Page 169 of Cashmere Ruin

“Even if it’s a shotgun wedding?”

“Even if it’s a shotgun wedding.”

“No literal shotguns, though.”

“I’ll be sure to clear that with the guests.” He presses one last kiss to my knuckles, then rises from the bed. “I have to go now.”

“I know.” I press a kiss right back. “Wars don’t win themselves.”

“No, they don’t. And little brothers who won’t pick up the phone need to be scolded back into line.”

“Yuri’s ghosting you?” I laugh. Talk about attitude.

“Apparently. To think, I wanted to give himlesswork. Serves me right.”

“I’m sure he’ll appreciate it once he finds out.” Matvey goes to pick up his jacket, but I stop him. “Wait. I have something you can change into.”

I walk up to the mannequin and take off the sheet.

Matvey shakes his head, but there’s a hint of a smile there. “How come you’ve always got a suit jacket waiting for me?”

“That’s kinda my whole thing.” I wink. “Try it on?” He obligingly turns his back to me. I slip it around his shoulders, letting him get a feel for it. “Good? Not too rigid?”

He grins. “It’s perfect.”

Of course it is. I made it with him in mind. Everything, from the sleek black fabric to the lining, was picked for one person.

Myperson.

I steal one more kiss at the door. “Call me later?”

“I will.”

The next hour goes by in a giddy flurry of activity. I get dressed, fix some of the mess around the house, take care of May. “Rise and shine, sleepyhead.” I swear, if I hadn’t gone to wake her, she might’ve just slept the day away.

My stomach’s growling for lunch when I hear the doorbell. “Room service?” I wonder out loud. Maybe Matvey sent them for me?

Or maybe he decided to come back early?

But when I open the door, it’s not room service. Or Matvey.

“Yuri!” I jump up to hug him. “It’s been so long. I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever!”

“Hi,” he replies, taken aback.

To his immense relief, I let him go. “Been busy with work?”

“Yeah,” he says. “Kind of. Is Matvey around?”

“You just missed him,” I tell him. “He took Grisha and went to work. He was looking for you, actually.”

“Really?” he asks. “Did he say why?”

“Nope.” I shrug. “Just that you were ghosting him.”

I turn my back and lean down to fix the last of the mess in the living room. I mean, it’s Yuri, but still—can’t show him I’ve been living in a pigsty.

“Hey, are you hungry?” I ask. “I was just about to call up room service. Why don’t you stop for lunch? You can spend a little time with May, and we can?—”

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