Page 56 of Devour

The afternoon had been uncomfortable but uneventful. Mary went to help her aunt and cousins in the kitchen. Eli’s dad disappeared into the dining room some time ago. The kids went back to the playroom (with Greg’s oldest from his first marriage in charge of the toddlers running wild) long ago. The rest of us guys remained banished to the living room.

It wasn’t lost on me that Eli, with his jacket and tie, looked out of place on the couch with Eric and I. Between my alternative clothing, and bits of tattoos peeking out from the neck and sleeves of Eric’s sweater, we were two peas in a pod. Eric noticed too, and thought more than once how much of a relief it had been to find out we were nothing like the others.

Eli’s stepbrother, Dylan, and brother-in-law, Greg, sat in armchairs across from us.

Did it ever feel as if we were facing down a firing squad. Hubs had that arms-casually-across-the-chest stance that did not come off defensive in the slightest.

“So, Rhory, how did you say you know Eli, again?” His brother-in-law asked this specifically to be a smartass, not to break the tense silence in the room.

“I don’t believe I did say.” I smiled. Fuck you, too, my guy. It took a lot more than half-assed mind games to make me squirm. “Matter of fact, I’m not sure I even remember anymore.”

“Ember and Asher,” Eli said, appearing as disinterested as ever. “Rhory dated her for a bit, then never went away.”

Did I, now? I must’ve forgotten about that.

“Didn’t you date Ember?” Dylan questioned him this time, but the intention remained the same.

“No.” Eli shifted to cross his legs too, which would’ve been so hot had it been under different circumstances.

“Why not?”

Eli shrugged. Oh, this was painful, even for me.

“Em actually got married about a year ago,” I said instead. “She’s been dating that guy since college.” Which was not true, but these pricks didn’t know that.

“What about Asher?” Dylan did not give a damn either way. “He married, too?”

“Last autumn,” Eli replied.

Part of me wondered how they’d react to the knowledge his wedding had two grooms, and that made me smile to myself.

“So, you’re the final holdout, huh?” And the brother-in-law officially made it onto my shit list. “All of us are married and now all your friends are, too.”

I was about to make a comment about most likely never getting married myself when Eric piped up and said, “I’m not married. I’m engaged.”

“Close enough,” Greg said with a dismissive wave. “Still a commitment.”

“Well, if you’re thinking about it that way, Eli’s committed himself longer than any of us, hasn’t he? Didn’t you say you got ordained five years ago?” Eric directed his attention to Eli with a friendly smile.

“Almost six.” Hubby’s mouth upturned at the corners ever so slightly.

“Right, so that must’ve been a few months before Dylan got married and a whole year before Greg married your sister.”

Yeah, I liked Eric.

Before those two could start on another invasive line of questioning, it was time to head into the dining room.

Dinner was blissfully uneventful. The food was… food. Not that it was bad, but I didn’t need it, and I didn’t want it, and I’d established long ago how I felt about anything that fell into those categories. Still, I tucked in with the thought that the sooner we finished, the sooner hubby could get the hell out of here. And I planned to make our excuse about having no room left for pie as believable as possible.

Then dinner was over. ‘Twas time to make our hasty exit and get the hell out of here. Even if hubby tried to protest, I would insist on climbing in his bed tonight, nestling down next to him, and not moving at all until his mood improved. The only thing worse than being here would be staying here.

“Where are you going?”

Eli’s stepmom, in the kitchen, with the candlestick. No, not really, but I would rather get a candelabra to the back of the head than another minute of this. We got caught mid-exit, and we both froze by the door.

“Ah, yeah, it’s a bit of a drive. I should really get back and get Rhory home,” Eli said with a nervous smile.

“In this weather?”

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