Page 60 of Hot As Ice

Stevie’s cheeks pinken slightly. “Thank you,” she says in a shy voice.

My father is the only one who doesn’t move toward us, instead remaining standing next to the mystery woman and watching as Stevie and I greet my grandfather and uncle. He remains as far away as possible, on the other side of the dining table, and I hate to say it, but it irks me. He clears his throat.

“This is Celeste,” my father announces, snaking an arm around the woman’s lower back. “My wife.”

For a moment, the world seems to tilt. I think I see stars in my vision. By some herculean effort, I keep my countenance. At least I hope I do. My jaw isn’t on the floor, so that’s a huge mark in my favor.

I stare at my father, feeling my grandfather and uncle’s eyes on me. It’s so quiet in the dining room, you could hear a pin drop.

Stevie is the first to do anything.

“Oh my goodness,” she chirps. “Congratulations!” She walks around the dining table and gives my father and Celeste a hug. Then she asks if she can see Celeste’s ring and the both of them coo over it for a while. I’m doubly grateful that I brought her with me tonight. Holy shit, I would not have been able to handle this on my own.

My grandfather clears his throat, and I somehow move my legs, walking around the table and shaking my father’s hand. “Congratulations,” I tell him, my voice gruff. Then I hug my new stepmother. There’s a wary look in her eyes, like she expects me to bite her head off. But she keeps her smile on. It’s impossible for me to smile back.

“When did you get married?” Stevie asks, smiling as she takes her seat beside me. She unfolds her dinner napkin and settles it on her lap. The servers move in, removing the domes from the silver platters, and filling our drinking glasses (soda for me, as usual, and lemonade for Stevie) but my appetite is completely wiped out.

Celeste looks a little self-conscious at Stevie’s question. “Only a week ago. In the Bahamas. It was a small ceremony.” She turns her head towards my father.

“Yes,” he confirms, putting his napkin on his lap. “Very small.” He doesn’t look at me.

“I bet it was lovely,” Stevie says. She sounds genuinely excited and interested, god bless her. I put my hand on her thigh under the table and squeeze. She puts her hand on mine and squeezes back.

“Oh, it was,” Celeste says, beaming. “But we’re having a much bigger party next month and of course you are invited. I won’t take no for an answer.”

Beside me, Stevie claps her hands. “Of course, we’ll come!”

I take a sip of my Coke, deliberately not looking at my father or grandfather or uncle. They kept me in the dark, because they knew I would protest. Damn, I didn’t even know my father was dating anyone. Celeste is beautiful and much younger than my father. She has blonde hair that falls just to her shoulders and blue eyes. She and Stevie even kind of look alike. My father has a thing for blondes, just like I do. It pisses me off that we have that in common.

“It will be a grand old time,” Uncle Jack says, but I can hear the wryness in his voice.

“Let’s have a toast,” my grandfather says from the head of the table. We all grab our glasses and rise along with him. “To family, the most important thing in the world. To new family members that we are proud to welcome to the clan. And to future family members.” He winks at Stevie. I try not to roll my eyes. The old dog knows me too well. And yeah, Stevie is my future wife, that’s become clearer to me since this morning.

We all clink our glasses and sit back down.

For the rest of dinner, the conversation flows well enough. I barely contribute, only speaking when spoken to. Luckily, Stevie, Celeste, and Jack have plenty to say, discussing topics from planning the party to celebrate the wedding next month, to some new show about hockey players that’s a viral hit on some streaming service, and even to Christmas and New Year’s plans, even though they’re more than two months away.

“What will you wear to your party next month?” Stevie asks Celeste.

Celeste’s eyes sparkle. “I’m having this gorgeous white gown made. It’s off-shoulder with rosettes all along the skirt and bodice. It’s my dream dress.”

“It sounds beautiful,” Stevie sighs. “I have to start planning my outfit.”

If it were up to me, we wouldn’t be going to the party. I don’t give a fuck about my father or his life, but unfortunately, Celeste seems like a good person, and now I’m worried about her. Because nobody associates with my father in any capacity and comes out alive. I glare at him over the rim of my glass, and he looks steadily back at me as if in challenge.

Motherfucker.

I surreptitiously check the time on my watch, wondering when it will be a good time to bail on this pathetic excuse for a family dinner.

“How did you and my father meet, Celeste?” I ask, deciding I might as well pretend to be cordial and get some answers while I’m at it, since I’m going to be stuck here for a while.

Celeste reaches over and puts her hand on my father’s on the table. She looks slightly shy. “I work at an art gallery downtown,” she says. “Your father walked in back in August and proceeded to buy one of the most expensive pieces we had on display. Then he asked me to dinner.” She blushes.

“How cute,” Stevie says, taking a sip of her lemonade. “Was it love at first sight?” I glance at her; she’s fully enamored with this meet-cute story. Her eyes are all sparkly. Oh, my naïve little innocent.

Celeste laughs, but her eyes as she stares at my father are dreamy and wistful. “Maybe love at second sight,” she says.

Stevie sighs. “That’s so romantic.”