1
Meeting your boyfriend’s parents was always a nerve-wracking event. Knowing one of those parents hated you? That was a whole different level of anxiety. A bead of sweat trickled down Cam’s neck, and he wished he were in bed with Alexi, in their London flat, where family issues remained thousands of miles away, instead of waiting on the Kharpovs’ front steps.
“Stop worrying.” Alexi’s lips brushed his ear. “It’s going to be fine. They’ll love you almost as much as I do.”
“Are you a mind reader now? How do you know what I’m thinking?”
Snorting with laughter, Alexi squeezed Cam’s hand tight. “Are you kidding? You look like you’re about to face a firing squad.”
“Meeting your father? Not far from it.”
Alexi’s face fell, and Cam wished he could take back his words. He knew how much Alexi wanted his family—his whole family—to accept their relationship. While Alina, Alexi’s mother, and Babushka, his grandmother, accepted their relationship, it had been harder to bring his stern and unyielding father to his side. Vladimir Kharpov lived in a world of black and white, which meant men loved women. Anything else was wrong.
“It will be fine.” But Cam saw the faint wrinkle of worry on Alexi’s smooth brow, and he pushed aside his own fear to think about his boyfriend. This was worse for him. It was his family. Cam’s parents loved Alexi. “I’ll be by your side and won’t let you go.”
“I’m counting on it.”
Footsteps pounded and the door opened to reveal Alexi’s cousin, Dmitri. “Hey, you two. Come on in.” He held the door open, but Alexi remained on the front stoop, brows drawn together.
“No offense, but how come you’re here? I thought it was only going to be my parents and us.”
Cam wondered the same thing.
With a swift glance up the steps, Dmitri sidled closer to them. “I thought maybe you could use the support. You know…I hear my father talking to yours, and I’m still not sure how Uncle Vlad feels about the two of you together, so I wanted to be here to show him I’m on your side.”
Touched by Dmitri’s words, Cam remembered Dmitri’s suspicions about him at the beginning of his and Alexi’s relationship and knew it was a big step to publicly stand up against his uncle and support Alexi.
“Thanks, Dmitri. I really appreciate it, and I’m sure Alexi does too, right?” He nudged Alexi’s shoulder.
“Yeah.” Alexi’s gaze focused on Cam, and he recognized the determination in the blue depths of his eyes. “Let’s do this.”
Cam followed Alexi and Dmitri up the narrow, steep staircase to the main living area of the apartment. The smell of something delicious wafted through the air, and Cam sniffed appreciatively. Alexi had mentioned that his mother was a great cook, but he knew food was the last thing on his boyfriend’s mind. He could see tension in the set of Alexi’s shoulders and the stiffness of his neck. Before they reached the front door, he placed his hands on Alexi’s shoulders and gave a gentle squeeze.
“It’s going to be fine.” Cam leaned in to brush his lips over the top of Alexi’s silky hair. “You’ll see.”
A quick, jerky nod from Alexi. “Da.”
That was the best indication as to how rattled Alexi was. He only lapsed into Russian when he was overly nervous or excited. It was sexy as hell when they were making love, but in this circumstance, Cam knew it was the result of this family meeting.
They’d returned home in June from London for summer vacation, Alexi having finished his first year of university. Cam enjoyed living in England but grew frustrated by his inability to work and contribute to their relationship. He couldn’t sing because of his vocal cord issues, and he couldn’t work because of his visa, so he spent most of the days reading and wandering around the city, going to museums to soak up the history, waiting for Alexi to come home from class. He’d never tell Alexi about his unhappiness. This was Alexi’s dream, and he would do anything to make it happen for him.
They entered the living room, where two women waited. One was in her midforties, blonde and thin, with Alexi’s big blue eyes. The other was elderly and in a wheelchair. Alexi’s beloved babushka. Both wore expectant smiles. In the background, by the kitchen, stood an unsmiling, tall, thin man with grayish-blond hair. His hands, clenched in fists, rested on the counter.
“Hi, everyone.”
“Alexi, come. Both.” In a heavy Russian accent, Babushka beckoned. “Podari mne potseluy. Give me a kiss.”
“Cam too?” Alexi remained by his side, and Cam understood how important it was for Babushka to show her acceptance of them both. Together.
“Da, da.” She nodded. “Cam.”
His name sounded so foreign on her lips, Cam couldn’t help but smile. Side by side, he and Alexi walked over to Babushka’s wheelchair and they kneeled, one on either side.
“You’re good man. Love my Alexi?”
Her fierce brown eyes fixed on his face, and Cam’s heart pounded. He’d read stories about gay men coming out to their families and not being accepted, but this was real life. His and Alexi’s. It wasn’t fictional, where everything would turn out perfectly in the end.
“Yes,” he whispered. “Da, da, ya lyublyu yego. Yes, yes, I love him.”
It was a phrase he’d memorized when he learned he’d be meeting Alexi’s family. And he could see from the wide smile that broke over Babushka’s face, it was the perfect thing to say.
“Khorosho.” She held out her hand and he took it, and her warm grip was surprisingly strong. “You’re good man. Be good to him.”
“I will.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it, and her smile beamed bright. “I promise.” He stood and stepped back to let Alexi greet her.
Alexi hugged her tight, and Cam couldn’t make out the things she murmured in his ear, but the blinding smile on Alexi’s face told him everything he needed to know. Alexi’s grandmother accepted them.
“Cam.” A gentle touch at his shoulder caused him to turn, and Alexi’s mother waited at his side. The same steely will in Alexi’s blue eyes resided in Alina Kharpov’s. “It’s wonderful to meet you. Finally.”
“I’m very happy to meet you too.”
“How are you liking living in England? Is it very different?”
By this time, Alexi had returned to his side. He wished he could take Alexi’s hand in his and soothe them both.
Maybe someday.
“Very. But exciting. There’s so much history around every corner.”
Alexi’s father hovered in the background, saying nothing yet still maintaining an overpowering force in the room. Cam wasn’t sure what to do and bent to murmur in Alexi’s ear. “Should I approach him or wait and let him come to me?” He didn’t have to wait long for his answer.
Babushka called out, “Vladimir. Come here.”
From his right side, Cam heard Alexi’s mother’s sharp intake of breath. Alexi moved closer, and Cam itched to put an arm around him but refrained.
Vladimir wasn’t a powerfully built man, his body type more lean muscle like Alexi’s. But where his son’s face was sweet and open, Vladimir’s was hard and closed off. Still, he did as his mother said and stood before her.