Page 53 of When Annika Met Thom

“Exactly!” Annika cried, almost jumping out of her seat. “That’s what I say all the time but no one believes me.”

“Because that’s not what women do. They might say that for a while, but then they change their minds.”

“No,” Annika said. “No. Women can do anything. My father taught me that, he insisted upon it, and I believed him. My friend from college is a primary school teacher and I always go for career day, to show those kids that girls can do anything. It’s great. I love it. I like that maybe it makes a difference to their ideas about their futures.”

“I’m sure it does,” Thom said. “You’re pretty persuasive.”

“Ha! Does that mean you changed your mind?”

“Not yet.” He ate methodically, but the gleam in his eye told her that he wasn’t as indifferent as he might have her believe. “Five siblings?”

“Three brothers and two sisters. I’m fourth.” She considered him. “You said you had two sisters.

He nodded, then rolled his eyes. “I’m the baby.”

Annika laughed. It was impossible to think of Thom as someone’s little brother.

“Don’t laugh. They terrorized me.”

“How?”

“Dressed me up, bossed me around, demanded rides everywhere once I got my license.” He hunted down a stray piece of chicken from one take-out box.

“And now?”

“Tessa’s a vet. Divorced, no kids, still hunting for The One. Maddy’s married, three kids. She quit her accounting job to be a full-time mom.” He glanced her way pointedly and she counted off her siblings on her fingers.

“Jakob, oldest, know-it-all, works in IT at a huge tech firm. Married, one genius child.”

“Says who?”

“Jakob and my mom, of course.” She indicated the next finger. “Neil, married for the second time, seven kids between his two marriages and his wife’s previous marriage. Pilot. The only thing he and Jakob ever agreed about was Leo.”

“How so?”

“Both hate him.”

“I like them already,” Thom murmured.

She touched the next finger. “Number three, Margritte, married, twin sons, textile artist with a husband who sells insurance. Come to think of it, she doesn’t like Leo either.” She frowned. “She said he came on to her last Christmas.”

“What does she look like?”

“Why?”

Thom cupped his hands in front of his chest, his expression questioning.

“Yes,” Annika said with a sigh. “Kirsten and I always used to joke that Margritte got the entire boob allotment for the family.”

Thom nodded, unsurprised.

“I didn’t believe her,” Annika said softly. “We had a huge fight.”

“You might want to rethink that.”

“Yes. I should call her. I will call her.”

“She might enjoy hearing the news.”

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