Page 25 of From Ice to Grace
“Amen,” a chorus goes up around me, and I mumble along.
This is new.
I’m not totally oblivious to family dinners and prayers, just not in my life, not recently. My Aunt Kat always made sure to take me to church whenever I stayed with her for the weekend. We sat at the table, and she prayed over our food. But it was always just the two of us. If I had to pick the devout Christian in the family, it would be her.
Not me.
“This is so good,” Lindgren says with his mouth full. His arms are around his plate like he’s scared someone will steal his food. “Extremely good.” A small chuckle escapes him which turns into a cough as he swallows his food too fast.
“Easy there, Barney,” I say, slapping him on the back. “No shoveling food in the presence of all these nice people. Let’s pretend we’re used to tables and food. Like proper well brought up folk.”
Lucas quirks an eyebrow at me.
“Come on, Lucky Luke,” I say, cutting in my perfectly cooked steak. “You can’t deny it. Before you married Hannah, we sat on the floor, hunched over pizza boxes or meal preps.”
“Or we ate our meat straight off the grill,” Nikolai says, with a small smile.
Hannah looks at me with a smile dancing in her eyes. “If you want, you can sit on the floor? I’m not going to stop you.”
“Or in a different place altogether,” Avah adds, pinning me with a stare. “If that’s where you’re more comfortable, of course.”
There’s definitely a bite to her tone, no one can miss it.
EJ frowns at Avah.
Before I can say something back, my phone vibrates in my pocket. Taking it out, Melissa’s name flashes on the screen. Because I know it will irritate Avah, because I know that it will make me feel a bit better, I answer while keeping my eyes fixed on Avah’s expression.
“Hey doll,” I say, ignoring the glare coming from Lucas at the head of the table. “What’s up?”
“I just wanted to make sure we’re still on for tomorrow’s game?” Melissa’s sweet voice comes through the phone. “And then maybe we could hook up afterward?”
“That sounds like an offer I can’t refuse.” I flash a smile at Avah, and she returns the favor by giving me another kick beneath the table. “See you tomorrow.”
“Five points for manners,” EJ says, shaking his head with a smile on his face.
I end the call and shove the phone back in my pocket, keeping my eyes on the ice queen across from me. I move my feet into her space intentionally, hoping to elicit another response.
Why is this so much fun?
“What?” I answer, taking a bite of my steak to stifle a smile. “I thought we just established that table dining isn’t really my thing.”
“Doesn’t mean you can’t at least try to be civil,” Avah says, daring me with her gaze. “Or is that term lost on you completely?”
“So that was Michelle right?” Lindgren interrupts from next to me, a glint in his eyes.
“Melissa,” I correct him, taking another bite. “Who’s Michelle?”
“She looks like a Michelle,” Lindgren says, shaking his head. “Or a Mandi. With an ‘i’.”
Avah looks between me and Lindgren, her expression a mixture of disappointment and anger.
“Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?” she asks. “The poor guy is living with you because he needs a mentor on the team. And now you’re leading him over a cliff.”
“Whoa,” I say, pointing to Lindgren with my fork. “He’s a grown man, who can make his own decisions. And I’m not leading him anywhere. I’m over here, minding my own business. Unlike some people.”
“Well,” she says, setting her knife and fork down with a bit more force than needed, “we can’t help but mind your business when you conduct it at the dinner table.”
“Come one, what’s wrong with Melissa? She’s nice enough.” I know if given the chance, Avah could write books about what’s wrong with the women I choose to date.
