Page 58 of Love to Defy You
Behind Prisha stands Alek, whose face is scrunched as he rubs his ears. “I think the entire Swiss Alps can hear you two wailing.”
I clutch Prisha tighter, which pushes her round glasses askew. “Who cares?”
We both burst into giggles.
“I’ll let you two catch up,” Alek says. “I’m going to find a quieter room.”
Alek excuses himself, and at last, I release Prisha. “Come on, I’ll show you your room. It’s right next to Henri’s.”
She quirks an eyebrow. “Who’s Henri?”
I drag her toward the stairs with a huge grin on my face. “The Belgian chocolate heir who’s going to take your V-card.”
While I put the finishing touches on Prisha’s makeup in my bedroom, a movement in the doorway catches my eye.
Josie raps her knuckles on the door. “Knock, knock.”
I set the eyeshadow down and gesture for her toward us. “Hey! Come in. Prisha, this is Josie. Josie, this is Prisha.”
“What a gorgeous name. Lovely to meet you, Prisha.” Josie strides in and takes a seat on the sofa in front of the fireplace. “Goodness, this room is stunning.”
“Right?” I glance out the window at the sunset, which casts an orange hue across the snowy mountainside. “This used to be Alek’s parents’ room when they stayed here.”
“It’s good to be king.” Josie grins. “Thank you for the invitation, by the way. Our room is lovely, although Mick managed to make a mess with all his dirty laundry thrown all over.”
I laugh. “Did you just arrive?”
“Yes, I rode up with Enzo and Birgitta.” She waves a lazy wrist toward the hallway. “They’re getting settled now before the welcome dinner.”
“Well, at least we’ll have a little entertainment tonight.” I glance at Prisha to elaborate for her. “Alek and Enzo don’t exactly get along.”
Prisha nods and twirls a lock of her dark hair around her finger. “Is, um, Henri here yet?”
“I saw him downstairs when we arrived,” Josie says. “Have you not met him yet?”
A tinge of pink appears on Prisha’s cheeks. “No, not yet.”
I lean against the makeup vanity, unable to hide the smirk on my face. “I’m playing matchmaker tonight.”
Josie’s eyes light up. “Oh, how marvelous. Seems like love is in the air tonight.” She turns to watch the first signs of snowfall, but her smile melts away.
We spend the next hour trying on dresses and finishing our hair and makeup before dinner. Tonight, I’m not looking to draw attention—well, at least not Enzo’s attention—so I opt for a vintage cocktail dress with a sweetheart neckline. It’s more tasteful than most of the stuff I own, although it still makes my boobs look fantastic. Burgundy is totally my color.
I haven’t had a girls’ night like this since a middle school sleepover. Female friendships were always harder for me to develop, and even though Prisha and Josie are polar opposites, the three of us fall into easy conversation and a comfortable atmosphere.
Seeing Prisha and Josie get along makes me wish that the rest of the night will run this smoothly. But who am I kidding? You can’t have Enzo and Alek in a room without the air crackling with tension.
Once the three of us finish getting ready, we head downstairs to the dining room for the welcome dinner Alek planned for the guests. A long, rectangular table made of chestnut sits in the middle beneath an elaborate, golden chandelier. High-back dining chairs upholstered in green sit around the table against a stunning backdrop of floor-to-ceiling windows. The sun has set behind the mountains, and snowfall gently drifts outside while a well-dressed pianist plays a soft tune on the grand piano in the corner.
“Goodness, Aleksandr has really outdone himself, hasn’t he?” Josie walks the length of the table to inspect the tall candlesticks nestled between pine garlands and white roses. She picks up a crystal water goblet, and when the light hits it, it creates a rainbow prism in the intricate etching of the glass.
“Only the finest for my friends,” Alek says behind me.
I whip around to find him leaning against the doorframe, his arms folded. He’s wearing a black suit that fits snug against his torso, along with a burgundy tie.
No one can wear a suit like Aleksandr Kurochkin can.
I nod at his tie. “Hey, we match.”
