“They did with Ma. She turned out too bossy for them to put up with,” Leif said. “It’s why we all have different fathers, but Ma is an exception. Most pairs stay together as humans do.”
Fiona nodded. “Do we have time to take a group photo first?”
“As long as you’ll let us take a photo of you with each of us too,” Leif said. “We want a picture like Arve.”
After much laughter and joking, Fiona and the brothers managed to get the photos taken, plus a few spares in different combinations of her and the men.
“It’s getting late,” Leif said. “We should go. Whose turn is it to cook dinner?”
“I have an idea,” Fiona said. “Why don’t we go to Gypsy’s for dinner? Or one of the other places, if you’d prefer.”
Silence fell—a quiet so absolute that Fiona scanned the area to see if someone or a bear had appeared behind her.
“We’ve never been to dinner before,” Stig said.
“Why not?”
“Because we make the humans nervous,” Josef said in disgust.
“So you always eat at home?”
Arve nodded, solemn. “Yes, Fiona, mine.”
“Well, that’s about to change. You’re helping the town people by opening the ice road. The least they can do is serve us dinner. I would like to buy our meal because I’ve had such a great day. Will you let me? Please?” She scrutinized each of their faces and noted the longing yet the acceptance of the locals’ behavior. “Right. That is settled. It’s good to give custom in return, don’t you think? The owner of Gypsy’s purchased a lot from us today.”
“Deal,” Leif said with a decisive nod. “That would be a quicker way of getting dinner. Shall we head there now?”
“Yes, please,” Fiona said. “I’m starving. Will they have steak?”
Tourists packed the café along with several people she’d met during the morning in the shop. The locals broke off their conversations to stare as Fiona directed her men to an empty table by the window.
“We order at the counter,” Stig said. “You’re in luck with steak. It’s one of the specials tonight.”
“Who else wants steak?” Fiona asked.
“Me,” Arve said.
The others agreed.
“Sit down. I’ll order,” she said.
Josef winked at her. “You’re bossy tonight, babe.”
“Yep,” Fiona said cheerfully. “You shouldn’t stand between a hungry woman and her food.” She wandered up to the counter and waited her turn. “Six steaks, please. Oh, we’ll start with the French onion soup, so six of those too. Do you have dessert?”
“We made apple crumble with the apples we purchased from you this morning,” the elderly woman said.
“Yum. Should I order that now? Will it run out before we finish our steaks?”
“I’ll keep some back for you,” the woman said. “It’s delicious with ice cream.”
“Sounds good,” Fiona said. “How much will that be? Do you take credit cards?”
“Pay once you’re done,” she said. “That way we can add on dessert if you’re still hungry. We have fresh lemonade, made with the lemons we purchased from you too. Would you like a jug of that?”
Fiona gave a decisive nod. “Enough for six please.” Happy with her order, she wandered back to the table.
At a lone table in the corner, the strange dark-haired man she’d noticed in the shop sat alone with his meal. He was staring at her, and she flashed him a friendly smile. After a curt nod, he shifted his attention to his meal. His phone buzzed, and he set his knife and fork down to answer the call. Fiona dropped onto the spare seat between Arve and Josef and sent the man another quick glance. He spoke into his phone, no longer staring at her.
