Page 31 of Perfectly Imperfect Us
I nodded, wide-eyed. “Thanks for your help deflecting. Dinner might cause some heartburn.”
She nodded, pasting on a calm smile when Nicoletta called us all into the formal dining area. Formal place cards told us all where to sit. Seemed a little overkill with only six of us in attendance. In dismay I saw that I was placed next to Nicoletta who sat at the head of the table, Ryder across from me. No less than three forks and three knives were laid out next to each formal china place setting. I didn’t know what to do with all the silverware and I was certain my parents wouldn’t know either.
I’d been nervous before, but now that feeling was replaced with stomach-twisting dread. I just didn’t see how I could salvage this dinner. Nicoletta was clearly trying to show she outclassed my family, a move I should have anticipated. I could have told her that without this dog and pony show, but I’d hoped for a truce of sorts now that Ryder and I were dating.
“So, I hear you’ve retired, Ryder. That’s amazing considering you’re half my age and I’m not even retired,” Dad joked after we all sat down and started passing around the food, serving ourselves.
Ryder placed the gold cloth napkin on his lap and nodded. “Yes, I still have some smaller jobs lined up, but nothing close to full-time work. I figured moving back to Nickel Bay was the time to cut back the travel.”
“Our son has been all over the world,” Nicoletta cut in proudly. “Someone as well traveled as him, with such potential for fame and fortune, really needs to be surrounded by the right people.”
Her words, spoken with such arrogance and flippancy, made my blood boil. The silence around the table proved everyone could read between the lines. I simply wasn’t good enough for Ryder. My family and I weren’t the “right people.” I’d faced bullies before, but never in the form of an overdressed, simpering, spiteful woman with helmet hair and an overinflated sense of self. And lipstick on her teeth.
“You mean not a lady so ordinary like me?” I raised an eyebrow, my fury tempered by not wanting to fly off the handle and prove her assertion correct.
Ryder shifted uncomfortably in his chair, tossing his napkin on his full plate before pushing back from the table and standing. He directed his gaze at my parents. “I apologize for my mother’s comments. They are in no way representative of how I feel about you and certainly not about Ava.”
He turned to his mom. “I’m disappointed in you. When you learn some manners, we’ll be happy to have dinner with you.”
She gasped and clutched her necklace. Ryder came around the table and grabbed my hand, tugging me away and out the front door to stunned silence. The late afternoon sunshine made me squint, like I was expecting black clouds and doom and gloom based on the nastiness that went on inside the house.
Ryder pulled me into his chest, right there on the grassy front lawn, his hands clutching mine tightly between us. “I’m so sorry, Ava. I never would have gone ahead with dinner if I thought she’d behave that way.”
I didn’t know if it was the anger, the humiliation, or the fact that Ryder stood up for me, but it all swirled around in my chest, the pressure of it all making tears sting my eyes. I blinked rapidly, refusing to believe I’d let that woman make me cry.
I looked down at his hands, trying to get myself under control. “Thank you, but you don’t need to apologize. It’s not your fault she hates me.”
Ryder let go of my hands and cupped my face, forcing me to look him in the eye. “She doesn’t hate you. She hates everyone, including herself. I could never live up to her expectations either, so the sooner you let go of trying to seek her approval, the better off you’ll be. Trust me. I’ve had a lifetime of practice in trying to get along with her.”
The front door clicked as it opened. We both turned and my stomach clenched, seeing Nicoletta standing there. She walked across the porch and down the three steps, her heels clacking as she went. When she was beside us, she lifted that nose in the air and focused on my hairline instead of my eyes.
“I apologize. That comment was not directed at you, Ava. I’d love it if you’d consider rejoining us.” Her words were clipped and lacked any conviction, but an apology was an apology.
I glanced over at Ryder and he tilted his head to me as if to say the decision was up to me. I nodded quickly and addressed his mother, my heart pounding.
“I appreciate that. We’d love to rejoin you.”
She smiled, the edges looking brittle, and spun on her heel to make her way back in the house. Ryder slid his hand into mine, giving me an encouraging squeeze which did a lot to calm me down.
We all sat down and continued our dinner, the conversation even more stilted than before. Any controversial topics were danced around expertly by my parents and Jimmy. Nicoletta was blessedly quiet, only murmuring her agreement here and there when called for. My family and I left again before dessert, my parents claiming they wanted to go for a walk now that the sun had gone down. In reality, I’m sure they just wanted to escape the uncomfortable situation. I didn’t blame them. I intended to pull on my pajamas and indulge in a pint of ice cream to eat away my troubles.
“Thank you so much for coming,” Nicoletta said from the doorway, a grimace disguised as a smile stretching her cheeks in an unflattering way.
Mom and Nicoletta did the air-kiss thing again, but my dad simply patted her shoulder and walked out, refusing the ridiculous greeting. Ryder hugged me to him, the rigid set of his entire body telling me he wasn’t happy.
“I’ll call you in a bit, okay?” he whispered in my ear.
I nodded, but even his desire to talk with me didn’t lift the heavy brick of unease in my stomach. Tonight had been a disaster. Worst of all, it was stirring up ideas in my head better left alone.
“Thank you for dinner, Mr. and Mrs. Burns.” I smiled at Jimmy, the affection genuine, before I turned to Nicoletta. She nodded and I decided that was enough of a goodbye for me to escape out the door.
The second the front door closed behind us, I let out a huge sigh of relief.
“Well, that could have gone better,” Dad muttered, his arm around Mom as they walked back toward our house.
I snorted, the anger that had been simmering all evening finally having an outlet. “Which part? The awkward conversation, the argument about the fence line, or when she insulted our entire family?”
“Honey, you know she’s just a spoiled old woman whose opinion doesn’t matter. Don’t let her hate affect you and Ryder.” Mom always gave the best advice.
