Fingers wrapping around a rolled cloth napkin, I lift it up and throw it at him, satisfied when it hits him square in the nose. He almost looks proud as the material falls to his lap.
“She kissed his cheek,” Dad supplies as I continue to scowl at his brother.
“Barely,” I tack on in a huff. “My lipsbarelytouched his cheek. He watched over me for two months. I was saying thank you.”
“He did what?” Aunt Irina asks, mouth dropping open. “I am so lost.”
“He made himself Anya’s secret personal security while she was away. Had a whole team with him there,” Uncle Lev explains, finishing off his drink.
“That was nice of him,” Nadya decides, nodding once to punctuate her claim.
For the first time all night, Aleksandr makes a sound. A laugh, really.
Affronted by his timing, Nadya glares at the younger spitting image of Uncle Mikhail. “What are you laughing at,pridurok?”
My eyes widen, hearing her call him a jerk with such venom.
“Nico Moretti is anything but nice,rebyonok.”
Child.
Well, at least he didn’t call her anything worse. The table may erupt into a physical fight if he did.
“Watch it, both of you,” Uncle Lev says, surprisingly giving Nadya as stern of a look as Aleksandr.
“Heisa jerk,” she defends, lifting her chin. “He never talks to me and now he laughs at me like I’m stupid.Andhe forgot my birthday last year!”
Oh boy.
“He did not forget, he was in Russia,” Uncle Mikhail starts to explain.
He’s quickly cut off. “Oh, phones stop working in Russia now, do they,dyadya?” Nadya gives him an icy stare and crosses her arms.
“Nadya,” Aunt Irina says softly, taking her daughter’s hand. “Be kind to your uncle. He loves you very much.”
She frowns, trying not to pout as she mumbles. “Sorry,DyadyaMikhail.”
Our quiet uncle doesn’t pretend to be offended. “It is fine, Nadya.”
“Nico is nice,” I say, trying to steer away from any awkwardness. “He’s just selective with who he’s nice to. Something I think all the men at this table have in common, no?”
“Oh, she got you with that one.” My aunt giggles, looking at the group of them before turning back to me. “Although I didn’t know you were close with another Moretti,solnyshka.”
“It’s recent.” I shrug. “Matteo trusts him, so I do too.”
“Then I do too,” Nadya chirps, shooting me a supportive smile. “When you marry Matteo, can I be one of your bridesmaids?”
My eyes bug out of my head at her question and it’s Uncle Lev and my father’s turn to choke on their tongues.
Dad shakes his head, looking at his niece like she’s said the most insane thing imaginable. “Who said anything about marriage?”
Nadya lifts a shoulder. “I ship them.”
Uncle Lev groans. “You…what?”
“I ship them, Papa. They don’t have very good ship names, though. I’ve narrowed it down to Mattanya or Antteo. I’m still brainstorming.”
Aunt Irina grins at me across the table. “Hmmm, aren’t you going to claim you are only friends with your Matteo?”
