"The one that led to his broken ankle."
"How'd he break his ankle?"
"Skateboarding."
"But isn't he a troll?" she asked. "I thought you all were practically indestructible."
"We are. That's why she's so pissed off. He decided to build a ramp from their roof and demonstrate for their kids."
Dylan rolled her lips inward but her eyes sparkled. "He didn't," she finally said.
"Oh, he did," Clay replied. "When he went down the ramp and then up, he flew a good thirty or forty feet before he landed on both feet. In the middle of the street. Where he got hit by her car, which she was driving at the time. He tried to say it was her hitting him that did it, but the kids said that they all heard the snap when he landed."
"Oh, that's...that's..." Dylan coughed and looked down, covering her face so he couldn't see her expression. "Just horrible. It's just horrible."
"It's okay to laugh," he said. "God knows I did."
"But it's still awful. I mean, it had to hurt. The landing and then the...the..."
"Getting hit by a car? One driven by his wife?"
"Yes." She snorted. "Excuse me. I'm just a little—"
Clay looked at her. "I told you. It's okay to laugh. Just, maybe not in front of my sister."
A small giggle escaped her. Then another. Finally, she gave up trying to stop it and laid her head down on the table, holding her belly as she howled.
Clay shook his head and took a moment to flip the lamb chops and stir the broccolini.
A few minutes later, she lifted her head and swiped at her cheeks with her hands. "I'm so sorry. It's not funny that your brother-in-law was hurt."
"Considering it wasn't a serious injury, I'd say it was funny. Especially since his own stupidity led to it. Anyway, Rona is more than a little perturbed with him and he knows it. So, I imagine once the weather warms up, I'll be putting in her outdoor kitchen and putting a roof over her patio."
"Well, then I'd say she's getting the best of both worlds. She can remind him that she's already run him over with the car once, so he shouldn't push his luck.Andshe's getting her dream back patio."
Clay stared at her. "Are you serious?"
"Yes."
"And I thought trolls were bloodthirsty," he said.
"Well, as you pointed out, his own stupidity is what caused him to get hurt."
"Remind me to never do anything that stupid. You'd probably leave me to take care of myself."
She laughed. "No, I'd take care of you. But you'd suffer the entire time."
Clay shook his head again. "And I thought my mother was scary."
The lamb chops were ready and the broccolini was perfect, so he put everything on a platter.
"Food's done."
Dylan got up and held the back door for him since his hands were full with the platters.
While he cleaned up the grill and shut down the outdoor kitchen, she arranged everything on the dining room table. When he came back into the house, he found her lighting tall, slender candles that she'd put in the center of the table.
"I have candles?" he asked.
