Page 17 of Prayers for the Prickly

In a room full of people, it felt like I existed in a cocoon of molten contentment, allowing my restless brain, which was always dreaming up new flavor profiles and decadent confections, to turn itself off and just drift.

When his fingers slid back to my hair, it didn’t startle me this time, I just melted deeper into the dreamy haze as his scent washed over me. Pachouli, wood shavings and sea salt, talk about a tranquil vibe. Being held by him was like drifting on a large floaty while the waves rocked me.

“Supper’s ready!” my mother bellowed.

Now that did startle me, and I flailed a little, until Gregor pressed his hand against my shoulder and grounded me.

“We’ll be there in a minute,” Aunt Maisy called back. “There’s less than ninety seconds left in the game.”

“Which we both know can stretch on for five minutes or more,” Mom said, “so bring your butts on before the food gets cold. “You can put the game on the radio in the dining room.”

She might as well have waved a rare steak in front of a pack of hungry hyenas. I watched her shake her head before stepping back into the kitchen as they raced to get seats.

“Hey, Gregor,” Uncle Lane asked while we were all getting situated. “You don’t happen to enjoy playing hockey as much as you do watching it, do you?”

“I’ve been told that I can be a frustrating and imposing defensive man and a hell of a winger in a pinch, when I decide to lace up a pair of skates.”

“This coming winter will be our first up here. Back home, we’d get together every Saturday for a game or two, but with the move, we’ll be short a few players if you ever want to join us?”

“I’d like that very much,” Gregor replied. “And let me know how many players you’re short. I’ve got some cousins and siblings who play, too, and my aunt used to coach the high school hockey team before she moved up to coaching the semi-pro one in Portland.”

“Wait…your aunt is Vanya Brannagan?” Aunt Maisy asked.

“Yup,” Gregor said, a faint smile tugging the corners of his lips up. “She’s phenomenal, isn’t she?”

“A phenomenal thorn in my side,” Aunt Maisy chuckled, a bright smile on her face she slapped her thigh, shook her head, and reached for the bowl of seafood broil when it was passed to her. “Every single time my team faced hers, she came up with some new formation and play to beat us. It never failed. That woman has a way with the sport that I can truly appreciate. Now that we’re going to be family, I hoped for the chance to just sit down and know her without competing. She seems like I lady I’d enjoy talking to.”

“Ohh, she will make the time when I tell her about meeting you,” Gregor said. “She hates that no one else in our family has as much passion for the strategy as they do playing the game. My old man, my uncles, several of my aunts and a ton of my cousins all play, too, but no one else has the same in-depth appreciation for the sport as she does.”

“Tell her she’s no longer alone, that I’ll keep my eye out for her when the families get together, so we can find our own place to sit and talk shop while everyone else goes on about doing what they love. If it weren’t for Lane, I’d have probably found myself in the same predicament, too.”

“That’s because you are a fanatic,” Uncle Lane said.

“Then what does that make you?”

“The twin who got all the poise,” he shot back, promoting chuckles from everyone around the table.

I watched as Gregor blinked and really took a look around at the way everyone was sitting. Unlike a normal night, when everyone just sat wherever the hell they wanted to, tonight all the twins and the one set of triplets in the family were sitting side by side grinning at my new mate. Gregor’s mouth half fell open before he managed to snap it shut as he blinked again, shook his head, then very slowly began to take a second look.

“Holy…” Gregor breathed, words trailing off, no doubt when he couldn’t figure out an adjective that wouldn’t involve swearing.

“Shit is the appropriate word,” Aunt Maisy said when Gregor still didn’t finish his statement while he kept on studying faces. “Twinning happens in one in three litters in this family, so be prepared for it, especially if you decided to keep this one round and wrapped up in his own taffy.”

“Don’t give him any ideas,” I squeaked as Gregor appraised me and licked his lips.

“Ohh, now I will have to try it at least once, just to see what he looks like that way,” Gregor said, much to the amusement of everyone in the room.

“Ohhh, August got a fun mate,” my sister Tilly declared. “And talented, too. I couldn’t believe the details on the whales August gave me for my birthday. He said you collect the wood and do everything by hand from start to finish. That’s so awesome.”

“I’m glad you are enjoying them,” Gregor said, cheeks and the bridge of his nose starting to turn a little pink.

Was he blushing over such well-earned praise?

I decided to file that away for later and watch to see if it happened again.

How could I tell that my family was pleased? Not a single person had a full plate yet. They were too busy paying attention to me and Gregor flirting without meaning to flirt with one another. How cool was that? I didn’t have to try to hold his attention. The way he looked at me made it easy to forget that I wasn’t alone. I could just be me and sass him when I wanted to and lucky, lucky me to have a mate that liked to sass back.

“August does indeed have a fun mate,” Uncle Lane declared. “It’s going to be fun getting to know you, Gregor. You are the first mate in decades who wasn’t apprehensive about the number of us or intimidated by how much we liked to talk.

---