Page 2 of Cherished By the BRATVA Grump

Before I know it, we are walking by the bright lights of what is now a cat café, and mom is pushing open a door that is surrounded by balloons.

“Mrs Kleine!” a woman says, approaching Mom, “I’m so glad you made it.”

“Daisy, I’m so happy for you, I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.” She hugs the woman before turning to me.

“Daisy,” mom says, “I’d like you to meet my youngest daughter, Tamsin. Tamsin, this is Daisy.”

I extend my hand and Daisy takes it with a firm shake.

“It’s wonderful to meet you,” she says. “Your mom told me you’re a dancer on a cruise ship?”

“Urgh… yes. Well, I was. I’ve decided to come home for a while and regroup.”

Daisy nods and smiles and looks amazing in her dress. Like autumn personally dressed her for the event. All coppery satin and amber tones.

I hear Delilah before I see her. Both Daisy and I turn to her when she shrieks my name.

“Tamsin Kleine, it has been too long!” She waddles over to me, her pregnant belly protruding far enough in front of her that even I, someone with no experience of pregnancy or pregnant women, know she must be at least seven months along.

“Dee,” I gasp. “You look amazing.”

She pulls me into a hug and I’m sure her belly kicks me.

A man appears beside her and she introduces me to her husband, Jasper Federov. The name still isn’t ringing any bells for me, despite my mother mentioning it too.

Daisy excuses herself to welcome more guests, and then Sammies comes through the door that must adjoin the café, as she is carrying a tray of cakes in one hard and balancing a toddler on her hip. She stops still when she sees me, depositing the tray on the counter and the toddler in what looks to be a kids books section beneath the stairs.

Without any words, she closes the distance between us and hugs me tight. “I’m so happy to see you,” she says, tears welling in her eyes. “We’ve missed you.”

Within the space of just thirty minutes I’ve had a whirlwind tour of a cat café, met several cats, and been thoroughly updated on what’s been happening in my friends lives while I’ve been away.

I’ve met three of five Federov men, all of them huge and intimidating and utterly soft for their wives. But it’s Lilah, Sammie’s daughter, who completely steals my heart. She is one year old and clutching onto her massive dad like he is the absolute protector of the realm.

About an hour into the opening, a warm sensation on the back of my neck makes me turn around and look up.

On the mezzanine there’s a man. He doesn’t turn away even though I’ve caught him staring at me. He just continues to watch me like it’s the most normal thing in the world. And I’m used to being watched. That’s what being a dancer is. My entire career is built around people watching me so closely that I can feel every set of eyes on me. But this is different.

He looks at me like I’ve caused him some great, personal affront.

I swallow, and nod my head slightly before turning back to Delilah who is telling me all about her due date and how she has no idea who will help Sammie when the time comes for her to be off having her baby.

“I can help,” I say, mostly without thinking, because friends help friends and it will give me something to do while I figure out what I’m even doing with my life.

The feeling of being watched doesn’t stop.

Not until my mom says it’s time we go home, and we each hug Daisy goodbye and leave the shop.

And even then, the warm spot on the back of my neck doesn’t go, despite how cold the night is.

Demyan

“Earth to Demyan,” Natan chides. “Are you even awake?”

I slide my gaze across to him. “Of course I’m awake,” I grumble. “My eyes are open, aren’t they?”

“Well, just because they’re open doesn’t mean you’re present. You’ve been weird since the other night. What gives?” Natan is looking me over with partial interest now, like there might be something happening in my life for the first time ever.

Eduard does that slow lift of one of his eye brows he does when something interesting catches his attention.