“My Baba used to make them for my sister, too. Hers were much nicer than mine, though.” He leaned over to pet Harvey, then suddenly spoke in a rush, as if he were afraid he’d chicken out. “Cassie, how would you feel about going out to dinner tomorrow night? Just me and you? I know we’ve only recently started talking, and you’re still grieving and—”
The endearing offer touched Cassie, and she shocked herself and Nick when she cut him off. “I’d like that.”
Nick’s expression registered surprise and joy in quick succession. “That’s great!”
“Let me check with my mom first to see if she can watch Birdie,” Cassie said. “You know she’ll be devastated that she doesn’t get to come.”
Nick grinned. “I’ll make it up to her.”
22
KATYA
Ukraine, November 1932
Katya slipped inside the barn, hoping for a few minutes of solitude before going into the house, but instead, she walked right into Kolya.
He steadied her with one hand and held up a lantern with the other. “Where have you been? I was getting worried.”
Katya shoved down the shame and fury twisting inside her and focused on what was important. “I have food for Halya.” She set four potatoes on the ledge next to Kolya and let the shadow of a victorious smile stretch her bruised mouth.
Kolya stared at the potatoes for a moment, then let his gaze move up her body. Color flooded Katya’s skin as he took in the blood on her legs, the torn skirt, and her swollen face.
The concern in his expression morphed into rage. “What happened to you?”
“I left potatoes hidden in the fields during harvest, so I went back for some. I’m fine.” Katya’s voice wavered despite her bravado.
“You’re not fine!” Kolya scrubbed at his face with his hands. “And what if they come for you like they did for Alina?”
“They won’t.” She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the activist’s voice. I’ll let you go this time, but it will cost you. And if I catch you again, I won’t bother arresting you. I’ll shoot you on the spot.
Kolya hung the lantern on a hook and gripped her chin. Tilting her face to the light, he traced a finger over her puffy cheek with such tenderness that the tears she’d fought to contain spilled over and ran down on his fingers.
“You’ll have a black eye,” he said.
A black eye was the least of her concerns. Food was the priority. Feeding Halya was the priority.
“At least tell me who did this to you,” he demanded.
“It doesn’t matter.” She pushed his hand off. “There’s nothing to be done now. Any retaliation would only get you killed, and I can’t be responsible for another death.”
He sagged and closed his eyes. “Nobody blames you for what happened to Alina.”
“Then why can’t you say that while looking at me?” Katya barely heard her own voice, it came out so low. “Why can’t you ever look at me?”
He opened his eyes and stared at her. “Most days, I can’t look at you because you remind me of my dead wife. Now, I can’t look at you because I see my inadequacy in your bruised face and ripped skirts. I can’t look at you because I see how close we came to losing you tonight, and I can’t do a damn thing about it. That terrifies me. I don’t know what any of us would do without you. Especially Halya.”
Stars danced across Katya’s vision and her knees gave away. Kolya caught her before she fell and held her against his firm chest. She took slow breaths in time with his heartbeat and let the heat and strength of his body seep into hers until he kneeled and placed her in the soft hay. When he let go of her, the cold and despair flooded back in, and she had to stop herself from reaching out to him.
“He hit you pretty hard. You should be in bed,” he said, his voice deep and gruff. He backed away from her and wiped his hands on his pants, as if trying to remove any trace of her essence from him.
“I don’t want my mother to know what happened.” She hated how weak she sounded, how broken she felt.
“Fine. Maybe we can tell her we were hauling wood, and I accidentally turned and hit you with a piece I had on my shoulder.” Kolya’s expression hardened, and he turned and spat on the ground. “But you must swear to me you will never do anything to put yourself in this position again!”
A shrill laugh escaped her cracked lips. “Do you think I willingly bartered my body for potatoes? You have some nerve, Kolya. My choice was this or my life. I chose life. The potatoes were a bonus he let me keep. Lucky me.” It was her turn to spit on the ground as she glared up at him.