Page 82 of Frequency of Attraction

“Sure didn’t. I still say we win the wager. They’re not married. Chen and Elle owe us a vacation.” She turned and wrapped her arms around his torso. Her joyous face tipped up to his. “Where should we go? It’s been so long since we’ve been anywhere but here or Boston.”

“Somewhere really expensive. Make Chen sweat a little. But the next vacation I take is with you alone.”

She raised up on her toes, eyes feasting on his mouth as the chipper voice of Tate’s sister-in-law, Pia, halted her. She issued a rain check with her gaze. “What a night! What a place. Wow.” Pia’s smile never faded as she surveyed the palpably excited room. Vadim didn’t blame her. People from all corners and classes of the globe had come together tonight, collected in curiosity. One soul at a time, they hoped to remind people of their simple, stunning commonality. Tate aimed for no less than unification of their race through space travel. Vadim had already felt that simple human truth. After tomorrow, their guests would know that truth, too.

“Can’t wait for your little party tomorrow,” Pia said. “The kids are so looking forward to playing with Mila again.”

His gaze collided with Quinn’s. He wanted to kiss the sly quirk in the corner of her mouth. Tomorrow, lives would change for more than just OrbitAll’s guests.

Prelaunch was a blur of nerves and not enough time. The smell of jet fuel permeated the runway while they completed preflight checklists and all the last-minute shit that seemed to pop up. The sense of occasion hung thick, excited chatter and cheers and enough press presence to remind him how real it was this time. No more test runs. Today was the true mark of success, proof that he hadn’t failed himself or the people he worked with. Vadim knew unequivocally that today would stand as the happiest of his life. Each part would be better than the last.

Like when Quinn blew him a kiss from the runway before he ducked into the belly of Stratos.

When they released and fired off into cerulean sky.

The hush that filled the cabin as they left Earth’s atmosphere.

Doug’s superstitious ritual of singingRocket Manterribly.

The joy when he released the cabin’s harnesses and let the guests experience the lack of gravity.

Their unexpected clear view of the stars.

The tears he saw tracking down more than one face as their passengers’ view of the world, of life, changed.

Then, later, the hazel eyes that brought him home and the contours of a body that had started as a puzzle to be solved and transformed into a gift he’d been given.

Later that day

Quinn changed into a white sundress and did not try to hide the gaze glued to Vadim’s sculpted torso as he changed into white pants and a shirt that stole its color from the sky.

“Merde, you’re handsome.”

“You have to say that now.”

She shook her head slowly, her smile swelling with her heart. Loving him, admiring him, was her privilege.

Downstairs, she dropped a kiss on the soft cheek of Baba Mila. “Please stop fretting,Baba. Everything will be perfect. We just need to keep the guests out of the backyard until it’s time.”

Quinn herself hadn’t even peeked. Mila had made her promise not to. She could hear her little love shrieking happily, likely on the swing in the front yard. Vadim had wanted some alone time with her before their guests arrived.

They’d invited their closest family and friends for a postlaunch celebratory dinner. Or so they’d told them.

“A/V is all set up,” Trav announced. Dasha hadn’t stopped running around, muttering to herself in Russian. She’d barely spared them a wave when they’d arrived.

“Thank you for taking care of everything while we were gone.”

Trav flashed her a dimpled grin and Baba Mila clucked softly.

“I see cars!” Dasha yelled from the porch. “Stations, people!”

With Dasha in charge, their friends unsuspecting, and a table of Baba’s delicious food on the front porch to distract them, their subterfuge worked without a hitch. They had a lovely afternoon replaying the launch and catching up with the people they loved. Lisa and Suresh, friends of them both, mingled with Hadrian and Federica and Tate and Rosie. Elle and Chen lounged with Matt and Pia in the shade of the trees Quinn insisted they plant. She’d always wanted trees. Doug arrived late and alone, as per usual. Mila played her part by keeping her cousins in her room.

As the sun began to set, Vadim interrupted her tête-à-tête with Federica. Apparently, Hadrian was doing amazing things at Ferrari. He’d just needed the right motivation, and the right woman, to realize his potential.

“It’s almost time,” Vadim murmured in her ear as his arm slid around her waist. “We should check the video link.”

They excused themselves to their office, where Trav had started a video chat room on a laptop just for the occasion. Quinn beamed at the sleepy faces of her parents, Edie, her Boston bestie, and Vadim’s mother and aunt. “Thank you so much for being here with us.” She repeated the sentiment in French, and Vadim in Russian. Edie raised a glass of champagne, looking cozy in her fluffy pajamas on her couch. “Today wouldn’t be the same without any of you. God bless the internet.”

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