“Happier than I thought possible. I miss him when I’m at work. I catch myself texting or calling him several times a day just to hear his voice or let him know that I’m thinking about him. I can’t imagine the rest of my life without him.”
“Well, your mother was right,” Arvid said. “But I’d prefer it if you didn’t tell her I said that.”
“Right about what?” Astra asked.
“That you would eventually find the right man and that would be it. You would be ready to settle down and start your family.”
Astra swallowed hard at the mention of family. “Well, I’m not quite ready to start having babies yet,” she said.
Arvid sucked in a breath through his teeth. “Your mother will be asking, you know.”
“Up until an hour ago, y’all didn’t even know Rune and now you think she’s going to be pushing me to have his babies?” she asked.
“Not quite yet,” her mother said from the door behind them.
Astra and her father twisted in their chairs to face Hella as she came into the room. Hella rounded Arvid’s chair and perched on his lap, putting her hand on Astra’s arm. “I would love a grandchild, but you need time to be a couple first.”
Astra covered her mother’s hand with her own. “Good because I didn’t want to fight with you again so soon.”
“Oh, sweetheart, that wasn’t a fight.” Hella paused. “Though you were right. Your father and I pushed your previous suitors to the breaking point, and I can admit that I thought a Viking or demigod would be the best fit for you. But now that I’ve met Rune, I can see that he’s perfect for you.”
Astra’s brows lifted. “Perfect for me?”
“Absolutely. He treats you like a woman rather than one of the guys.”
Astra’s head fell back against her chair. “Unlike all the other men you’ve set me up with,” she groaned.
Hella nodded. “I know that now. At the time, they always acted like perfect gentlemen to me.”
“That’s because they didn’t want to offend you. You’re powerful, older, and more than a little scary.”
Her mother frowned. “Old?”
Astra sighed. “Older than they are,” she said. “I didn’t say old. They’re showing respect for their elders.”
“Did you just say I was elderly?” her mother asked, her eyes narrowing.
“See, Astra? That’s the look right there,” her father interrupted.
“Hush,” Hella said to her husband. She turned back to Astra. “What are you trying to say about the men I introduced you to?”
“Mom, you and I both know that those men weren’t right for me. They might have been the kind of men you would like me to settle down with, but they never would have made me happy.”
Her mother’s eyes were squinted for a few more seconds before she finally sighed and her face relaxed. “I know.” She paused. “Rune may not have been the kind of man I would have chosen for you, but I like what I’m seeing so far.”
Wow, those were almost glowing words for her mother, who rarely gave out compliments.
Astra cleared her throat. “I’m glad because he’s going to be coming around for a long, long time.”
Sylvie appeared in the doorway, an empty plate in her hands. “Are we eating yet or not? I’m starving.”
Astra gave her a hard stare. “Stay out of that broccoli and rice casserole until we sit down to eat. I brought a snack tray. We put it in the kitchen, so help yourselves to that.”
“It’s already gone,” Sylvie said.
“What?” Astra exclaimed. “There was enough there for everyone to have a plate!”
Sylvie shrugged. “What can I say? Watching Dad and Rune fight made us all hungry.”
