked Alexsei. But hed become an awful lot like a brother since hed moved in. And it meant Vic was at their house a lot more too.
Ill be back to get you in half an hour. We have dinner reservations, he told her before he drove the half block to his driveway.
Okay then, she muttered to herself as she let herself into the house.
Jesus, hot Russians everywhere. Alexsei stood in the kitchen with Maybe and one of the various cousins, Gregori, who was a fancy-pants megastar artist. His girlfriend, Wren, also an artist, sat at the table with a glass of wine.
They all greeted her with smiles and hellos when she moved through the room on her way to her side of the house. Hi, all! she said as she kept going. Gotta run!
Maybe was at her door two minutes later. What are you going to wear?
Sweater, trousers, boots. Its fucking freezing out there. Rachel tossed off the layers of T-shirts and tanks and swapped out for the beautiful smoky gray cashmere sweater shed splurged on after theyd left the attorneys office earlier that day.
But cute underwear, right? I mean what if something happens and you two want to throw off some clothes and youre wearing something old and gross? Maybe said as she dug through a nearby drawer.
I dont wear old and gross panties!
Okay, but youve got like, underpants to be viewed by the outside world and then those you save for your period.
I promise not to wear my period panties on my date, Maybe.
Her sister tossed a hot-pink bra and panty set her way and then shook her head. Never mind, not those. The color is too bright and youll be able to see through the sweater. Hmm. Maybe pawed through her stuff some more before finding a similar set in an icy blue with a triumphant hoot.
Rachel knew her sister well enough to just put on the things shed procured. The bra was one of those extra perky ones so it mounded up all that lady-flesh nicely at the neckline of the sweater.
Go eat dinner with your boyfriend for gods sake and stop pestering me, Rachel said, batting Maybe away from her hair.
Just let me get to the back. Its sticking up.
Finally she just let her sister fuss as she managed to reapply her lipstick after brushing her teeth.
I want to know every detail, Maybe said in a stage whisper as they heard the noise downstairs that indicated Vic had arrived.
So everyone keeps telling me. This is dumb though. Hes your boyfriends BFF!
Shut up and go break off some of that. Ill be waiting up and dont argue because it wont matter. Maybe pushed her down the hall.
Bossy bitch.
You got that right.
CHAPTER FOUR
VIC PULLED HER chair out and leaned in, taking a sniff at the back of her neck. You smell like jasmine, he said, joining her.
Its one of my favorite scents.
His too, now.
How was your day? he asked her once theyd ordered and the wine had arrived. The small dining room was absolutely packed and he wondered if shed be all right with that, but she didnt seem to be having any difficulty.
He warred with himself over protecting her and leaving her alone and respecting however she wanted to handle herself. It was his nature to want to take care of people. Hed always been that way. But Rachel was a whole new problem. A whole new situation to try and figure out.
It was weird. Saw an attorney. Then we went to the courthouse and got a temporary protection order for my father. We have to go back for a permanent one in two weeks after my dad gets served. Thatll be oodles of fun.
He clinked his glass to hers. Youre doing what you need to, to protect yourself. Not fun, but necessary.
Its a huge waste of my time and it pisses me off.
He sat back and took her in. Okay then. Good. He got the feeling shed fight better and harder if she was pissed off. And what theyd done to her and Maybe was provocative and naturally she was upset.
Hes a retired cop. He knows how to work the system. My attorney wanted me to be prepared. I hate that I have to be. Seth called to check in on me, which I thought was nice.