“You tell me about a lot of girls.”
“This one’s different.” He takes a grape from the fruit bowl on my desk. “She’s smart. Law student. Doesn’t take my shit.”
“Sounds like your type.”
“Sounds like your wife, actually.” He raises an eyebrow. “Speaking of, how’s the wife situation going?”
I lean back in my chair. “She’s avoiding me.”
“Can’t imagine why. You only dropped the marriage bomb on her in the middle of a work presentation.”
“I didn’t have a choice. She was about to have a panic attack.”
“Still.” Alexi shrugs. “You’ve got to admit, Dad, your approach could use some work.”
“What would you suggest?”
“I don’t know. Flowers? Dinner? Normal dating stuff?”
“We’re already married.”
“Yeah, but she doesn’t remember that. So maybe treat it like you’re starting over.” He leans forward, serious now. “Can I see her?”
“Why?”
“Because you married her, and I want to know what kind of woman managed to get you to do something that insane.” He grins. “Plus, I have good eyes. I can tell you what you see in her.”
“You already know what I see in her.”
“Yeah, but I want to confirm it in person.”
I check my watch. Savannah should be coming back from the stairwell any minute now. “Fine. But behave.”
“I always behave.”
We take the elevator down to the fortieth floor, and I time it perfectly. Savannah is walking down the hallway, head down, focused on her phone.
“Savannah,” I call out.
She freezes. Turns. Her face goes through about five emotions in two seconds before landing on polite professionalism.
“Mr. Volkov.” She nods at me, then notices Alexi. “Hello.”
“Savannah, this is my son, Alexi. Alexi, this is Savannah.”
Alexi extends his hand with that easy charm he inherited from his mother. “It’s nice to meet you. Dad’s told me a lot about you.”
She shakes his hand, looking confused. “Okay…?”
He’s grinning now, and I know exactly what he’s doing. “You’re the marketing genius, right? Dad said you nailed the Q4 presentation.”
“I…didn’t finish the presentation, actually.”
“Well, whatever you did, he was impressed.” Alexi glances at me. “He doesn’t impress easily.”
Savannah looks at me, and I keep my expression neutral.
“It’s nice to meet you, Alexi,” she says finally. “But I should get back to work.”
