excused to go play. When it was only the adults sitting at the table, the topic shifted, and a spotlight shone on me again.
“ How long have you two been dating?” Anna’s aunt asked.
“Since last summer,” Anna said.
“How’d you meet?”
“At work.” Anna didn’t say more, and I wondered if she’d told anyone how we happened to come together. It was hardly romantic and involved an embarrassing memory for her.
“ You work at the firm too?” Aunt Patty looked at me doubtfully. I didn’t look like the lawyer type, and she was probably wondering about my scar and limp. Apparently, nobody had filled her in about me, which, on the bright side, meant the family wasn’t gossiping.
“No. I work with animals. At a kennel.”
“Oh. Well, that must be nice.”
“Yes, m a’am.” I changed the subject. “I heard you live in Florida now. How do you like it?”
“It’s too humid in summer, but the winters make it worthwhile.” She lobbed the ball back into my court. “So, are you two getting serious?”
“Nearly engaged, apparently.” Anna’s mom bit off the words crisply, and for just a second, I heard her daughter’s voice, the way Anna sounded when she was irritated about something.
I glanced at my girlfriend. Her mom wouldn’t have pulled that bit of news out of her ass. Anna must have told her about my proposal.
Her lips were tight . “I told you we weren’t ready to announce it yet.”
She’d accepted? News to me. For a moment, I thought maybe I’d had some sort of complete memory blackout or else misunderstood her answer when I’d popped the question. But no. Anna was frowning at her mom. This wasn’t about me at all. It was about making some sort of point in their ongoing battle.
Anna took my hand, which was resting on the tabletop, and held it. “Well, since you brought it up, Mom. Yes, Jason has asked me to marry him, and I’ve accepted.”
Nice one, Anna. A flare of anger and hurt flickered through me. This was not the sort of “yes” I wanted to receive. Not like this. Not as a fuck you to her folks. Was that the only reason I was even here? A wrong-side-of-the-tracks guy brought home to throw in her parents’ faces?
Following Anna’s announcement, a murmur of congratulations went around the table. Cousin Chloe and Woolly seemed sincere. Talkative Aunt Patty asked if we had a date in mind. Her silent husband offered a small smile. As for Anna’s parents, her mom seemed to be biting back the things she really wanted to say, while Stan gave me a long, level stare I wasn’t sure how to interpret.
Anna’s hand around mine was too tight and too hot. I pulled away from her grip.
“Excuse me. I need to”— get the hell out of here —“be excused.” I pushed back my chair a little too hard as I stood, and it nearly fell over. Woody reached out to catch it.
Of course my hip chose that moment to lock up , and I had to grab the edge of the table to steady myself. Smooth.
Anna frowned up at me. “Are you all right? Can I help you?”
“No,” I snapped, feeling my jaw clench like a fist. I took a breath and managed a tense smile. “I’m great. Just need to…” For a moment, I could only think of the crude phrase “take a piss,” then more formal words popped into my mind. “Use the facilities.”
I got my balance, ordered my leg to obey, and limped out of the dining room with as much dignity and calm as I could muster. But I knew Anna knew I was pissed. We’d been together long enough to read each other’s moods. I knew she’d probably come after me in a few seconds, and right then, I didn’t want her to.
Was this what it was always going to be like with us , one step forward and two steps back, never quite in sync? We might love each other, but was that going to be enough? Given the differences in our lives, Anna and I could easily have never come in contact with each other. The fact that we had was either a fluke or a miracle, depending on how you
“ How long have you two been dating?” Anna’s aunt asked.
“Since last summer,” Anna said.
“How’d you meet?”
“At work.” Anna didn’t say more, and I wondered if she’d told anyone how we happened to come together. It was hardly romantic and involved an embarrassing memory for her.
“ You work at the firm too?” Aunt Patty looked at me doubtfully. I didn’t look like the lawyer type, and she was probably wondering about my scar and limp. Apparently, nobody had filled her in about me, which, on the bright side, meant the family wasn’t gossiping.
“No. I work with animals. At a kennel.”
“Oh. Well, that must be nice.”
“Yes, m a’am.” I changed the subject. “I heard you live in Florida now. How do you like it?”
“It’s too humid in summer, but the winters make it worthwhile.” She lobbed the ball back into my court. “So, are you two getting serious?”
“Nearly engaged, apparently.” Anna’s mom bit off the words crisply, and for just a second, I heard her daughter’s voice, the way Anna sounded when she was irritated about something.
I glanced at my girlfriend. Her mom wouldn’t have pulled that bit of news out of her ass. Anna must have told her about my proposal.
Her lips were tight . “I told you we weren’t ready to announce it yet.”
She’d accepted? News to me. For a moment, I thought maybe I’d had some sort of complete memory blackout or else misunderstood her answer when I’d popped the question. But no. Anna was frowning at her mom. This wasn’t about me at all. It was about making some sort of point in their ongoing battle.
Anna took my hand, which was resting on the tabletop, and held it. “Well, since you brought it up, Mom. Yes, Jason has asked me to marry him, and I’ve accepted.”
Nice one, Anna. A flare of anger and hurt flickered through me. This was not the sort of “yes” I wanted to receive. Not like this. Not as a fuck you to her folks. Was that the only reason I was even here? A wrong-side-of-the-tracks guy brought home to throw in her parents’ faces?
Following Anna’s announcement, a murmur of congratulations went around the table. Cousin Chloe and Woolly seemed sincere. Talkative Aunt Patty asked if we had a date in mind. Her silent husband offered a small smile. As for Anna’s parents, her mom seemed to be biting back the things she really wanted to say, while Stan gave me a long, level stare I wasn’t sure how to interpret.
Anna’s hand around mine was too tight and too hot. I pulled away from her grip.
“Excuse me. I need to”— get the hell out of here —“be excused.” I pushed back my chair a little too hard as I stood, and it nearly fell over. Woody reached out to catch it.
Of course my hip chose that moment to lock up , and I had to grab the edge of the table to steady myself. Smooth.
Anna frowned up at me. “Are you all right? Can I help you?”
“No,” I snapped, feeling my jaw clench like a fist. I took a breath and managed a tense smile. “I’m great. Just need to…” For a moment, I could only think of the crude phrase “take a piss,” then more formal words popped into my mind. “Use the facilities.”
I got my balance, ordered my leg to obey, and limped out of the dining room with as much dignity and calm as I could muster. But I knew Anna knew I was pissed. We’d been together long enough to read each other’s moods. I knew she’d probably come after me in a few seconds, and right then, I didn’t want her to.
Was this what it was always going to be like with us , one step forward and two steps back, never quite in sync? We might love each other, but was that going to be enough? Given the differences in our lives, Anna and I could easily have never come in contact with each other. The fact that we had was either a fluke or a miracle, depending on how you
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