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“Maybe Ruthie and I will kidnap you at Christmas so you can have an excuse to avoid your family.”
“It would be a Christmas miracle.” She sighed wistfully, imagining the happy thought of Erick and Ruthie dragging her out of her family’s Christmas party and throwing her in the back of a white van.
“We’ll see about making that happen. Ruthie’s been dying to commit another felony, anyway, before she turns eighteen. Kidnapping you sounds fun. I might tie you to the bed with a big red bow.”
“Finally, a reason to look forward to a holiday.”
“You know, your family can be as mean to me as they want. They’re not my family. I won’t give a damn about what they say. No skin off my nose.”
“My siblings aren’t that bad but my parents will find a way to needle you. Trust me.”
“They can try. I’m impervious to needling. I have a teenage daughter. You grow very thick skin when you have a teenage daughter as intelligent as mine.”
“Is Ruthie mean to you?”
“Vicious. She said I wasn’t good enough for you.”
“What?” Clover nearly fell out of the boat.
“If you ever wondered why I call her Ruthless...that’s why. Because she is.”
“Surely she didn’t mean that.”
“She did. But it’s not because she thinks I’m a bad person. She thinks you’re too good for almost anybody out there.”
“That’s very sweet of her. Even when she’s trying to be mean she’s sweet. Which is kind of the opposite of my parents, who are mean even when they’re trying to be sweet.”
“Ruthie is not passive-aggressive. She’s just aggressive-aggressive.”
“And I’m passive-passive. Must be why Ruthie and I get along so well. Unless I catch her insulting you again. Then I’ll show her how mean I can be.”
“Not mean at all, you mean.”
“Yeah, I’m a wimp.”
“You are not a wimp. It takes a very strong person to tolerate a family like that without going off on them. I think you should go off on them, but that’s just what I would do.”
“Don’t, please. You’re a wonderful man and I know you’ll want to defend me when they say stuff to me—and they will—but please don’t fight back. I’ll never hear the end of it from them. I told you I quit college to take a good job. Nine years ago that happened. Nine years. You know what they still call me? I’m their ‘little dropout.’ And I bet you money they’ll call me that in front of you.”
“Are you sure I can’t go off on them?”
“I’m sure. I think.”
“Are you sure you’re sure?”
“I’m sure I’m sure. Erick... I like you.”
“Oh, stop.” He batted his eyelashes.
“You stop. I mean, I really like you. I’d like to keep seeing you if I can. If you want. If you like that idea. No pressure.”
“Clover, I’ve spent the last three days having the best sex of my life with the most beautiful woman I’ve ever dated. I think it’s safe to say I like the idea of us seeing each other even after Thanksgiving.”
“Good,” she said. “I’m glad to hear it. But I’m serious here, if you go off on my family, they will shun you. I have a cousin my mother hasn’t spoken to in three years because he dared suggest their darling son-in-law, Mike, the Seattle real estate developer, was doing the city more harm than good with all his gentrification projects. If you and I are maybe going to keep seeing each other—”
“No maybe. Definitely not a maybe.”
She grinned. “Since we’re going to keep seeing each other, I’d like us to stay on their good side. That’s all. We just have to get through Thanksgiving without losing our tempers with them. Otherwise I will truly never ever hear the end of it for as long as I live. And it’s not worth it to me. Understand?”
