Freya eyed me, and I knew there’d be another inquisition in my future. “What happened to your nose?”
“Door to the face,” Jude answered for me.
Shooting him a glare, I wondered if it was rude to kick his shin. “It was an accident.”
“What was an accident?” Gabriel was a lot less exuberant in his entrance than Freya, looking like he didn’t have a care in the world.
I pointed to my nose. “I had a bloody nose. But it was an accident, and I’m perfectly fine now.”
“Is that why you disappeared into the bathroom with Liam?”
Groaning, I buried my head in my hands. “You guys are the worst gossips.”
“Where’s Liam?” Althea cut in, shooting her sons a warning look. “I hope he’s not still working.”
Gabriel grabbed a roll out of one of the three baskets on the table. “Probably. But I say we start without him.”
Althea slapped his hand, and he dropped the roll on the table.
“Mom,” he whined. “I’m hungry.”
“You can wait until everyone’s here. You won’t starve to death if you wait another five minutes.”
He grumbled something under his breath but didn’t reach for the bread again.
“Why did you go into the bathroom with Liam?” Freya whispered next to me. She’d leaned in, her arm pressed to mine.
“He helped me with my bloody nose. It’s no big deal.”
An involuntary shiver took over my body at the thought of the bathroom. I wished everyone would stop talking about it.
She snorted. “That’s what you think. But we’re talking about Liam here. He doesn’tjusthelp someone.”
She wasn’t the only one confused by Liam’s actions. He went from scorching hot to frigid Antarctic cold in a single instant. But I refused to read anything into his actions, his earlier rejection still a painful reminder why it was better to banish him from my thoughts.
“It still doesn’t mean anything.”
Freya sat back in her seat, folding her napkin over her lap. “If you say so.”
Thankfully, we were interrupted by Liam’s arrival. Gabriel dove for three of the rolls with an exaggerated groan. “Finally. I’m starving.”
Liam took the seat opposite his dad, as far away as he could get from me, his gaze not once straying in my direction.
There goes Freya’s theory that his actions meant anything.
He barely acknowledged me throughout dinner, and I sank farther and farther into my seat, gulping down the wine as if the bottom of my glass held all the answers. A bottom I’d never get to since Nim kept pouring more with a wink as soon as I was half empty.
I sighed in relief when Liam’s phone rang and he excused himself. Gabriel and Jude disappeared shortly after.
Freya leaned back in her seat with a sigh, patting her belly. “I don’t think I can move. Dessert was too much.” Turning to me, she eyed my half-eaten sundae. “Want to watch a movie?”
“Sure. Sounds good.” I pushed my sundae her way. “Want to finish my dessert?”
Freya grinned and dove in. Gunner excused himself, and I stood up as well. “Meet in the theater room?”
She nodded, engrossed in worshipping my ice cream.
I hastened my steps, hoping to catch Gunner. “Gunner,” I called when I saw him about to disappear behind a corner. “Can I talk to you?”
