Page 80 of Viktor at Sea

“As if you would let me,” I snorted and rolled my eyes, unable to bring myself to be my usual respectful and pleasant–that part was arguable–self. When he narrowed his eyes at me, seemingly unsure, I released a long breath and answered, “No, I haven’t changed my mind.”

“Changed your mind about what?”

My eyes widened, but I was quick to school my reaction as I turned around to face my wife.

“Barden wanted me to take Manny out on the sea again,” I lied smoothly as I wound an arm around Astrid’s waist and pulled her into my side. I hated myself for every deceitful word that passed my lips, but I didn’t want to tell her like this. Not in front of Barden. “I can only do next week, but he wanted to move it up earlier. That’s what I haven’t changed my mind about.”

Astrid frowned lightly and narrowed her eyes as she glanced between us, smart enough to know she was being lied to. However, when she didn’t say anything further on the matter, I was immensely grateful and released a sigh of relief when she wasn’t looking.

“I hope you don’t mind, Chief,” Astrid smiled sweetly at Barden. “But I was hoping to steal my husband away from you for a dance.”

“Be my guest.” Barden returned her smile, but like mine, it was a little tight around the edges.

Before we turned to leave, I dropped my empty cake plate in Barden’s hands and smiled brightly at him, making sure he saw the cracks around the edges, saying all that I couldn’t say in front of Astrid right now.

I didn’t care if he was the Chief.

Tonight, he was going to clear up after me.

That was the least of what he deserved for putting me in such a position.

“Why are you angry with Barden?” Astrid asked as we stopped in the middle of the dance floor, gently swaying to the soft beat of the drum.

“I’m not angry at Barden,” I denied, unable to meet her eyes. Instead, I marvelled at how beautiful she looked in the navy dress, the bust, sleeves and waist decorated with white lace. The twisted bun she had pinned her hair into, including the flowers I bought for her this morning, made her look even more beautiful. The several compliments she had received on the flowers in her hair stroked my male ego immensely.

Astrid narrowed her eyes at me. “What are you hiding?”

It pained my head to know she was disappointed with me for lying, but I couldn’t tell her here. Not in front of all these people.

“I’m sorry, Astrid,” I sighed and dropped my head, pressing my lips to her forehead and lingering there. “Barden just told me something I didn’t want to hear.”

“What did he say to you?”

“I’ll tell you later,” I sighed, giving in. I would need to tell her eventually, and it was bad enough that I hadn’t told her already.

“Promise?” She pursed her lips, not quite happy with me. I couldn’t blame her. I was far from happy with myself as well.

I brushed another kiss against her forehead. “I promise, my siren.”

Only three days remained until I was set to sail away, and I had yet to tell Astrid the truth. I didn’t want to tell her right now because I didn’t want to ruin the happy, carefree mood that she was in. Or perhaps that was just another excuse.

I should have told her as soon as I had found out, but that ship had already sailed.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Come on, Viktor. You’re running out of time. You need to tell Astrid the truth before she finds it out from someone else.

That’s what I had been chanting to myself all day, but it was now well into the evening, and I still hadn’t mentioned anything to my wife. I was also ashamed to admit that I had been avoiding her today for that exact reason.

Oh, how the tables had turned.

When I awoke in the morning, I made up an excuse and skipped breakfast. I kissed Astrid goodbye and suggested she head to her parents’ hut so she wouldn’t have to eat alone.

I was leaving Barden’s hut when I spotted my wife next. She was walking back to our hut after finishing work at the school, but I had shuffled back into the hut so she wouldn’t see me. She already knew I wasn’t happy with Barden about something. If she saw me, she would ask what I was doing at his hut, and I didn’t have an answer just yet.

I hadn’t seen my wife since then, and it was now well into the evening. To soften the blow of my deceit, I was cooking a special dinner for us both.

Astrid was a fan of chicken, but from celebratory feasts in the past, I knew she was also a fan of deer. We got very few deer inJorvik and even more rarely turned them into meals. What we did do, however, was buy deer meat from a neighbouring island that had plenty of them. They cost a far prettier penny than they were worth. However, if it meant that it softened Astrid’s anger when I finally told her the truth this evening, even if by just a little bit, then expensive deer meat for dinner it was! And if that wasn’t enough, I went fishing earlier to catch a fresh salmon for Kis so she could have her own special dinner with us as well.

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