Page 95 of Pistols and Plush Toys

Nikolai hoped so.

Blue Snake was downtown near the new Lucky Clover, so the drive didn’t take long. Once again Nikolai got out first, opening Elliot’s door and sliding a cautious arm around him, keeping his hand there as they went in, and then as the host led them to their table.

Nikolai didn’t miss the excited bounce to Elliot’s step as they were led to their seats and brought waters. His eyes glowed attentively as he listened to their waitress tell them about the restaurant and their specials of the day.

Neither of them wanted a drink, so the waitress left them to have a few minutes to look over the menu.

Elliot, Nikolai noticed, took barely any time at all before he set the menu down again. Nikolai wondered how many times he’d looked at the menu already since the decision this morning. He smiled to himself behind his own.

When the waitress returned, they were ready. Elliot put in an order for the Caesar salad as his appetizer and, on Elliot’s recommendation, Nikolai ordered the leek soup.

“So, um,” Elliot started when she’d left again. “How did you start in the jewelry business? Meredith said you’ve all been in business together for like twenty years.”

“Yes, is long time now,” Nikolai said. “How it began is… complicated.”

“Complicated?” Elliot asked, leaning forward with interest.

Nikolai sighed. Complicated and not altogether pleasant.

But Elliot was asking.

“I’m saying before how I left my father and Russia at eighteen, yes?” At Elliot’s nod, he continued. “Is half true. I’m leaving, but is not so easy to leave business. He say okay, I’m can come to America, but only if I manage some of his things here.”

“Manage things here?” Elliot asked. He glanced from side to side and briefly touched the high collar of his sweater. “Like…?”

Nikolai nodded. “Yes. Like that. He’s wanting me to be seen. Make everything run smooth. Remind people that there is Tkachenko in charge. Is not what I’m wanting, but is best thing I could have.”

“Oh,” Elliot said quietly. “I’m sorry.”

Nikolai waved a hand, as if to wave away the situation. He hated talking about it. Hated thinking about it. But his father was aging now, certainly not the man he once was. There would come a day when Nikolai truly no longer had to handle his businesses.

But today was not that day. Not if he wanted to keep his peaceful life here.

“One business was… importing gemstones,” Nikolai said carefully, lowering his voice. The restaurant wasn’t that busy and they were at more of an isolated table, but it never hurt to be cautious. “I was checking shipment, and someone tries to steal from me. Gerard was there—he’s gemologist, did you know?”

Wordlessly, Elliot shook his head.

“Yes, gemologist. He’s check the stones for me that day. And so, when this man tries to steal from me, before I could fight—” Elliot was hanging on to his every word, and it was a heady feeling to hold his attention so well, “—Gerard, he’s stab the thief.”

Elliot had been about to reach for his glass of water and he froze, eyes wide. “He–?Oh my god.”

“I know!” Nikolai said. “Is very surprising. But I’m liking his loyalty. And we get to talking, then become friends. And so, eventually Gerard, he’s saying, ‘maybe we could do more than just gemstone imports.’ A real business. Jewelry business.”

He grinned. This part of the story Nikolai actually liked. “I am thinking, okay, is good idea. Better than my father’s business. Is real thing people want, jewelry. But I’m not big business man, I never run any store. Then Gerard, he’s saying he’s have friend. Most capable person he ever know, he’s saying. So okay, is how I meet Meredith. Then she make plan, and I say yeah. And now, twenty years later we are here.”

Elliot blinked at him. “Wow.”

“Yes, see?” Nikolai said. “That is story.”

Suddenly Elliot let out a beautiful little peal of laughter. Nikolai had no idea why he was laughing, but he felt his own lips turn up, if only to see Elliot look so relaxed and happy and amused.

“Is funny story?” He asked, keeping his voice light so Elliot would know Nikolai wasn’t upset by his laughing. On the contrary, Nikolai would make Elliot laugh every day if he could.

“It’s just—” Elliot grinned at Nikolai. “Meredith told me yesterday howsheand Gerard met.”

It took Nikolai a second. “Ah, yes,” Nikolai said, sharing the joke. “Yes, knives are his thing, he loves very much.”

That seemed to set Elliot off again, and he giggled behind his hand. “I really shouldn’t be laughing.”

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