Page 17 of Sweet Dreams

"This is hopeless," she groaned, flopping onto the bed. "What does one even wear to seduce a sexy Belarusian?"

Her phone buzzed. Kelly's name flashed on the screen.

Kelly:"So? Packed yet? Or are you still having a fashion crisis?"

Beth:"Definitely crisis mode. Help!"

Kelly:"On my way. Bringing reinforcements."

Fifteen minutes later, Kelly burst through the door, arms laden with shopping bags. Jessie trailed behind, looking slightly overwhelmed.

"Ladies," Kelly announced, "Operation: Belarusian Seduction is officially underway."

Beth laughed, relief flooding through her. "You're a lifesaver, Kel. And Jessie! I didn't expect to see you here."

Jessie shrugged, a slight blush coloring her cheeks. "Kelly said it was an emergency. I thought maybe you'd blown up the kitchen or something."

"Oh honey," Kelly patted Jessie's arm. "This is a much more delicious kind of emergency. Now, let's see what we're working with."

As Kelly dove into the shopping bags, pulling out an array of lacy, silky items, Beth's phone buzzed again. Yuri's name lit up the screen.

Yuri:"Important question: how do you feel about ice skating? Asking for a friend. The friend is me. I may be planning our first date."

Beth's heart did a little flip. She quickly typed back:

Beth:"Ice skating sounds perfect. Fair warning, though, I have all the grace of a newborn giraffe on ice. Hope you know CPR."

"Ooh, who's that?" Kelly's voice sing-songed from behind her. "Lover boy?"

Beth felt her cheeks warm. "Maybe. He's asking about ice skating."

Kelly's eyes lit up. "Perfect! I packed just the thing." She pulled out a form-fitting sweater dress in a deep emerald green. "Pair this with leggings and boots, and you'll be the hottest thing on ice. You can thank me later."

As Beth admired the dress, her phone buzzed again.

Yuri:"CPR, eh? Well, I am trained in mouth-to-mouth. Though perhaps we should practice. You know, just to be safe. ;)"

Beth nearly choked on air. Were they flirting? They were definitely flirting.

"Earth to Beth!" Jessie's voice cut through her Yuri-induced haze. "Your face is turning the color of your hair. Everything okay?"

"What? Oh, yeah. Everything's great," Beth mumbled, quickly typing back:

Beth:"Practice makes perfect, Mr. Minsk. I'll pencil you in for a thorough lesson. For safety reasons, of course."

"Alright, spill," Kelly demanded, hands on hips. "What's got you blushing like a virgin on prom night?"

Beth hesitated, then passed her phone to Kelly. Might as well get some expert advice.

Kelly's gaze danced over the texts, a devilish smirk on her lips. "Oh, sweetheart, he's definitely looking for a ticket to ride the Beth Express."

"What? No... we’re just...it's just playful chatter," Beth rebutted feebly.

Kelly arched an eyebrow at her friend, a knowing glint in her eye. "Beth, darling, you and Keith have been done for a couple of weeks now. Reminder, all work and no play make for a very dull girl..."

Jessie peered over Kelly's shoulder, her eyebrows rising. "I may not be an expert in flirting, but even I can see this is more than friendly. The winky face alone is highly suggestive."

Beth groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Oh god. What am I doing? I'm flying halfway across the world to meet a man I've only seen through a screen. This is insane, right?"

---