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“You told me to kiss them all on the cheek,” Grath pointed out, frowning at her.
“Yes, well, I was wrong. You can just shake hands. See? Dad—hold out your hand,” Mattie commanded.
Her father—an older man with gray hair and glasses—put out his hand hesitantly and Grath enveloped it with his own, much larger one.
“Pleased to meet you,” Mattie’s Dad said. “Er, welcome to our home.”
“Thank you for inviting me,” Grath rumbled politely. He sniffed the air. “What’s that delicious smell?”
“Oh—that’s a roast I’m cooking for supper!” Mattie’s mother was suddenly busy at the stove, checking inside the oven and looking at the mashed potatoes and green beans. “Mattie—I hope your, er, new boyfriend isn’t a vegetarian,” she said over her shoulder.
Mattie looked up at Grath. Actually, they had never discussed dietary restrictions or food preferences or anything at all, really, because they had always been at odds. This was the first time since he’d become her Protector that the big Kindred wasn’t shoving her away.
“Grath?” she asked as her mom looked on anxiously. “Do you mind eating meat?”
“I’ll eat anything you put in front of me,” Grath assured them politely. “Especially when it smells as good as whatever it is you’re cooking.”
“Oh, good!” Mattie’s mom looked relieved. “Well, everything is almost ready. Mattie, would you go get your Grandma? She’s lying down in her room.”
“No, I’m not! Here I am.”
Grandma Thelma came into the farmhouse kitchen, leaning heavily on a cane. She was eighty-five but still as sharp as ever and the first thing she did was give Mattie a hug that smelled like baby powder and old-fashioned perfume.
“It’s good to see you back again, sweetie-pie,” she said, using her old nickname for Mattie as they embraced. “Now who’s this giant you brought to see us?” she added as they pulled apart.
“Grandma Thelma, this is Grath. He’s my Protector and we’re also dating,” Mattie said, trying her best to sound honest though she was squirming inside about lying to her sweet old grandma.
“Pleased to meet you, Ma’am,” Grath said politely. He leaned down to give her Grandma a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
Mattie thought it was like watching a Great Dane trying cautiously to be friendly with a Pomeranian. Grandma Thelma was so tiny and shrunken that the top of her head barely came up to Mattie’s shoulder, so Grath had to bend nearly double to embrace her. He hugged the old lady very carefully, she noticed, almost as though Grandma Thelma was made of fine China and might develop a crack if he squeezed too tightly.
“Well now,” Grandma said, when they pulled apart. “Soyou’rethe man in love with our Mattie!”
She searched Grath’s face with faded eyes that were still sharp as she said it, looking to catch his reaction to her words.
Mattie felt her stomach twist sharply. This was the danger point right here! If Grath could fool Grandma Thelma, he could foolanyone. But if her Grandma sensed a hesitation or guessed the lie the two of them were trying to pull off—
“Yes, Ma’am, I’mdeeplyin love with her,” Grath rumbled with a straight face. He looked at Mattie as he continued. “I think your granddaughter is the most beautiful female I’ve ever met,” he said, sounding perfectly sincere.
Mattie could feel her cheeks getting hot, even though she knew he was just making things up for Grandma Thelma’s benefit.
“Oh, Grath!” she exclaimed.
“It’s true,” he assured her, again with a straight face. “How many times do I have to tell you how beautiful you are before it sinks in, baby?” And he put an arm around Mattie and pulled her close for a hug.
Mattie felt her cheeks get even hotter but of course she couldn’t refuse to hug him back. She put her arms around the big Kindred and pressed her cheek to his muscular chest.
Being this close to him, she couldn’t help inhaling his amazing scent. Whatwasthat? Some kind of aftershave or just the regular scent of his skin? Either way, it made her heart speed up and her legs feel weak as he held her against him.
“Well, now!” Grandma Thelma remarked when Mattie finally pulled out of the hug, feeling slightly wobbly. She was relieved to see that her grandmother was smiling approvingly. “I’m glad he sees your worth, sweetie-pie,” she said to Mattie. “You’re a very nice young man,” she said, looking up at Grath. “We’ll just see if you’re worthy of our Mattie.”
“Grandma!” Mattie exclaimed but Grath only nodded gravely and said,
“I’ll do my best, Ma’am,” in a voice that was completely sincere.
Mattie couldn’t help looking at him admiringly. The big warrior was turning out to be better at acting than she’d ever dreamed! The way he’d greeted her whole family and passed her Grandma’s test really was impressive.
She just wondered how long he could keep it up.
