Settling Slowly

Chapter 9 - They need to get over it

I quickly made introductions to Evan and then Lexie pulled off.

"How was class?" Lex conversationally asked.

Grigory looked over to me with an amused sparkle in his eyes. "It wasn't interrupted ten minutes in."

I rolled my eyes and nudged his leg with my foot. "That was only once."

"Wasn't interrupted five minutes in, either."

I tried to protest to that, but nothing came. Instead I asked, "Harriet miss me?"

He snorted. "No one missed the lack of silent bickering."

"She always starts it."

"So, Grigory," Evan cut in. "Fancy coming to the cinema with us?"

It sounded like a friendly invitation, but I saw it for what it was. It was his chance to get him to meet the guys and who knew what Scott would say to him. Ever since we were little the guys had looked after me and protected me at school, and like with my dad and brother they hadn't stopped when I got over the reading and writing thing. I guess it was nice and I knew that I could rely on them for anything, but I didn't need them to vet my boyfriends for me.

Grigory wasn't my boyfriend anyway.

"There's a bunch of us going. Dan and his mates as well probably," Evan continued. "And Sergey's invited."

I looked at Lexie though the mirror as she looked into it. She didn't say anything but gave me an apologetic look. I returned a look which told her to call me when she got home. She nodded and focused back on the empty road.

"I'll have to see how much work I have," Grigory said sending a glance my way. "Did you both have a good time at the spa?"

I nearly thanked him for changing the subject.

"You haven't seen how many bags are in the boot obviously," Evan said probably with a roll of his eyes.

Grigory turned to me. "Over spend?"

"Lexie did," I smiled.

"So did you," she said back. "Though not as much. Zo, I'm dropping you off first," she informed me and swung a left onto my side of the estate. "So glad some of that was birthday money."

"Got enough left to buy a cinema ticket?" Evan asked.

"I... have a boyfriend?" she said making us all laugh.

When we got to my house Evan unbelted to help me carry the bags.

"Don't worry about it," Grigory said. "I can help her."

Looking impressed Evan sat back in his seat. I got out of the car not using my right arm at all. Grigory didn't let me carry anything either and made me point out which of the carrier bags were mine. He picked them all up in one hand and took my small suitcase in the other. He shut the boot and let me go up the garden path first.

"I'm home!" I called once I'd unlocked the door.

The dog, we'd called him Archie in the end, ran at me. I held him back with a foot until we were far enough into the house for Grigory to shut the door. Mum appeared and gently pulled Archie into the lounge and over to his basket. I went into the lounge and carefully sat down in the love seat next to Dan.

"What have you done to your wrist?" Dad asked with a sigh.

"Who says I've done anything to it?" I asked.

He knelt in front of me and took my right wrist in his hand. I winced a little.

"It's my fault," Grigory said from the door.