Before Rune could consider what she might be planning, he had to save his cheesecake from Astra’s furtive attempt to slide it in front of her spot.
“Hey!”
She shrugged. “I didn’t say Sylvie was the only one who would take your food.”
Rune stopped speaking and picked up his fork. The only way to stop this madness was to eat the damn cheesecake.
After they finished eating, Hella refused all their offers to help clean up, stating that it was her husband’s job. Arvid didn’t complain or ask his daughters to help. Instead, he shooed them toward the door.
“It was nice to see you, but I’m old and I need my rest. The quicker you leave, the quicker I can clean up and sit around in my underwear.”
His daughters groaned and Rune bit back a laugh.
Sylvie left first, that same wicked smile playing around her mouth. Devorah and Claudia were right behind her. Sirena hung back, chatting with him and her mother for a few minutes, before she left as well.
As he and Astra prepared to follow them out, Hella and Arvid waited by the front door. Rune held his hand out to Arvid and said, “It was a pleasure to meet you, sir.”
Astra’s father stared at his hand for a long moment before he finally took it in his huge palm. His grip was nearly crushing as he pumped Rune’s hand. “It was nice to meet you, too.”
Then, he grinned. “We’ll have to spar again another time.”
Rune swallowed hard. He really didn’t want to, but he nodded anyway. “Of course, sir.”
Arvid’s grin widened as though he knew that Rune was lying, but he didn’t say anything else.
Rune faced Hella. “Thank you for the lovely meal, Mrs. Falk.”
She raised her brows. “Call me Hella,” she said. She took his shoulders and pulled him down to kiss his cheek. “Welcome to the family.”
Rune blinked when she released him and turned to Astra. They said their good-byes and Astra hugged both her parents. When they walked outside, Rune stared blankly at the empty spot where his car had been parked.
“Um, Astra?” he said.
“Yes?”
“Do you think you could give me a ride home?”
She looked over at him and then to the spot on the street where he was staring. “Sure. Why?”
Rune patted his right pocket, realizing he’d never put his keys back after Sylvie brought his clothes upstairs when they were clean. That little shit.
“I’m pretty sure Sylvie stole my keys and my car.”
Astra rolled her lips together to keep from smiling, but he saw the mirth sparkling in her eyes.
“It’s okay to laugh,” he sighed. “It was extremely well-done.”
Astra did laugh then, holding her stomach as she bent over. “I should have warned you that Sylvie is sneaky, and she believes in revenge.”
Rune sighed. “I’ll keep that in mind in the future.”
As they walked toward her car, Astra looked at him. “Do you want to go home, or would you like to come to my place?”
“Let’s go to your place,” he said. She always had food in her fridge and his was barren because he hadn’t felt much like eating this week. And, if she took him home with her, he had no way of leaving unless she gave him a ride.
Technically, he could have called for a rideshare or something, but he would pretend he had no idea what that was if the situation arose.
She nodded and unlocked the car.
