Page 46 of Love Spell

This time, Noah didn’t get the joke when Timo laughed.“What would youdofor it to be a perfect day?Not the forecast.”

Noah felt his cheeks burn and kept eating.So he really was as dim as Timo was finding him.“Right, uh, good food, time with friends, discovering something new — art, city, museum, I don’t know.But I like to be outdoors too.I wouldn’t say no to zip-lining in Thailand.The perfect day depends on the mood you’re in at the time, the season, the people you’re with — it’s kind of impossible to answer.”

Timo had refilled their wine glasses and they’d both emptied their plates before he had another one: “If you could spontaneously gain one quality or ability, what would it be?”

“Where are you getting these questions from?”

Widening his eyes, Timo showed both open palms as if to demonstrate his own lack of cheating.“Only curious.Is that also a sin now?”

“Hmm.Okay, I’d have a flawless sixth sense about the market so all my trades turned out well.”

“You think about work too much.”

“Me?How about you?”

“Anyway, I already have that power,” Timo added with a glint of his old seductive smile.“Also known as experience and friends in high places.So you don’t need it.”

Noah considered other options, the wine letting him speak more freely.“I’d love to instantly know a new language.In a better world, I’d say Russian.But considering Russia these days … I guess French.”

“You really want to learn Russian?”Watching Noah, Timo ran one finger along the rim of his glass.

“Sure.Half my favourite literature’s from there, even if it’s outdated.”

“How strange, when I’m deliberately trying to lose mine.”

“Lose your first language?That’s terrible.”

“Why?”His tone sharpened.“I’m never going back.I’m not using it.It’s just taking up mental space.”

“The brain isn’t a laptop.I’m sorry, but it seems like a shame.Having two perfect languages is a gift.You could read all ofAnna Kareninain the original but you wouldn’t even if you had it, would you?You’d read it in English.”

“I wouldn’t read it at all.But if it was pressed upon me, yes, English.”

“That’s sad.I think so, anyway.”Noah took a drink.“What about you?If you could gain one quality or ability?”

“Be hung like a stallion maybe?Except I’m nearly there already, so better not waste my wishes.”He ignored Noah’s choking as he went on, “I know … I’d be able to joust.”

“What?”Noah coughed.

“Yes.I’d be the world champion jouster.”

“Joust … as in Renaissance fairs?Modern jousting tournaments with horses and armour?”

“Exactly.You’re not the only one who was into knights when you were a boy.”

“But that wasn’t Russian history.I didn’t think you were allowed to study any other kind in school growing up under the Iron Curtain.”

This time Timo coughed.He thunked his glass down with unnecessary force.“How old do you think I am?”

“Uh…?”

“I wasn’t born many years before the downfall of the Soviet Union.My textbooks included Europe, and of course North America, which was the height of cool growing up, especially Hollywood.”

“Dubbed or subtitled?”

“Russian voice-overs, of course,” Timo said rather haughtily.“We had our own A-names in the world of voice talent.I didn’t know what Mel Gibson or Tom Cruise really sounded like until I was twenty-five.”

“What did you think when you found out?”

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