“And Marin would know.” Kert elbowed me. “The professors at uni said he’d be one of the greats one day with how hardworking he was.”
“You studied art?” Lana put her hands on her hips.
“He didn’t tell you? Five years in Berlin. That’s how we met.” Kert grinned. “We were roommates,” he added with a jazz hands motion, making Lana laugh.
“No wonder the boys come home with such vast knowledge every time they visit you. And thanks for last week. We haven’t been on a date without kids for years.”
“Oh, no problem. I made them load my dishwasher,” I said.
“No, he didn’t!” Bohdan yelled from inside the house.
“Come in, if you have the time. I madevarenyky.” Lana looked at Kert. “They’re ourpierogi.”
“I love them. But Marin is taking me to see the tree at Rockefeller plaza.” Kert looped his hand over my tentacle.
“Thank you, Lana.”
She lifted her eyebrows, her knowing smirk amused. “Have fun!”
“We’ll bring the decorations next week!” Sasha stood next to his mom, his light blond hair standing in every direction.
“That’s perfect.” I nodded at the boy.
Kert squeezed my tentacle. “Yup. He promised we can start in a few days. Because I need to do some serious shopping first. I mean, it’s already December.” Kert waved his arms dramatically.
Lana nodded like a traitor. “Of course. Minimum a week to keep Halloween decorations up, then slowly decorate for Christmas, but by December 1st, Christmas is on one hundred percent.”
I groaned.
Lana grinned and lifted a finger. “One thing before I let you go.” She popped out and returned with two foil wraps. “You can eat on the way.”
Chapter Five
Marin
“Look at those lights!” Kert pointed to the building we were passing, looking up. He tripped on the uneven sidewalk and caught me by the tentacle for balance without missing a beat. “They remind me of decorations in Vienna.”
“I loved Berlin at Christmas, especially the market.” I hovered my other right tentacle behind his back in case he tripped again, glad that he held onto me. The one he was holding tightened around his hand and I smelled the natural almondy-marzipan scent of his skin though the suckers, tasting vaguely of Lana’s snacks we had on the way.
“You ate way too many bratwursts the first time we went.” Kert caressed my tentacle with his thumb absent-mindedly. The little gesture filled me with warmth. It hit me how much I’d missed his touch and now that I had it again, I had no idea how I’d be able to say goodbye to Kert in a few weeks.
“Yeah, and the apple strudel too. It was worth it. Remember the stomach ache I had that evening?” I groaned at the thought. “You brewed me tea and we watchedHome Aloneon your laptop.” Kert had turned the evening around for me.
The tourist-packed Manhattan gave a sense of privacy with everyone too busy sightseeing and shopping to pay attention to other pedestrians.
“The angels are the cutest.” Kert admired the decorations all around us, hugging my tentacle to his chest like a toy.
Walking towards the Rockefeller Center with Kert was magical, thanks to his chatter and unquenchable excitement. I was experiencing New York through the eyes of a tourist again. His wide-eyed wonder and infectious grin brought back the moments I’d visited the city for the first time. After four years, it had lost that fresh charm, replaced with my noticing the stinking alleys and people constantly in a rush.
“There it is!” Kert pointed at the Christmas tree. “I expected it to be huge, butmein gott, it’s insane. I love it.”
“They brought it from Massachusetts this year. I caught a bit of the live broadcast when they set it up at the beginning of the month. Do you want a picture with it?” I stepped away to get the best angle, but he pulled me closer instead.
“Yeah. Come here.” He pointed his phone at us and titled his head closer to my shoulder. His grin was infectious, and I smiled for the pic of our faces and the tree behind us. “Perfect. Now let’s go.”
“Where?”
His direction became obvious, and I shook my head.
