“I don’t need a therapy session from you, Alexei.” He didn’t like the antsy feeling threatening to overtake him. He wasn’t here to mix and mingle. He was here to make sure no one did something stupid. “I’m working, so I should get back to that.”
Alexei frowned. “I think you should talk to Trina. Her heart aches as much as yours does.”
He doubted that. Trina hadn’t had a choice. She’d been born Jessie’s sister. He had. He’d chosen her, and he’d been a moron to believe she’d loved him for a single second. He’d always been her chump, the lap dog she sent to do her bidding. He’d given up everything for her, and she’d fucked him over and ruined his life.
And Lucy and Ty didn’t understand. They couldn’t understand because they hadn’t made those kind of poor choices in their lives. They’d skipped dinner the night before and ordered in and sat up for a while talking about how to handle Trina. They wanted him to be nice to her.
He didn’t owe anyone anything. Not her. Not them.
Michael, people who care about each other, they don’t withhold time and affection to get what they want.
Didn’t he owe something to a woman who knew how to love? Didn’t he owe a friend who watched his back some consideration? If dealing with Trina would make Lucy and Ty feel better, didn’t he owe them? Couldn’t he trust them since neither would lie to him the way Jessie had?
“I’ll talk to her.” It would be uncomfortable, but he would do it.
“She’s here.” Alexei gestured to the buffet. “Her flight was canceled, and she will be staying here until storm is passed.”
He glanced over and sure enough, there Trina stood, filling her plate. Ty was standing not ten feet away, laughing at something River was saying. She and Jax had come up for the party on a snowmobile, the way many of the Bliss citizens had. With as much snow on the ground, it could be a more convenient method of travel.
He couldn’t talk to her. Not tonight. “I’ll have breakfast with her.”
That seemed civilized. He didn’t have to work until tomorrow afternoon, and neither did Ty and Lucy.
“Good. This is good,” Alexei replied. “It is good for both of you.”
“But I want Lucy and Ty there.”
Alexei smiled, a gentle expression. “This is good, too. They are good for you. You could be good for them, too.”
He didn’t like the could be, but Alexei’s English wasn’t always precise. He was good for them. He could be assertive where their natural personalities tended toward the passive. They were already starting to fall into roles that suited them, and he was beginning to get comfortable.
It was good to feel comfortable.
Lucy chose that moment to walk up to him, a tray in her hand. She gave him the sweetest smile and a wink. “Hey, Alexei. Different place, same old job, huh? I’m supposed to be the boss, but here I am serving drinks.”
“Sometimes boss must be playing for team,” Alexei said with a slight bow.
Michael frowned. “I thought you were supervising.”
“I was, but we had a guest spill a drink on another guest’s apparently very expensive dress, and we’re having to fix their whole table while attempting to stop red wine from staining Gucci.” She held up the tray. “Hence, here I am taking this super-expensive glass of Scotch to one of the suites. Can’t keep some high roller waiting. Be back soon.”
She strode toward the staff elevator, her hips swaying.
He had it so bad for her.
“I will miss her at Trio,” Alexei said. “Though I am thinking I will not be here for long either. I tell Zane he must accept two week notices this afternoon.”
Alexei didn’t actually have to work. Caleb had enough money for all of them. He had generational wealth that paid for the big cabin they’d built and the medical practice that couldn’t possibly bring in much since half the time he didn’t take payment. “Wow. So you’re going to school full time then?”
“I am starting work with counseling group,” Alexei said with a yawn. “It’s a kind of internship while I finish degree and before I open own practice. I hope I do not fall asleep on patients.”
It would be weird to walk into Trio and not see Alexei and Lucy. Not that he planned to often walk in without her, but it was still change. Good change, though, since both were moving on to bigger and better things.
It also meant a job was open, but he didn’t know a damn thing about mixing drinks. Still, it had to be better than standing around waiting for some drunk asshole to throw a punch.
“You won’t because Amelia is going to get on a good sleep schedule.” Holly moved in behind her husband.