Page 49 of Fools in Love

“Yes, well, I’m heading back to Russia,” he said. “And I didn’t want what happened to eat at me. I screwed up. I trusted someone I shouldn’t have. Isabella said she’d waxed the stage.” He shook his head and opened his mouth but then closed it quickly. “I should have checked.”

Kate could see sincerity in the man’s eyes. He looked worried and… broken. Much like she’d been when she’d returned home.

“I appreciate you coming all this way.” Kate moved over and took Dmitri’s hand. “I’m sorry things fizzled out after I left.”

Dmitri shrugged. “We deserved it.” He took a deep breath. “After the reviews started flooding in, the show was shut down. The damage was done. Isabella, she… snapped. Anyway, it’s why I’m heading back to Russia. To try and salvage my career while I still can. No one in New York will have me, have us, not now.”

“I’m sorry,” Kate said.

Dmitri shook his head. “I’m the fool. I fell for the wrong sort of person.” Dmitri’s eyes moved past Kate and landed on Tom. “It appears you’ve found a place for yourself.”

“I have.” Kate smiled. “I wish you the best.”

Dmitri nodded. “I really am sorry.” He took both of her hands in his. “If you ever need anything…” He kissed both of her cheeks.

“Can you stay? Dinner?” she asked.

“No, I’m heading to the airport. I only had a few hours for layover. I needed to do this in person. I have and now… I can feel at peace. Good luck, in your future.” He smiled at her.

“You, too,” she said, and then she watched him leave.

“Okay, now I don’t have the urge to punch the guy anymore,” Tom said, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist.

She smiled. “I had always thought it impossible that he could do something like that. I guess falling in love makes you stupid.”

Tom chuckled. “Being a fool in love will make you do just about anything.” He turned her. “Like Pilates.”

Kate laughed. They walked next door just as Suzie was closing out the register.

“Hey, how’s my new neighbor?” Suzie asked when they walked in. “In trouble with the law already?” she joked.

“I’m loving the new place,” Kate said. “We just broke the studio in.” The words were out of her mouth before she realized the implications. Feeling her face heat, she shook her head. “I mean—”

Suzie’s laughter stopped her as she held her hands up. “I get it. I heard the music and figured you were working out. Besides, Tom here stopped in and got my last bundle of white roses. I remember how much you loved them when you worked here.”

“They still are my favorite,” Kate admitted. “I was hoping that you still carried those flower garden starter kits.”

“Sure do.” Suzie motioned to her left. “They’re along that wall. Are you thinking of planting indoors, in your apartment?”

“No, Tom has several empty flower beds in his front yard.”

“I haven’t any idea how to make things grow,” Tom admitted.

“Oh, that’s wonderful.” Suzie clapped her hands. “I’ve been dying to see some flowers there.”

For the next fifteen minutes, she and Suzie picked which flowers would be great in the beds. In the end, they settled on a variety of wildflowers and perennials and loaded everything, including a couple bags of topsoil and plant fertilizer, into Tom’s trunk.

“I know what I’ll be doing this weekend,” she told Tom as she turned off the lights in her studio and gathered her things, including the flowers he’d given her.

“Will you be okay working on that all by yourself? I work all weekend.” He took her bag from her and threw it over his shoulder while she locked the front door.

“Of course.” She smiled. “It will help keep me busy and take my mind off opening-day jitters.”

“Speaking of which, I noticed a few flyers around town already,” he said, as they walked towards his car.

“Lilly’s and Riley’s doing. They’ve been handing them out to everyone who walks into Classy and Sassy,” she said with a chuckle.

After tossing her bag into his car, he nodded. “Can I give you a ride to your place?” He took a step closer and lowered his voice. “Or…”