wedding dress. She also designed Erin's. You'll meet her tomorrow. She's Ivan's wife." Vivian retrieved her cell phone from her pocket and started to swipe through photos. "See? This is Erin's wedding to Ivan. She was a beautiful bride, wasn’t she?"
"Very," Galina agreed.
Vivian smiled. "The dress was perfect, all lace and fluttery and feminine."
Galina turned to me. "You went to school for this?"
"I did. In New York."
"I like this…" Galina seemed to be thinking of a word she couldn't find. She spoke a phrase to Vivian who promptly answered, "Silhouette."
"Yes, I like this silhouette." She took the phone from Vivian and held it closer for me to inspect. "Do you design many like this?"
"Maybe a third of my designs are sheaths. They look good on everyone, and they're lighter and more comfortable for those hot summer weddings in Texas. I'm doing more mermaids this year." I made the shape of the skirt with my hands. "They're very popular, especially with beading and lace."
Galina made an agreeing sound. "Yes, but difficult for girls with hips." She drew a heavy hourglass in the air. I didn't miss the way her gaze drifted to my own thick waist and bottom. "Pleats and tucking, this helps."
"Oh, I have quite a bit of experience with hiding curves behind ruching," I said with a laugh. "I mastered that trick in high school."
She smiled at me before glancing back at the phone. Vivian had taken it back and had pulled up photos from her own wedding. Galina studied them. She murmured sweetly to Vivian, no doubt praising her beauty. Eventually, she turned to me with a genuine expression and complimented my work. "You are very talented, Bianca."
Across the table, Sergei winked at me. We shared a tender, private smile. It filled me with hope. She might learn to like me yet.
Dinner ended on a happy note, and I walked downstairs to the lobby to see Vivian into the private car Yuri sent round for her. The journey back to our suite took longer than I had expected. The elevators were packed and busy, but I was in no hurry so I let others cram into the cars and waited. After eating a heavy meal, my stomach wasn't feeling very good, and I worried that the heat and swirling scents of other people would upset my belly. It was safer for everyone if I held back until the crowd thinned.
Eventually, I stepped into a car and hit the button for my floor. The ride was quick. When I reached the door of our suite, I heard the raised voices. With my card poised at the lock, I held my breath and listened carefully. I couldn't understand a word that was spoken, but I easily picked out Sergei's voice and his mother's. They were arguing about something.
About me. It had to be me. There was no other reason for it.
Backing away from the door, I took three steps, whirled around—and slammed into Ivan's chest. Ice cubes rattled in the container he held and spilled onto the carpet beneath our feet.
"Hey!" he said softly and steadied me with one big hand. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" He kicked aside the ice cubes so I wouldn't trip over them. "You knocked into me pretty hard." His gaze dropped to my stomach.
Did he know about the baby? "I really am okay."
Behind me, the irritated voices grew louder. Ivan's expression turned dark. He put a hand at the small of my back and urged me forward. "Come. I'm sure Erin would like some company while she watches that fashion reality show she loves so much."
Not at all surprised by his kindness or his urge to protect and shield me, I let him lead me away from the scene in the suite that I simply couldn’t stomach to hear.
And yet…
I had to know.
"Ivan?"
He glanced down at me. "Don’t ask, sweetheart."
"I am asking. I want to know."
He didn't answer until we had passed two more doors. "It's not you, Bianca. It's old ideas. She likes you."
"But?"
"But she doesn’t want him to marry you." He hesitated again, and I could hear his teeth grinding together. "It would be embarrassing
"Very," Galina agreed.
Vivian smiled. "The dress was perfect, all lace and fluttery and feminine."
Galina turned to me. "You went to school for this?"
"I did. In New York."
"I like this…" Galina seemed to be thinking of a word she couldn't find. She spoke a phrase to Vivian who promptly answered, "Silhouette."
"Yes, I like this silhouette." She took the phone from Vivian and held it closer for me to inspect. "Do you design many like this?"
"Maybe a third of my designs are sheaths. They look good on everyone, and they're lighter and more comfortable for those hot summer weddings in Texas. I'm doing more mermaids this year." I made the shape of the skirt with my hands. "They're very popular, especially with beading and lace."
Galina made an agreeing sound. "Yes, but difficult for girls with hips." She drew a heavy hourglass in the air. I didn't miss the way her gaze drifted to my own thick waist and bottom. "Pleats and tucking, this helps."
"Oh, I have quite a bit of experience with hiding curves behind ruching," I said with a laugh. "I mastered that trick in high school."
She smiled at me before glancing back at the phone. Vivian had taken it back and had pulled up photos from her own wedding. Galina studied them. She murmured sweetly to Vivian, no doubt praising her beauty. Eventually, she turned to me with a genuine expression and complimented my work. "You are very talented, Bianca."
Across the table, Sergei winked at me. We shared a tender, private smile. It filled me with hope. She might learn to like me yet.
Dinner ended on a happy note, and I walked downstairs to the lobby to see Vivian into the private car Yuri sent round for her. The journey back to our suite took longer than I had expected. The elevators were packed and busy, but I was in no hurry so I let others cram into the cars and waited. After eating a heavy meal, my stomach wasn't feeling very good, and I worried that the heat and swirling scents of other people would upset my belly. It was safer for everyone if I held back until the crowd thinned.
Eventually, I stepped into a car and hit the button for my floor. The ride was quick. When I reached the door of our suite, I heard the raised voices. With my card poised at the lock, I held my breath and listened carefully. I couldn't understand a word that was spoken, but I easily picked out Sergei's voice and his mother's. They were arguing about something.
About me. It had to be me. There was no other reason for it.
Backing away from the door, I took three steps, whirled around—and slammed into Ivan's chest. Ice cubes rattled in the container he held and spilled onto the carpet beneath our feet.
"Hey!" he said softly and steadied me with one big hand. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" He kicked aside the ice cubes so I wouldn't trip over them. "You knocked into me pretty hard." His gaze dropped to my stomach.
Did he know about the baby? "I really am okay."
Behind me, the irritated voices grew louder. Ivan's expression turned dark. He put a hand at the small of my back and urged me forward. "Come. I'm sure Erin would like some company while she watches that fashion reality show she loves so much."
Not at all surprised by his kindness or his urge to protect and shield me, I let him lead me away from the scene in the suite that I simply couldn’t stomach to hear.
And yet…
I had to know.
"Ivan?"
He glanced down at me. "Don’t ask, sweetheart."
"I am asking. I want to know."
He didn't answer until we had passed two more doors. "It's not you, Bianca. It's old ideas. She likes you."
"But?"
"But she doesn’t want him to marry you." He hesitated again, and I could hear his teeth grinding together. "It would be embarrassing
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