Read Online A Very Russian Christmas by Roxie Rivera - Free Book Online Page B

“Over there. She’s making sure everyone donated to Manuel’s jar.”
    “Jar?” He craned his neck for a better look at her. She grasped a large jar decorated in holiday colors and wheedled donations out of everyone heading out the door.
    “Should I take her home?”
    Nikolai pinned Oleg with a cold stare. “No.”
    The incredibly skilled cook inclined his head with respect. “Okay, boss.”
    After Oleg moved along, he finished handing out the remaining bonuses and stopped to speak with the general manager. Certain the restaurant was in good hands, Nikolai sought out Vivian who was making the rounds of his men and persuading them to open their wallets with that sweet smile of hers. When she whirled around after getting Kostya to donate a few crisp twenties, she knocked into Nikolai’s chest. He steadied her and was glad for the plastic jar wedged between their bodies.
    “Oh! Sorry.”
    “Be careful, Vee. In those heels, you’re easily knocked off balance.”
    “Don’t I know it,” she said with a laugh. “I nearly ate it three times on the dance floor tonight!”
    He let his hands drop from her upper arms and took the jar from her. She had taped heart wrenching photos of Manuel, his wife Maria and the two premature twins she had delivered three weeks earlier. Last week, they had lost one of the twins—a baby girl—to complications from being so severely premature. Their son remained in the NICU of the world-class children’s hospital downtown. Nikolai hoped for the best but he wasn’t optimistic.
    “For the expenses from the funeral and living costs,” she said sadly. “I know it would help them if they could replace Maria’s income so she can stay at the hospital with their baby.”
    Her soft heart touched him and the kind gesture toward her friend and fellow employee filled him with pride. “I’ve made arrangements to help them. It’s not nearly enough. Money will never bring back their baby, but it’s all I can do.”
    She smiled at him. “I knew you would do something to help.”
    Her unshakeable belief in his ability to be good unsettled him. Most people assumed the worst of him but not Vivian. She seemed to always see the best. “Do you want me to lock that in my office?”
    “Would you mind? I planned to give it to him on the weekend when he comes in to work.”
    “I don’t mind.” He backed away from her and gave one final order. “Get your coat and wait for me. I’ll take you home.”
    After locking the jar in the safe, Nikolai made a final round of the restaurant, gave Sergei and Danny the night off and found Kostya lingering near the rear exit with an armload of gifts. Vivian stood nearby with Igor, the elderly host who welcomed guests to the restaurant and handled all of the hospitality. These cold evenings were hard on Igor’s arthritic hands so she helped button the front of his coat and curled his scarf around his neck, giving it an artful knot. The older man sweetly pecked her cheeks before bidding her farewell.
    Eyeing Kostya’s armload, Nikolai teasingly asked, “Secret admirers?”
    Kostya shot him a look. “Not mine, boss.”
    Grabbing the nearest tag, he read the names there and scowled. It seemed the Secret Santa rules that the employees used to keep costs down had been scuttled for Vivian. There were at least a dozen small boxes and gift bags with her name on them, all of them given by men who worked at the restaurant. Irritated by the way other men dared to shower his Vee with gifts, Nikolai was ready to start writing out pink slips.
    But she’s not my Vee.
    For now, she belonged to no man, but how long would that last? She already had some sort of relationship brewing with that bodyguard Kelly Connolly. He had seen them together at Dimitri and Benny’s wedding. There might not be romantic feelings between them yet, but it seemed a likely outcome. One thing Nikolai knew for sure. He could never compete with a man like Kelly. The former Marine was a true war