“Listen, I’m a huge fan of borscht. But I’ve never seen a smile that big on anyone’s face the morning after beet soup.”

“Maybe it was the pirogi.”

“Maybe it was Bram.”

Workmen pushed an industrial-size trolley with the Narnia wardrobe past us, then through the open front door. I had Lai Fa locked up in the office to make sure she didn’t run out into the street.

The stuffed bear was already in the moving van. Goodbye, Tiny Tim. I wasn’t going to miss him. I would, however, miss the carousel. I had some outstandingly good memories of a blue-and-white chariot.

Sergei picked through another box. “I might have a buyer for the Herschell.”

The two restoration experts he’d brought were disassembling the ride downstairs, since it could only be brought up piecemeal. We couldn’t puzzle out why Violet had it down there. It would have to remain one of her mysteries.

“What’s the offer?”

“Too soon to talk money. I haven’t even shown him pictures yet. I want to wait until our beauty is in a showroom, cleaned up, fully restored, under the right lights. I want love at first sight.” He snapped a picture of the red-and-blue flyer in his hand. “If I sell the carousel for a good price, am I still in the running? You’ll consider being my second wife?”

“Tempting, but no.”

“Bram, that dirty bastard.”

I laughed. “He didn’t do anything dirty. I swear.”

We’d kissed. All right, more than kissed. He’d had his hand under my shirt. He’d been… I didn’t have the words to explain.

Diya was a great cook. She could make a gourmet meal out of anything. There could be a carrot and two potatoes in the fridge, and Diya would come up with a three-course meal. She said she’d learned the skill from her immigrant grandmother.

In the same vein, Bram could make a full orgy out of kissing and second base. My brain fogged up thinking about him.

Sergei muttered. “Doesn’t even know how to properly seduce a woman.”

I didn’t contradict him, because my evening with Bram was private, all ours, sparkling shiny, a hot ember in my heart. “And you’re an expert?”

He thought about it. “I’m better with men than with women. But I’m pretty good at both. It’s like being ambidextrous.”

“A born-with talent?”

“Exactly. This is why I like you. You get me.”

“Friends?”

“If you must choose Bram.” He heaved a dramatic sigh. “Anybody surprised, raise their hand.”

Neither of us did.

He shot me a pointed look, but then he grinned. “Shouldn’t you be upstairs working on building your new business?”

“I’m nervous about the carousel.”

“Nothing bad is going to happen to it. Shoo.” He waved me away. “For love’s sake. I’m a professional.”