Her Russian

Chapter 24-Maxim

"Adamov" his deep and rich voice came through loud and clear.  "Why do you answer the phone like that when you know it's me?" Galina chided him jokingly.  He let out a sexy chuckle.  "Habit" was his only answer.

"Galina, what can I do for you?" he asked nicely.  "Are you busy at the moment, Max?  I just need you for an hour" Galina said.  The line got quiet.  "Max?" she said, wondering if he was still there.

"Uh, you need for me an hour?" he repeated her very words and then Galina realized how it must have sounded.  She was sure he could see her blushing through the phone.

"I need to talk to you.  It will only take an hour" she rephrased and she could almost hear the relief in his voice.  Poor guy!  Did he think she was propositioning him?  She laughed inwardly.

"Okay" he said.  "Give me about fifteen minutes and I'll be there."  "Max?" she said.  "Huh?" he answered.  "Please don't tell Ilia where you are going.  I'm not ready for that" she explained.

"You're secret's safe with me, Galina" he reassured her.  Hanging up with Max, Galina took a quick shower and threw on a white off-the-shoulder shift dress.  The hem and the ends of the sleeves had very pretty crochet type work making the dress too cute.

She let her hair dry naturally, put on some lip gloss, eye liner, mascara and a little blush.  Getting her bed made, she put clothes away and took dirty clothes to the laundry room.

She straightened up the kitchen and put some things away in the living room.  It looked like it was going to be a nice day as there was a cool, refreshing breeze coming through making Galina open the window in the kitchen, two in the living room and opening the front door leaving the screen locked.

She had been marinating some shrimp to saute and she made some lemon risotto for it to rest on.  The whole house smelled delicious and just when her stomach started growling, she heard a car door.  It must be Maxim.

Walking to the screen to unlock it, she gaped at the sight in front of her.  Max was wearing jeans, first off, and a very tight black tee shirt with boots.  Holy hell and these Russian men!  Between Ilia, Maxim, Yuri, Erik and Roman, a woman could die of a heart attack being surrounded by all these hot men.

Her look wasn't unnoticed by him as he started smirking at her.  "What?" she cried defensively.  He shook his head and said "Are you going to leave me on the porch for my entire visit?"  Galina scoffed while she unlocked the door.

"Ego much?" she joked back which resulted in Max throwing his head back and laughing at her statement.  Once she let him in, the first thing he did was kiss her cheek.  "How are you, Galina?" he asked her genuinely.

She shrugged.  "Eh, I have good days and bad days.  It would be a lot easier on me if I could just hate his guts, Max.  But I don't think that's an option.  He hurt me.  Bad.  But I can't bring myself to put any more distance between us."

She started to plate up their lunch while asking Max to grab two beers from the fridge.  "This looks and smells amazing.  How'd you know I hadn't eaten?" he asked taking a bite.  Galina just shook her head and said "A logical guess."

They ate in silence for a bit and then Max started the conversation.  "Okay, you asked me here.  What's going on?" he said wiping his mouth with the napkin in his lap.

"Valeria came to visit me yesterday.  She said that she didn't know I worked at Zoom, which, not to be mean, I didn't believe her one bit.  

She seems hell bent on me forgiving Ilia and talking to him.  I made her no promises, I just said I would try.  Max, outta this entire crazy situation, you are the only one I trust right now.  That's why I wanted you to come over.

I miss him, Max.  So much that it physically hurts sometimes.  I know he's your boss first and friend second, but I need some guidance before I make a decision that I could either live to regret or be forever grateful" Galina let him take in all that she said.

Max stared at her for a bit, looking at her in general, looking at her scar and then looking her right in the eyes.  "I know what you saw hurt you and even though I am not at liberty to tell you everything, Ilia will and he will also tell you that nothing happened between him and Aleryia.

She's been banished from ever coming around the house again.  We've threatened her with Siberia if she ever shows her face again.

Ilia has thrown himself into work, as a matter of fact, he's a madman when it comes to it.  He's not resting enough, he's not really eating like he should and he's burning the candle at both ends and I'm afraid he's going to flame out.

He needs you, Galina.  I know he has made some little steps like the flowers and a few texts but that's only because I told him to go slow otherwise he'd be picking you up for a date right now" Max said laughing.

Galina smirked because she knew truer words were never spoken and they were words of fact, things she already knew but just needed confirmation on. 

They spent the rest of the time talking about small stuff, her job, Tori, her health, etc.  When they were finished eating lunch, Max helped her clean up and then she walked him to the door.

"Thanks for lunch, Galina.  And the company.  I enjoyed every moment of it" her friend said.  "No" Galina started.  "Thank you.  I needed to hear what you said although I already knew most of it.  I just needed some confirmation to tell me I wasn't going based solely off my emotions."

He kissed her cheek and told her to let Erik and Yuri know if she needed anything.  She assured him she would.

After he left, she locked the screen, shut and locked the front door.  Then she closed the two windows in the living room.  She didn't want to be in the back of the house with windows open and the front door.

Stepping out back, barefoot, she found that the backyard had been really taken care of and would provide her a respite from world when she needed to think, read a book or just relax.  

Sitting on a little bench under a tree, Galina retrieved her phone, found Ilia's number and hit 'Redial'.  He picked up on the first ring.

"Ilia?" she said.  "Can we talk?"