Chapter 3
“You must be Shug Avery,” his voice came out like a song. For the first time in a long time, Virginia was completely speechless. He was good looking, but not in a male model or Ken doll sort of way. He had a look that matched hers…old Hollywood. His face was clean shaven, and he had a natural upward curve at the corners of his mouth. His eyes were dark brown, but they appeared brighter because of the whites of his eyes and the thickness of his brows. His jawline was chiseled, and his nose pointed at the tip. He was symmetrical in almost every way, and Virginia couldn’t help but study all of his features before giving him a reply.
“Actually, it’s Virginia,” she said. She more breathed the words than said them. She was grateful again for her big hat and sunglasses; that way, he couldn’t tell that she was studying his face. He smiled.
“Alright, Virginia Avery, I’m…”
“Oh, no. I’m Virginia Maxwell,” she corrected, “Shug Avery is a character from The Color Purple. I change my pseudonym to a different black Oscar nominated actress or character whenever I’m at a hotel. I’m not sure why I told you that.”
Her tour guide laughed. She was blurting out her words. It was the first time that she seemed unsure of herself or what to say. Her usual charm could be found nowhere. She was busy listening to the chime of his deep laugh. It was as seductive as his accent, which wasn’t quite Russian. There was something there that made any sound he made come out like a dance.
“I thought I recognized you. I am Dmitri Ivanov; your guide for this exquisite afternoon. May I take your bag?” he presented his hand to Virginia. Without thinking, Virginia put her hand in his and awkwardly shook it. She was shaking his hand with the wrong hand, and it looked like a strange way for a couple to be holding hands. Dmitri cleared his throat. “Your bag?”
“My bag? Oh, that’s why your hand was….Oh. No, thanks, I have my bag,” Virginia said. She wanted to sink into the floor. “Where are we going Dmitri?”
Dmitri started to move toward the door. He slowed his steps down so that Virginia could keep up with him. His strides were long and almost graceful. He opened the door for her and directed her towards his car. It was an all-black SUV, as Virginia suspected it would be. She felt comfortable on the black leather chair; comfortable enough to at least take off her hat. She ran a hand through her thick curls, but they were still a bit wet.
“You have very lovely hair, Ms. Maxwell,” Dmitri said. He hadn’t mentioned where it was he was taking her, but he waited to hear the click of her buckling up before getting a move on.
“Thank you. I like your hair too,” she turned her face slightly without trying to get his attention. She practically popped her eyeballs out of her skull to give him a sideways glance. His profile was stunning, like a renaissance painting, or a character from one of those cartoons she watched as a child. He was like Dimitri from Anastasia.
“You’re far too kind. What do you like to do, Ms. Maxwell? I can give you the general tour around the city, but I was specifically told by your assistant not to do that.”
“Oh you were huh? What…what did she say about me?”
“She informed me that you wanted some time for yourself and didn’t want to be followed around too much. So I was thinking of taking you to Tretyakov Gallery. Do you like art?”
“That sounds spectacular actually. I don’t know much about Russian art,” Virginia said with a genuine smile. She had an extensive collection at home. She owned a few Pollacks, Basquiats, a Rembrandt, a replica of a Klimt, and was negotiating with a collector about a small rare collection of Warhols. She was more a collector of old Hollywood clothes, even owning one pair of the ruby red slippers and the striped stockings the Wicked Witch of the East wore from the Wizard of Oz. Art was a passion of Virginia’s no matter what form it came in.
“I can teach you a few things. The gallery is one of my favorite places to go. No matter how often I’m there, I find something interesting and new about the pieces. Russian art always has a flare of darkness to it, no matter how whimsical. Even the art that is seemingly mundane like Ilya Repin or Karl Bryullov, but I can show you all of that when we get there. We can take a look around, and you can tell me which one you like best,” his voice danced on the air around him. Virginia couldn’t place the accent that was mixing with the Russian.
“I’m excited to see what Russian art has to offer. By the way, Dmitri, can I ask if you’re a traveler? You sound Russian, but there’s something else there that I can’t quite pick up.”
“You’re definitely not the first to ask me Virginia,” he laughed at her question. “I was born in Australia. I grew up there and lived there until I was 9. Then I moved to Russia, but not in Moscow. I went back to Australia for University, and to see my mother,” Dmitri almost sounded scripted. His words were precise; no sentence or word was askew. Everything was as perfect and dark as his slicked back hair and crisp black suit.
“Oh wow. How did your parents meet? What did you do in University? Did you always know you wanted to give people a grand Russian tour?” Virginia was on, and she didn’t know how to turn herself off again. There was something so intriguing and mysterious about him that she wanted to know everything.
“That’s a lot of personal questions. You’re going to have to at least buy me dinner first before I reveal my whole life story to you,” his eyes were on the road, but Virginia could see that he was smiling. “We’re getting close to the gallery now. It was founded in the mid 1800s. People like to say 1856 because Patel Tretyakov purchased a Schilder painting and a Kudyakov painting. He was trying to have a collection of Russian works, and by 1892 he had about 1300 paintings, over 500 drawings, and 9 sculptures.”
“Are you expected to memorize all of this?”
“I suppose. I love my country. I love my history. I guess that answers one of your questions,” Dmitri said. He was pulling up in front of a burnt orange colored building that Virginia could only assume was the gallery.
“Which question is that?” Virginia asked. She was already taking off her seatbelt to get a better look at the building. It was beautiful. Nothing like the Louvres in Paris or Alte Nationalgalerie in Berlin. Tretyakov looked like an unusual state home. It was as inviting as the man that was taking her there.
“What it was that I did in University. I majored in Art History, with specific interest in Russian art,” Dmitri parked the car and turned to smile at her. “Your tour awaits, Ms. Virginia. Please stay in your seat; I’d like to open your door for you.”
Virginia stayed put. She was still taking in all of her surroundings. She noticed that there were no other cars or patrons there, and she wondered why that was. Dmitri had come around the front of the car, and opened her door for her. He held out his hand. This time it wasn’t awkward for her to put her hand in his.
When Virginia got out of the car, she lost her balance and tumbled into his arms. Her sunglasses fell off her face, and their eyes met for the first time. Dmitri’s eyes traced the lines of her face, and moved back and forth between her eyes. Virginia felt completely exposed. She didn’t think it was possible for her to be any more embarrassed than how she had been in the hotel lobby earlier, but it was clear she was wrong.
Virginia scrambled to pick up her glasses. It made her heart race being so close to a man that she didn’t even know. She apologized for the fall, and he told her not to be silly. He had an apologetic look on his face, even though there was nothing for either of them to be sorry for. Virginia stuffed her glasses into her bag and looked around.
“Where is everybody?” she asked, looking everywhere but in Dmitri’s eyes.
“Ahh, according to the public, the gallery is closed for today. I know the curator, and I pulled some strings. When I found out that I would be taking out Shug Avery, my friend was more than happy to oblige.”
That left Virginia speechless. Dmitri was expecting her to laugh at his joke, but he cleared his throat and became rather serious when she didn’t. It wasn’t that she didn’t find his joke funny. Virginia was just taken aback by the gesture. It was rare that anyone ever made arrangements to be alone with her. There would usually be paparazzi around, or she would be the one doing the romantic gestures and fitting the bill. She snapped out of her daydream immediately. He was a professional, and he more than likely would have done the same thing with whichever celebrity that happened to be in his car that day.
“Shall we?” Dmitri offered his arm to her, and she placed her hand in the crook of his elbow. Dmitri led her inside the grand building.
*****
“Which piece is your favorite?” Virginia asked. Dmitri had shown her some breathtaking pieces in the gallery. It was wonderful to have the place to themselves. Dmitri spoke about most of the work as if he painted or sculpted them himself. He mentioned the kinds of brushstrokes, the era of when the pieces were created, and sometimes what could have been in the artist’s mind when they were giving life to their work.
“Ahh, my favorite piece is not in this gallery. I know it’s almost treason to say, but my favorite painter is German,” Dmitri winked at her. They found a bench to sit on; Virginia sat on one side and Dmitri on the other. They were facing opposite sides of the room, but their faces were turned to face each other.
“Gustav Klimt? He’s definitely one of my favorites,” Virginia said. She had tried and failed on several occasions to get an original Klimt in her home. She was never allowed, but it was still a dream of hers.
“Klimt is from Austria, but I certainly admire his work. Unusual, and whimsical, and so full of life; even the ones that aren’t covered in gold.”
Virginia was bewitched. Dmitri knew so much about art that it more than intrigued her. Her interest was piqued. He commanded a room just by how he spoke and walked. She felt that was a trait she possessed herself based on all the attention she had received-even before the riches and fame- and it fascinated her to see someone else possess that trait. It made her want to listen to anything he had to say.
“My favorite painter is actually Caspar David Friedrich. Der Moench am Meer is a seemingly dark piece, and not one of his most impressive, but it is a favorite.”
“Wait a minute, that sounds familiar,” Virginia said.
“The Monk By the Sea. It’s quite old, and I’m sure it’s in the gallery in Berlin still…”
“Yes!” Virginia didn’t mean to cut him off, but she was excited. She remembered that painting vividly when she was in Germany. It was one of her favorites in that gallery. She couldn’t remember the painter’s name, but now she knew.
Dmitri had turned his attention to his phone. He was typing and scrolling through. He showed her the screen. It was the same painting that Virginia was thinking of. He scrolled again in silence, and showed her some more of Friedrich’s work. She was spellbound. She couldn’t get enough of the art. She could get lost in this gallery all day. She closed her eyes to take in a deep breath, not caring that she looked as if she were in a trance. Virginia was having a wonderful day.
“Are you ready?” Dmitri asked. She didn’t even notice that he was now standing. “I’d love to get you something to eat, and then I must return you to your hotel.”
Virginia didn’t try to hide her disappointment. She didn’t want to leave the gallery, but more importantly, she didn’t want to be away from Dmitri’s company. It was a breath of fresh air to just learn and talk without there being an agenda behind the words being said.
“I’m not too hungry,” she lied as she stood up. Her stomach gave her away with a low grumble. Dmitri shot her a look that made her laugh.
“I stuffed my face with fruit and ice cream before you came!” Virginia whined defensively. Dmitri shook his head and rolled his eyes at her.
“That doesn’t sound substantial. If you’re not in a rush, I’d like to take you to lunch…” he paused, waiting for Virginia to say something. In her mind she was weighing the pros and cons. “My treat?”
She was sold. No one had ever offered to pay for anything around her, not even the little things.
“Do you normally do this with your other clients?” Virginia asked. She wanted to be sure of what the boundaries were. Was Dmitri just being nice, or was there something there? Virginia could feel it, but she wanted to know if Dmitri was feeling the chemistry as well.
“Only the ones worth getting to know,” Dmitri said honestly. Virginia’s face was flushed with a sudden warmth, and she smiled at Dmitri as he turned to leave the room.
The two of them left the gallery, and back into the black SUV.
“May I ask you a personal question? You’re of no obligation to answer, but if you do, I’ll answer a personal one of yours,” Dmitri said as he drove away from the gallery. Virginia nodded her head, but eyed Dmitri suspiciously. Personal questions never ended well.
“Do you like your life?” Dmitri asked. That wasn’t the question Virginia was expecting. She wasn’t even sure what he meant, or just how to answer that. She sputtered for a few moments, like a guppy out of water, trying to find the right words. She wasn’t even sure there were right words for a question like that.
“Well sure. I have a job that I love, I never have to worry about finances, I don’t want to toot my own horn, but I’m pretty darn cute. I’m grateful, but not lucky. I worked really hard to get this far, and there’s no sign of me stopping.”
Dmitri listened intently and nodded intermittently as she spoke.
“Do you like your life?”
“All those previous options for personal questions and you choose to ask me the same one,” Dmitri laughed out loud.
“I figured since you were so interested, then maybe I can learn a little more about you.”
“Fair enough. Sure. I appreciate where I am. I meet beguiling and charming people almost every day. And the not so charming ones. But I have a chance to see the world in all its beauty, and to see how artists and others saw their worlds. I appreciate this conversation. I’m very glad it was me and not Vlad who answered the call to take you out today.”
“You are?” Virginia breathed.
“Yes. I’ve seen you on television a lot. I don’t pay much attention to media or fashion, but to see you in person. You’re so…real,” Dmitri said.
That made Virginia throw her head back and laugh. “Well thank you sugar, but I can’t help but be real.”
“I mean that a lot of celebrities nowadays; they believe they’re untouchable, or infallible. You just like to talk about all sorts of things. You see the beauty of the world in the same way that I’m curious about. You’re an artist too, and that’s beautiful to me.”
Virginia stopped smiling and turned to look at Dmitri. He was so focused on his driving now that he wasn’t even paying attention to the fact that Virginia was practically staring at him head on. She may have been the one staring, but Dmitri was the only one who was seeing Virginia for all that she truly was.
“I hope that I’m not overstepping a boundary,” Dmitri said after a long silence. Virginia blinked and shook her head. Dmitri was an unexpected breath of fresh air. She hadn’t even noticed that the car had stopped until Dmitri was halfway through taking off his seatbelt. “I’m going to get a few things for a picnic. Would you like to come in and choose some food with me?”
Virginia was still too transfixed to speak, but she unhooked her seatbelt and got out of the car herself. She couldn’t believe that less than a week ago she was pining over a vapid sycophant, and today she had become curious about a man she would probably never see again. Without thinking, Virginia wrapped her fingers around Dmitri’s wrist as they walked inside. He looked down, but said nothing of it.
They had stepped into a quaint looking haberdashery that looked like a cottage. Dmitri spoke to the owner in Russian. Even when he was speaking a different language his voice was beautiful; even more so in fact with the way his words came out so effortlessly.
Virginia had put her glasses back on, and lowered her hat over her face. It was a habit for her to try to hide. No one had recognized her yet, but she still wanted to maintain some form of anonymity, if even just for the first 2 weeks.
Dmitri did most of the talking, and he paid for everything as he said he would. Virginia made it over the counter to where the owner of the haberdashery stood. He looked back and forth between the young stylish woman, and the tall man dressed in black.
“You two….married?” he said. Dmitri must have told the man that she didn’t speak any Russian. Virginia couldn’t hide a smile, but she shook her head.
“We’re just friends,” she said slowly, but not in a condescending way. The man smiled as he packed their lunch into small brown paper bags.
“Nice couple,” the owner nodded. His smile hadn’t left his face, and he looked at the two of them and pointed. Virginia could feel her face getting warm again. They made such an odd pairing. She looked like a fashionista on her way to the beach, and Dmitri looked like a Russian spy from the movies. They were so different in appearance and style, but the owner seemed to be convinced.
Virginia looked up at Dmitri for a moment, and he was looking at her. When their gazes met, they looked away from each other. Dmitri thanked the owner. The owner smiled and waved as Dmitri and Virginia left the haberdashery to enjoy their picnic.
Dmitri and Virginia had driven to a large estate. Virginia could see a pond when she stepped out of the car.
“Welcome to Kuskovo Estate. There’s a small museum inside, or we can traverse the gardens and enjoy our picnic. You can also sample some food at the restaurant if you’re not satisfied with our little lunch,” Dmitri told her. He sounded like the perfect tour guide, but he also sounded like he enjoyed letting people know the area. Virginia wondered how often he came to this place.
“It’s beautiful here.”
“Yes. I went to a wedding here last fall. It’s especially beautiful at that time of year. If you ever come to Russia during the fall, be sure to come back to the estate. It’s the perfect place to have a wedding.”
“I believe you. I’ll come back, and you can bring me back here. I think I’d like that.” Virginia said. “I think I want to have our picnic a bit closer to that pond.”
Dmitri didn’t reply, but he smiled and walked alongside Virginia. They talked about their favorite parks, and where they traveled to when they were children. Virginia rarely had time to talk about her childhood. She was so busy with work, or the men she dated were more interested in themselves than what Virginia had to say. She was constantly surprised by Dmitri. He would take in everything she said. He was bold and honest, but oh so polite about how he felt.
“Another personal question,” she didn’t wait for him to respond. The question was already on the tip of her tongue. “Are you married? Or in love? And what do you do with yourself when you’re not giving everyone a grand tour of your homeland?”
“That’s several questions,” Dmitri said. He had food in his mouth. The muffled response made Virginia smile. They were all set up on a blanket that Dmitri had in the back of his SUV. Even though there were people around, they were too involved with themselves and doing their own thing to really pay attention to the other people about the place.
“I know. I guess you owe me three back,” Virginia said boldly. She leaned forward ever so slightly. She didn’t mean to be flirtatious, or maybe she did. She wasn’t sure what she was feeling yet, but it was something so different from how she felt when she was around the other men in her life. She wanted to explore Dmitri’s mind. It was as fascinating and as unchartered as the city she was in.
“I’m neither married nor am I in love…yet. The right woman will come,” he looked directly at Virginia when he said that. His openness made her look away shyly. “And when I’m not working, I’m attempting to paint. I often read or research painters for I am an artistic anachronism of some trade. I paint as if I were an old renaissance painter. I also seem to have a love for ridiculous potentially deadly stunts. I tried my hand at racecar driving, and I sky dived once. I like to tell myself I’m a daredevil, but I’m really a coward with a curious heart. I mostly prefer the quiet. Tea, reading…and picnics with kindred hearts.”
Virginia couldn’t help but be flustered. The man who she didn’t even know a day before was now all she could think of. She could listen to him for a lifetime if he gave her the chance. She wanted to see his paintings, discover new places, and do something as ballsy as drop out of a plane with him.
“Satisfied?” Dmitri asked. Virginia assured him that she was. “As for my questions… Are you in love? What’s it like to be a millionaire…and…”
“Billionaire,” Virginia corrected. She didn’t mean to blurt it out, or come off as snooty. She looked away and became quiet again so that Dmitri could continue.
“My apologies, your majesty, a billionaire,” Dmitri joked. He laughed. It was a laugh of reassurance. It was as if he had stolen all of her confidence and charm and was using it for himself. “And what is it that you’re thinking of?”
“I’m not in love. I don’t think I ever have been. Deep infatuations that turn out to be passing amusements, but I’m too focused on my career to really find someone who I could potentially share my life with. Being a billionaire is wonderful, and lonely. The people around you want to be around you because you have money. They think you’ll give them some, or find ways to build them up so they can be on your level. Some just want to ride my coattails. There’s the rare occasion when my money and power has terrified people. They don’t know what to say or how to be around me. So even with all the awards, gifts, banquets, and being able to get what I want…no one really gets me. That’s probably why I’m not in love.”
Virginia’s voice faded when she finished speaking. Dmitri instinctively put a hand on Virginia’s shoulder.
“And your current thoughts?” he could see she didn’t want to talk about her loneliness anymore. He went back to eating when she spoke again.
“Right now, I’m thinking that I don’t feel so lonely. That this is the first time anyone has offered to pay for anything when they know who I am. That I like being here, that I’ve really enjoyed today…that I think my favorite part of my day has been the company I’ve been keeping.”
Virginia looked at Dmitri and smiled. He was already smiling at her. His smile was as warm as the feeling of the sun on her bare shoulders. Virginia leaned closer to Dmitri. His hand was still on her shoulder. The closer she came to him, the more his hand lowered. His touch was soft and slow. When she kissed his lips, his hand was now on hers. Virginia moved closer still. Kissing him didn’t seem to be enough. There was something so far away about him, even now. She knew that it was because they were in different worlds. They were at different stages of their lives. Dmitri would go back to his tours and his paintings, and Virginia would be back in New York with her career.
Their kiss lingered. Dmitri didn’t fight the feelings or her advances. He wanted this as much as she did. His tongue brushed against her softly. Virginia felt a different kind of arousal when their tongues met. She playfully pushed her tongue along his. Their lips created a rhythm. Virginia moved her hands and wrapped them behind Dmitri’s head. That was when he pulled away.
“My apologies,” Dmitri said. He was out of breath after their passionate kiss.
“Please don’t be sorry, I was the one that…”
“Yes, but I know you’re dating that model,” Dmitri muttered. He was picking things up from the blanket they were on.
“Me? Oh no…we’ve broken up…”
“No matter. You are a client, and that was very inappropriate of me,” Dmitri said.
“Dmitri. I kissed you. This was on me…”
“Yes, and I should have known better. I’m sorry Ms. Virginia. I’ll take you back to the hotel,” Dmitri had packed most of the things away and was already standing. He didn’t let Virginia get a word in edgewise, and calling her Ms. Virginia felt like a strange pain in her heart. She was so used to people minding their Ps and Qs around her. She didn’t want Dmitri to be one of them. She didn’t want to be just another client to him. He was feeling what she was feeling, but he was now reminding himself of his place.
Virginia stopped protesting. There was no use; Dmitri would probably keep interrupting her and finding excuses for why this couldn’t work out. This was something Virginia had been thinking of for most of the afternoon. She got off the blanket without another word. She wasn’t used to rejection. Virginia was used to getting whatever and whoever she wanted. This was different. Dmitri wasn’t a prize for her to win, but a person whom she wanted to have full acceptance and understanding. Rejection was a new feeling for her. It was a feeling she didn’t understand too well. It made it even worse because there was something so different and so pure about Dmitri.
*****
Dmitri drove back to the hotel in silence. On occasion, he stole glances at Virginia, but she didn’t notice. She sometimes eyed him as well, but he didn’t notice either. They had been so in sync before this moment. Virginia’s thoughts raced as fast as her heart. There was adrenaline still pumping from that kiss in the park. Feeling his lips on hers brought a fire in Virginia that made everything around her move at a million miles a minute. She didn’t want to let go of the rush, but Dmitri had pulled away, and now she was too embarrassed to say anything.
Dmitri pulled up to the hotel parking area. He got out of the car and walked to the front. He opened Virginia’s door, and held his hand out for her as she got out. There was something painful and final about this encounter.
“Enjoy the rest of your stay here, Ms. Maxwell.”
“Please call me Virginia, Dmitri,” she said in a pleading voice.
“Very well. Have a wonderful rest of your trip, Virginia,” Dmitri said. He squeezed her hand for a moment before letting go.
“It was so amazing to meet you Dmitri Ivanov,” Virginia said. She swallowed what could have been a lump in her throat, and she flung her arms around him. Dmitri let her hug him, and he wrapped one arm around her. He tried his best not to let the hug linger, but Virginia didn’t want to let go.
They finally pulled away from each other.
“Do svidaniya, Dmitri,” Virginia said, biting her lip to avoid getting emotional. The lump was still in her throat, and she had put her sunglasses back on in case there would be tears.
“Proshchay beautiful,” he held up a hand, and then turned around to get back in his car. Virginia stayed put and watched him drive away. The moment he was out of sight was when Virginia could feel the first tear slowly making its way down her face.