“Okay.” He took her free hand and gave it a squeeze.
Suddenly, her throat was tight. God, this man, this vampire, was exactly what she needed in her life.
“Hey, sis,” Devorah greeted her. “What a day, huh?”
“Yeah.”
Devorah took another sip of her wine. “Claudia wanted to give Rune an update on the house and the budget. She said they’re almost done.”
“That’s great.”
“And I wanted to know what you and Rune were bringing to the family dinner Saturday. I want to make sure I don’t bring the same thing.”
Rune’s attention suddenly came straight to her, and she took a deep swallow of wine. “I don’t know yet. What are you thinking of bringing?”
Devorah rested her chin on her palm. “I was thinking a meat and cheese tray because you know Mom will probably overcook the short ribs.”
Claudia elbowed her wife, even as she grinned. “Your mom is a good cook.”
“Yes, she is when she’s focused. Most likely, she’ll accidentally set the oven temp too high because she’ll be on a conference call, or she’ll forget to set the timer because she has to answer a work message.”
“Cut your mom some slack,” Claudia said. “It’s difficult to juggle everything.”
Devorah seemed to realize that Claudia was reading into her words. “I know it is, babe. But she’s my mom and she’s so freakin’ perfect at everything else, it’s nice to know she’s not completely infallible.”
Claudia frowned at her but didn’t say anything else. Astra sensed there would be a tense conversation in the car on the way home. Usually, she would have been slightly amused at the idea of her tough older sister getting taken to task by her wife, but tonight she didn’t have the energy. Probably because she was going to have to tell Rune she wanted him to make his excuses for the family dinner and he wasn’t going to like that.
After another ten or fifteen minutes of chitchat, Claudia and Devorah said their good-byes and gave out hugs.
As she hugged her older sister good-bye, Devorah whispered, “Don’t do whatever it is you’re planning.”
Astra closed her eyes and squeezed her. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Devorah released her and put her hands on her shoulders. “Yes, you do. I love you and I can tell you’re happy with him. Don’t screw it up.”
“I’m trying not to.”
“There is no try. Only do,” her sister intoned.
Astra rolled her eyes and shoved Devorah away. “Go home. I think you’ve got your own problems.”
Devorah glanced over at Claudia. “Nah. She loves me enough to cut me a break.”
As soon as her family left, Astra drained her wineglass and sat at the counter where her sister had not long ago.
“Your mother invited me to the family dinner this weekend?” Rune asked, jumping right into the topic she really wanted to avoid.
“Yes. My parents want to meet you.”
“Why do you look like you’re planning to go off to war?” He leaned back against the counter on the other side of the bar, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Because I know that this conversation probably won’t go well.”
He blinked at her blunt response. Astra wasn’t going to dance around.
“Why do you think that?” he asked.
She sighed and picked up the bottle of wine, pouring herself another glass. “Because I’m going to ask you to make your excuses for this family dinner. I’d like to introduce you slowly to my family rather than throwing you in the deep end. You’ve met Devorah and Sylvie. I thought I’d introduce you to Sirena next.”
