Page 34 of The Betrothal

“Lunch is ready!” The call was for Alex’s benefit and I steeled myself when the study door creaked open and he slipped out. The man could express his grump through his stomping, even bare-footed.

Ben placed himself at the chair at the furthest end of the table and I mirrored him, again.

The light tint of his glasses didn’t hide the way his eyes crinkled with the lightest of smiles, and I relaxed a fraction.

The scrape of the bench, followed by the thud of Alex dropping onto it remedied that. Despite each man being imposing in height and build, Alex created a vacuum. It radiated from him, consuming the air.

Seb slid onto the bench opposite him; each one must have been made to fit at least three people but both men spanned the seat. Seb pulling closer to me, Alex closer to Ben.

The thought that the discomfort of both was directly attributed to me had me staring down at my plate, adjusting the cutlery.

A portion of food was ladled onto my setting before it was shared with the others. Cautiously, I began eating. This was why I wanted to stay in my room.

“Eli made it back to the group home okay,” Alex offered.

“I told you he would have been okay,” Seb replied.

I stared at my food like it was the most fascinating thing in the world.

“Well, if the storm hadn’t taken down the lines I would have known yesterday.” He sounded angry rather than relieved.

“You know they’re under-funded. I don’t know why you let it irk you so much. The place is a dump, the utilities are appalling, and they’ll never be anything but.”

Alex grumbled under his breath.

“Benji, how has your morning been?”

I waited for Ben’s reply but didn’t hear one, finally I looked up catching the back end of a small shrug.

“I take that to mean perfectly fine?”

“I managed what I set out to,” he offered as a concession. “You managed to get Izzy out of her room.”

Ben was big on observations it seemed.

“She’s responsible for our lunch.”

I raised a brow at him; I absolutely was not.

“Sous-chef at best,” I muttered, returning my attention downward. I could feel Seb’s pleasure in having dragged me into the conversation.

“Thank you, Izzy. It’s very nice.”

I took in Ben, his face was open, earnest.

“Do you have a clotheshorse I can use?” I dug up the courage to ask. The need wouldn’t change, only my smell would.

“There’s a washer-dryer.” Seb pointed his fork to the boot room.

“Oh, no, I don’t need to use your machine, I can hand wash my stuff.” I couldn’t stop myself from eating their food, at some point I’d need to use other items, but I drew the line at using their house like a hotel. I’d hand wash my belongings while I showered.

Alex scoffed and I bristled.

“I’m running a load later, my clothes got wet and dirty from rolling in the snow yesterday.” Seb successfully cut through my frown at the reminder I’d launched him the day before and I bit my cheek to stop a smile.

“I can wash our smalls together.”

I audibly sighed at that.