Page 4 of The Breath Before Forever

“How long are you and Ma planning to stay in Russia?” she asked, then, redirecting their topic of conversation to a better one. “And did they let you extend your stay in town?”

“They were happy to,” Damian returned with a grin. “But I’m paying a small fortune weekly for that bed and breakfast—it’s good money. No one smart would refuse, hmm?

It paid to be rich. So to speak.

“But how long are you staying?”

His ability to pay for lodging Claire liked in Dubna was only part of her initial question, and not even the most important one. Vera had a suspicion as to why her father opted to answer one rather than the other. Because he had some scheme going on currently with Vaslav. Evident by their many phone conversations lately that usually occurred in the late evenings. Which meant business.

Obviously, mafiya.

Demyan did nothing but stare at his daughter, proving her silent thoughts right, too. “At least a couple of weeks. I assume. There are always things that take time, Vera.”

She didn’t press for more information, and was lucky to get what she did, likely.

His scant details about the coming weeks—and her parents’ last-minute plans to stay in the country longer than expected—would have to be dealt with later, or whenever Vera got the time seeing as how she couldn’t forget Vaslav’s earlier promise after their dance. It still lingered on the back of her mind.

Hannah popped in behind Demyan, and tapped him on the shoulder with a tinkling laugh when she caught him off guard. The song also changed at the same time. Like perhaps her friend had that little trick planned. Hannah’s grin said she might. The song was one with a faster beat, too. Exactly the girls’ style.

“I can cut in now, right?” Hannah asked.

Damian didn’t even hesitate. “Of course.”

“Are you going to let him do the work of taking off the dress?” Hannah looped their arms together, and flashed a cheeky grin.

Vera, already swinging her hips to the faster beat, admitted, “That might have unintentionally been the plan.”

“Are you doing a honeymoon away from Moscow later?”

“Probably not, but I don’t care.”

She was happy.

Could Hannah see it?

Her friend glowed with her own inner joy. It was hard to miss. “Well, you know the villa is taken care of with me, right?”

Vera winked. “Oh, so you’re not planning to throw one of your infamous parties, then?”

“Are you giving me permission?”

As quick as ever.

Hannah couldn’t turn the opportunity down.

Vera barked a sharp laugh. “Hell no.”

Hannah pouted her painted-red lips exaggeratedly. “You’re no fun.” She nodded at the sectional where it’d been shoved against the wall. “Let’s sit.”

Vera’s feet throbbed.

A little.

She still didn’t regret opting for the shoes with a small heel, but she didn’t refuse Hannah’s offer when it meant she could rest her feet, either.

With a sigh, she agreed, “Yeah I need a break. Nobody told me that somebody had created an entire playlist of music to dance to.”

“You didn’t need to worry about that, too.” Hannah beamed—the smug pride clear—as the two women fell into the plush leather cushions of the couch side by side. Her friend’s eyes twinkled in that familiar way that Vera only associated with Hannah.