"Ah, we'll work on him," Patrick said. "With those reflexes, we could definitely use him."
Vane noticed the look of sadness on Deirdre's face, but she didn't say anything as she sat there and put her napkin in her lap.
Bride's father said the blessing and then stood up to carve the turkey while her mother began passing the side dishes.
Vane held the bowls while Bride served both him and herself.
"Is there anything you don't like?" Bride asked him.
"Not really."
She smiled at that. "You're so easy."
He impulsively kissed her cheek, until he realized that her family was staring at them. "I'm sorry," he said, afraid he'd done something wrong.
"Don't be," Joyce said. "I'm just glad to see my baby smiling for once."
Vane passed the mashed potatoes across Bride to Fury, who stared at them with a fierce frown. "What are these?" he asked.
"Potatoes," Vane told him.
"What did they do to them?"
"Just eat them, Fury," Vane said. "You'll like them, trust me."
Patrick snorted. "Where are you from that you've never seen mashed potatoes before?"
"Mars," Fury said as he frowned at the way the potatoes clung to the spoon. He only took a little, then passed them over to Paul. Fury leaned forward a bit and sniffed at the potatoes in a very canine manner.
Bride felt Vane's leg reach over hers to kick at Fury's chair under the table. Fury snapped upright and looked at Vane, who was giving him a warning stare.
"Really, where are you from?" Deirdre asked again. "Did you guys grow up here?"
"No," Vane answered. "We traveled a lot growing up. We've lived just about everywhere."
Her sister gave him a gimlet stare. "What brings you to New Orleans?"
"Deirdre," Bride said. "Since when is this the Inquisition?"
"Since Mom said you were serious about him. I think we ought to know something more about your new boyfriend than the fact that he looks good in a pair of jeans."
"Deirdre," Paul said in a low but stern tone. "Don't make Bride and Vane pay for the crimes of Josh."
"Fine," Deirdre snapped angrily. "But when he runs off with his secretary and leaves her alone to explain to her kids why Daddy's a jerk, I hope you remember this." She got up and left the room.
"I'm sorry," Joyce said, rising. "Y'all go ahead and eat. I'll be back in a minute."
"Deirdre's husband left her a few months ago," Bride explained to Vane.
"Her kids are with him for the holiday and Deirdre's having a hard time with it."
"Why would a hum" Fury stretched the syllable out in a way that let Bride know he was about to say "human." "Humongous jackass do that?" he said, finishing it off.
"I don't know why some men do what they do," Paul said. "I figure though that it's good riddance to bad rubbish."
"I agree," Bride said, looking at Vane, who was playing with her thigh under the table and making her extremely hot. His touch was electrifying.
Joyce returned to get Deirdre's plate, then left the room again.