Love in E Flat (8 page)

“You enjoy making fun,
nyet
?”

“
Da
…” Lou chuckled at the playful glare. “It would be good for the interview. So what do you say? Are you game, Aggie?”

“Da
. I am game. I may regret it, but I am game.”

Chapter 7

Lou jammed her hands deep into her pockets and shivered; the weather had turned from unseasonably warm to downright seasonably cold as they waited for Nick to pick them up. It was mid-December after all, but as long as she’d lived in the Windy City, Lou never got used to the drastic, sudden change in temperature. She glanced at Agata, who didn’t seem to mind at all.

“It gets pretty frigid in Russia, doesn’t it?” Lou asked, shivering again.

“This is nothing.” Agata glanced at Lou and shook her head. “A coat would have been good idea.”

Lou’s chattering teeth stopped her retort. Mercifully, Nick pulled up to the curb. Lou hurried and opened the door for Agata, not waiting for Nick.

“Evening, ladies. Boy, it sure got cold quick,” Nick said over his shoulder. “One minute, it’s fifty degrees, and now it’s in the thirties.”

“Turn up the heat, Nick.” Lou blew into her cupped hands.

“Shoulda worn a jacket or somethin’.” Nick flipped the knob on the dashboard before pulling into traffic. “So where to? Nightclub?”

“Uh, no—”

“Yes, Nick,” Agata said, leaning forward. She looked at Lou’s shocked face. “What do you suggest?”

Totally caught off guard, Lou stuttered, “Um…ah…well…”

“How ’bout some jazz?” Nick offered. “Or blues…”

Agata smiled at Lou. “What do you suggest? Where do you go?”

Lou raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure?”

“
Da
. I am sure.”

Still concentrating on Agata, Lou said, “Get us to Halsted Street, will you, Nick?”

“Oh, boy,” Nick chuckled, putting the cab in gear.

Agata looked out the window, not saying much. Lou noticed Nick look in the rearview mirror, glancing from Agata to Lou and back again. “Did you ladies have a good meal?”

Agata smiled then. “Yes, thank you. It was very enjoyable.”

“I love the accent. Where are you from? Wait,” Nick said as he drove. “Don’t tell me. Let me guess.”

Agata continued smiling as she looked at Lou, who rolled her eyes.

“Say something else,” Nick prodded.

“Nick,” Lou insisted. “This isn’t a game show.”

“It is all right,” Agata said, placing her hand on Lou’s arm. “Nick, we had a very nice time. So tell me how you know Lou.”

“I don’t know her personally. But I read her column. She’s got a way with the words,” he said over his shoulder. “I say Russia.”

“Very good,” Agata said. She turned to Lou. “As I asked before, why sports?”

“I was an athlete, so it seemed natural.” Lou knew she sounded dismissive as she looked out the window, suddenly feeling awkward. It did not go unnoticed that Agata still had her hand on Lou’s forearm. As if to read Lou’s mind, Agata slipped her hand away.

The cab stopped in front of Scarlet Bar on North Halsted.

“Here we are,” Nick said, jumping out of the cab.

Lou had already opened the door by the time Nick got around to her. “What are you doing?” she asked as she got out.

“Being a gentleman.” He leaned into her. “She’s gorgeous.”

“Shut up,” Lou whispered.

“You behave yourself tonight,” Nick said with a devilish grin.

“Shut up,” Lou insisted with a grin of her own.

Nick wedged his way between Lou and the door to assist Agata out of the cab.

“Thank you, Nick,” Agata said, pulling her coat around her.

“My pleasure. If you need a cab while you’re here,” Nick offered, still holding her hand.

“Thank you again.”

“Lou, gimme a holler when you’re ready? Unless it’s really late, then you’re on your own.”

“Thanks.”

They walked into the sensually lit foyer. “This is very elegant,” Agata said.

“Yeah, the owners did a great job on it. Let’s sit over there.” Lou motioned to the left side of the mahogany bar. A long cushioned bench with separate tables looked cozy and intimate. Lou hoped she wasn’t pushing it. As she glanced at Agata, who smiled in agreement, she felt more at ease with her decision not to sit at the bar—as elegant and classy as it looked.

After the server took their drink order, Agata slipped out of her coat with Lou’s assistance.

“Thank you,” she said softly. “I like this place.”

“I do, too. There’s a long history that goes along with the name. Back to the times of speakeasies and the city being more open to our…uh…the GLBT community.” Lou was glad when the drinks arrived. She held up her glass to Agata. “Well, here’s to you, Aggie. I’m glad we met.”

“This part of the evening is off record.” It was more a statement than a question. But Lou heard the worried if not resolute tone and felt compelled to answer.

“Aggie,” Lou started. She hesitated for a moment. “Anything you want off the record and out of the article is fine with me.” She saw the flash of doubt and leaned over, placing her hand on Agata’s. “I want you to believe that and trust it. I know we met under odd circumstances.” Lou laughed nervously. “There’s not much I can do about that now.”

Agata smiled and gently touched Lou’s glass. “It was very odd.” After taking a sip of her drink, Agata chuckled.

“Okay, what’s so funny?” The fact that Agata had not removed her hand from underneath Lou’s had Lou gulping her drink.

“You were quite amusing outside of the ladies’ room. You do a good impression of a Russian dictator. Though we may have to work on your accent.”

Lou laughed; she removed her hand to scratch the back of her neck. “Yeah, about that. I’m sorry.” She turned sideways to face Agata. “I meant nothing by that.”

Agata raised an eyebrow. “Oh, I think you did. But…” She held up her hand as Lou started to protest. “You were right. I do have a reputation as being standoffish as you said.”

“Your upbringing?” Lou took a sip on her drink, waiting for Agata’s answer. When it did not come, Lou looked up to see Agata staring off at nothing in particular. “Did I say something?”

“Oh, no. I was just thinking of how it was when I was a child and what was expected of me. Especially after my parents died. I was in my twenties and had no one but Baba.” Agata sat back and brushed a lock of hair from her forehead. “I was always independent and did not want anyone to take advantage of me any longer.”

“Any longer?”

“When I was a child, because of my talent, my parents wanted the best for me. Better than they had and felt if I was the best at this, then I could make my own way without being under anyone’s…scrutiny, I suppose is a good word.”

“So you were basically alone and taking care of yourself when you weren’t with your grandmother.”

“Yes. And as years go by…” Agata shrugged and reached for her glass. “One gets used to relying on no one.”

“Seems kinda lonely,” Lou said softly.

“Sometimes. But I always had my music. It brings me through anything.” Agata regarded Lou then. “Now you must tell me something about yourself or this interview is over.”

Lou chuckled nervously. “Okay, ask away.”

“Tell me about you.”

“From the beginning?” Lou asked, feeling very uncomfortable.

Agata raised an eyebrow. “I’m sure you don’t remember the womb. Pick it up anywhere after that.”

Lou laughed, nearly spilling her drink. “Well. I’m an only child and had a normal childhood. I grew up in this city and love it still.”

“And where were you educated?”

Lou played along. “I went to Sullivan High School and the University of Illinois.”

“And your field of study?” Agata smiled, sipping her drink. She looked up when Lou did not answer right away. “Have I asked the wrong question?”

“No, no. I went to Illinois on an athletic scholarship. And to answer before you ask, I played soccer.”

Agata raised an eyebrow. “To get scholarship, you must have been very good.”

“So they say,” Lou said with a smile. “And I also took some writing classes, which I thoroughly enjoyed.”

“That is good since you are sportswriter.” Agata put the back of her hand to her mouth to stifle a yawn. “Pardon me.”

“See? That’s why I ask the questions. You are far more interesting.”

“I do not think so.”

Agata’s soft voice had Lou quickly finishing her drink and hailing the server for the check. “Once you get to know me, you’ll see how right I am.” She called Nick, who had graciously not gone home; he was right around the corner.

“Then is good we do not have much time for this,” she replied softly.

Lou signed the check and glanced at Agata as she handed the pen back to the server. “Do I hear disappointment in your voice, Aggie?”

For a moment, Agata looked in Lou’s eyes. “I don’t know. It has been some time since I wanted to know about anyone.”

Lou grinned and helped her with her coat. “Good. We still have a few days. We’ll get to know each other a little at a time. And take it from there. That’s good.”

When Agata looked into her eyes, Lou saw a flash of confusion, but it quickly faded when she flashed a genuine smile. “Yes, Lou. Is good.”

“And off the record?”

Agata reached up and gently brushed her fingers against Lou’s temple. “I appreciate that,” she whispered. “There is much I would like to tell you, but…we will see.”

Lou sighed and slipped her hand under her elbow. “Oh, who knows? I could bore the hell out of you with no problem at all.”

They were still laughing as they walked out to see Nick open the passenger door of his cab. “Ladies, I hope you had an enjoyable time.”

“Yes, we did, Nick. And you are very kind to stay out late for us,” Agata said before she slipped into the backseat.

“My pleasure.” He turned to Lou and whispered, “Did you behave yourself?”

Lou stuck her tongue out as she got into the cab.

The ride back to the hotel was spent in comfortable silence. Too comfortable as the idea of kissing Agata ran through Lou’s mind. And before she knew it, Nick pulled up to the hotel.

“Safe and sound,” Nick announced as they exited the cab.

“Good night and thank you,” Agata said. Nick was shocked when Agata leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. Agata turned to Lou. “And thank you for an enjoyable evening. I will see you in the morning?”

“Let me at least walk you into the hotel.”

“Is not necessary. I can find my way.”

“I’m sure you can. Will you just allow me to do this?”

“If you must,” Agata said with a sigh.

“I’ll wait for ya,” Nick said quickly.

They stopped at the front door of the hotel. “Here we are,” Lou said, still feeling awkward.

“Yes. It was an exhausting walk.”

Lou had to laugh. “Yes, well, you can’t be too careful in Chicago. Should I call in the morning?” Lou asked, shivering.