Page 23 of Ignite

Wolf eyed the woman but kept his mouth shut. Jazz flushed with embarrassment and tried to think of something to distract the table. She was fully aware of the disdain her family had for her hobbies and education in general. It was surprising and kinda cool to hear that Wolf was into sci-fi too.

Liz stepped into the fray and picked up the basket of rolls to hand to Wolf. “So, do you have brothers and sisters?”

Wolf took the bread and carefully pulled it open. “No siblings. A few cousins up in Maine, but we’re not close. Pass the butter, would ya, Hugo?”

Her brother grinned nonstop as he handed the rectangular dish to the biker. Jazz watched him cut and spread the yellow pat. She noted the sprinkles of dark hair on the backs of his hands.

She discreetly checked her phone for the time. Roughly thirty minutes in so far. Her plan was to make it to the hour, then leave. She was so focused on how soon she could escape that she almost missed Wolf’s question.

“Anyone have a favorite sci-fi movie of all time?”

Liz rolled her eyes and flopped back in her chair. “Oh my gawd, please not the movies. She’s bad enough about the books.”

Hugo frowned. “Movies are cool. You’re just too stupid to like them.”

Liz turned red underneath her makeup. “Mom! You gonna let him speak to me like that?”

“Christ on a cracker, I just wanted one day of peace with my family, and this is what I get!” Delores snapped.

Jazz covered her flaming face with her hands and leaned over to Wolf as she took the butter dish from him.Thanks for the butter.They’re always like this. I love movies.“They’re love butter.”God, please take me now!

This time it was Wolf who burst out laughing. “What I wouldn’t give to go inside that head of yours for a few minutes to see how it works. One of my favorite things about you. That and your hair.”

Jazz blushed for the umpteenth time, but in her head, she preened. “Thanks. I like your hair too.”

Hugo grinned. “Me too. How did you get the gray part?”

“My grandmother. She had this shock of gray hair all her life. People used to ask her where she got it done, and she’d always answer, ‘Genetics.’ She was a Mainer through and through. I remember when she took me to the shore. The beach was full of rounded smooth rocks and pebbles instead of white sand. Not many people.”

Hugo blinked. “That’s weird. A beach with no sand?”

Wolf wiped his mouth with his napkin and placed it over his clean plate. “I’m not kidding. I’ll take you and your sister there someday to see it.”

Jazz wanted to groan. “You shouldn’t tell him that unless you mean it.”

Wolf turned to face her, and her heart fluttered at his direct gaze. “I don’t say things I don’t mean, babe. Ever.”

Hugo whooped loud and long. He raised both fisted hands in the air. “Woo-hoo! I’m going to Maine! I’m going to Maine! Road trip!”

* * *

The restof the Sunday meal was no different. Little barbed remarks came from Liz and Delores to the point that Wolf found it hard to believe Jazz shared DNA with the two women. The kids finished eating—or rather making a mess—and started running around the house, smacking into things and generally going crazy.

Hugo finished his food and kept quiet. Wolf had no doubts that some people would look at his features and make assumptions, but for all the young man’s challenges, he was brilliant.

Hugo faked a huge yawn at the table. “I’m so full. I need to go home and take a long nap. I got work tomorrow early.”

Delores scoffed. “I don’t understand why you had to move to that place when you have a perfectly good home right here.”

Wolf noticed Hugo’s eye twitch once and guessed this was the reason he moved out in the first place.

“I gotta grow up someday, Mom. Besides, I like baking dog treats. I’m in charge of a whole crew now.” His grin was infectious, and Wolf raised his hand across the table for a fist bump.

“Way to go, brother.”

Hugo giggled and addressed Jazz. “Did you hear that, sis? He called me brother.”

Jazz helped clear the dessert dishes while Delores complained about the dishwasher not working very well and the off-brand tabs she bought because Cascade was so expensive. “I’ll have to rewash everything by hand anyways.”

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