Page 99 of Shadowed Hearts: Frost
I breathe deeply. The closest thing to a family dinner I've had in years was eating rations with my unit while under fire in Kandahar.
Music and laughter pour from the open windows as I cut the engine. Vanessa's hands twist in her lap, waves of excitement and anxiety rolling off her.
"Ready?" she asks.
I place my hand on the small of her back as we get out of the car and approach the door. A gesture that's become automatic lately. She leans into it slightly, and the same possessive heat rises again.
"I've survived worse," though I'm not entirely convinced.
The door swings open before Vanessa can knock, releasing a wave of sensory input. Garlic, fried food, vinegar, laughter in different pitches, music from deeper inside.
"Anak!" A woman, Mrs. Reyes, Vanessa's mother, pulls my bunny into a fierce hug that squeezes her small frame. "Finally! We thought you'd never come!"
I stand slightly behind Vanessa's right shoulder, weight balanced to move if needed. Mrs. Reyes releases her daughter and turns those sharp eyes on me. Her assessment is thorough, starting at my shoes and working upward methodically. I recognize the look. It's the same way I evaluate potential threats, except she's sizing me up as a potential son-in-law.
"So, this is Asher." Her tone carries the same precision as her gaze.
Vanessa shifts her weight. "Mom, yes, this is Asher Cross. Asher, my mother, Isabella Reyes."
I extend my hand. "Mrs. Reyes. Thank you for inviting me into your home."
She ignores my hand and pulls me into a hug that smells like garlic and flowers. "Psh, handshakes are for business. You're in a Filipino home now."
A tall man appears behind her. Mr. Reyes. His handshake is firm, purposeful. His eyes lock onto mine with clear meaning:Hurt her, and there will be consequences.
"Marco Reyes." His voice carries authority without aggression. "Welcome."
The entryway fills with family members, all talking over each other. Two children dart between legs, chasing each other with plastic dinosaurs.
"Everyone, this is Asher!" Vanessa announces, her voice higher with nervous energy.
I step forward. "Miguel, the ER doctor. Kaela, the corporate lawyer. Gabriel, computer science at Berkeley." I continue through key family members, using the exact relationships Vanessa described during our drive.
Vanessa's mouth opens slightly. The room goes quiet before erupting in impressed murmurs.
An elderly woman, Lola Esperanza, approaches quickly and pinches my bicep hard.
"Strong. Good for making babies." She nods approvingly.
Vanessa's face turns deep red. "Lola! We just started dating!"
"Technically, you've been working together for three weeks," a polished voice cuts in. Mikaela, Ate Kaela to Vanessa, steps forward with a practiced smile that doesn't reach her eyes. "That's what you told Mom, right?"
I note the immediate tension in Vanessa's shoulders.
"Just three weeks?" Mrs. Reyes asks, eyebrows rising. "You brought him to family dinner after three weeks?"
"When you know, you know," I state simply, placing my hand at the small of Vanessa's back again, feeling her lean into me.
As we move toward the dining area, Miguel, "Kuya Miguel" as Vanessa calls him, leans in with professional curiosity.
"Military background, right?"
"Security consulting now," I answer, holding his stare for one brief second before my eyes track back to Vanessa. Her mother tugs her toward the dining room, hand firmly clasping her daughter's wrist.
The table groans with platters I recognize from Vanessa's descriptions: crispy lumpia rolls stacked like ammunition, a massive bowl of pancit noodles, brown dinuguan that she warned me contains pig blood, and at least four different rice dishes.
"You sit here, Asher." Mrs. Reyes guides me to a chair beside Vanessa, who shoots me a look that's equal parts apology and warning.
