Page 20 of Astrid
“Alex is going to attempt to cook. He even kicked Joyce out of the kitchen, wouldn’t even let her sit at the table in case he needed help.”
“What aren’t you telling me?” She frowned at him as she walked forward, and went down the hall with him. He reached out and put his hand on her forearm to stop her.
“Alex didn’t know how to cook before his accident two weeks ago. I don’t know if you realized he’s not around during the day, and he won’t tell us what he’s been doing. I’m going out on a limb here, but I think he’s been going over to the ranch, and working with Dolly every day.” At her look of confusion, he explained who Dolly was, and what she did over at the ranch.
“And you suspect he’s going to cook dinner for all ten of us from what he’s learned from Dolly?”
“No clue, but that’s what I’m thinking.” John shook his head, and together they went in to join the others in the living room area. When John went to the kitchen, Alex yelled at him to get out of the way, but he said he was only getting a glass to get Astrid some wine. With that statement, Alex backed away and let John continue. Astrid watched as John retrieved a large glass, put ice in it, then poured the wine in. At her frown, he swirled the wine in the ice, and when the glass started to form beads of water on the outside, he used a spoon to hold the ice back as he poured the wine in the proper glass. She smiled when he put the opened bottle in the refrigerator.
“Here you go,” John said as he walked over with her glass of wine, and a bottle of beer for himself. He settled down on one of the couches next to her, and after placing his large hand on her thigh, he turned to watch the show on TV. An hour later, Alex called them over to the table, and John exchanged looks with his brothers. They shrugged, so he decided to have an open mind when he ate the meal prepared for him.
“Holy shit,” John said as he looked at the table. Sitting in a huge bowl in the center of the table were several baked potatoes, then there was a bowl of something he couldn’t name. “What’s this?” He pointed at the unidentified to him.
“Oh, that’s both zucchini and summer squash, then if I could have one of you guys help me?” He turned on his heel and walked away. It was John who jumped up to help him, and as he followed him out, he felt his eyebrows disappear in his hairline when he saw the steaks sizzling on the grill. John held the platter when Alex took them off, and he looked at him in confusion.
“Where did you get the steaks from? I know you didn’t use everything Astrid and I bought earlier. I know for damn sure we didn’t purchase steaks like this.”
Alex looked at him with a grin. “Dolly sent them home with me.”
John laughed, then looked at his youngest brother in confusion. “What?”
“We need to talk to Wyatt.”
“About?”
“We should pool our money and buy a cow from him, so we can stock our freezer with meat for the winter. There are ten of us now, and there might be five or six more coming. We won’t be able to run to the grocery store every day.”
“Good idea, it’s something to look into.” John carried the platter of steaks, and waited for Alex to open the door for him. After setting the steaks down, they all sat down and began to eat. No one said a word when Joyce automatically reached over and cut up the steak on Alex’s plate.
At one point, Astrid asked, “I know it’s none of my business and you can tell me so, but when do you get that cast off?” She pointed to Alex’s hand in his sling.
“No clue,” Alex said as he took a bite of his vegetables. “I’m not being evasive, but it’s only been about two weeks, and the doctor says it’ll be definitely eight weeks this time around. I might have to go an additional eight after that.”
“What the hell happened?”
“We were trying to get some medication down a bull’s throat, and check out his horns. Wilson didn’t know whether they were needed to be removed or not. He, the bull, took exception to being locked up, and started throwing his weight around, literally. At one point, he lunged forward and tried to take me out. In the process he pinned my hand to the concrete wall with some part of his head. It happened so fast, I don’t recall. All I know is that I broke all the bones in the back of my hand, along with three fingers.”
“Wow.” Astrid shook her head in wonder. “I’m not being mean, but I don’t know what I would do if that happened to me.”
“Yeah, but I’m making do. I’m learning how to cook, and if I’m not over at the ranch working with Dolly, I’m helping you guys out downstairs.” Astrid realized he was okay with what had happened.
“Well, if you keep cooking like this…” She waved her hand as she picked up the bowl of squash, and put more on her plate. “…I can’t wait to see what you can do with two hands.” Everyone agreed with her as they all took second helpings.
CHAPTER9
Astrid cameout of her shower dressed in two towels, one on her body, and one on her head, absorbing the water in her hair. Taking it off to rub her hair dry, she frowned at the knock on her door. Looking at the clock, she saw it was a little after eleven, but went to the door and opened it only a couple of inches, standing behind the door.
“John? Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, I’m sorry for being here,” he said as he turned to walk away, but she immediately opened the door wider, reached out, grabbed his hand, and pulled him inside, making sure to close the door tightly behind them. With her arm wedged to her chest, to make sure the towel stayed in place, she only looked at him with a quirked brow.
“I’m sorry, I thought maybe we could follow up on what we started in the truck earlier.” He started to leave, but Astrid took a step to her right and blocked his way to the door.
“What exactly did you have in mind?” She smirked at his pink cheeks.
When he didn’t say anything, she quirked a brow at him.
“Sex?”
