A Convenient Proposal(22)

“…love Griff,” Kathy said. “I’ve seen him coax foxes and deer to eat from his fingers.”

“That’s a good way to get rabies,” Dr. Campbell pointed out from the end of the table. His forceful voice would be audible no matter how high the level of background noise.

“Which is why I’ve had my rabies vaccinations.” Griff turned from talking to his mother, on his other side. “Why don’t y’all let Arden eat some of this delicious food? There’s plenty of time ahead for answering questions.”

She sent him a grateful glance.

“So take your own turn, bro.” Lauren, the middle sister, resembled her mother and Kathy, with soft, curling brown hair and green eyes. She, too, sat across the table. “How long have you two been dating?”

“That was July,” Griff replied promptly, “when we met on the beach. The fourth, to be exact. We were watching fireworks and Igor bolted because of the noise.”

“You’ve been in Miami all this time?” Mrs. Campbell’s question sounded loud in the sudden silence around the table. “But I thought you said—”

Griff held up a hand. “I did say. I spent most of the time I was gone traveling around the Caribbean. I hit the Bahamas, Turk and Puerto Rico, then Montserrat, Barbados, Tobago and most of the islands in between. But…” He raised his wineglass in Arden’s direction. “I went back to Miami more and more often. For a little longer each time.”

Arden had to admire his acting ability. He didn’t betray the lie with so much as the flicker of an eyelash.

“And you live in Miami all the time, Arden?” Mrs. Campbell’s reaction had so far been the most reserved in the family. “On the beach?”

Now everyone at the table had stopped talking to listen, so she could hear easily enough. “I have a condo there.”

“In a high-rise,” Griff added, “with an amazing view. Watching a storm come in over the horizon is better than any Hollywood movie.”

“And what kind of work do you do in Miami?”

She turned toward Dr. Campbell to answer his question. “I—”

But Griff spoke at the same moment. “I’m going to make Arden eat in the kitchen from now on,” he declared. “She’ll starve to death out here.”

“You’re right.” His dad pretended to look sternly around the table, but his eyes twinkled. “No one is allowed to talk to Griff or Arden again until they’ve left their seats.”

Arden gave another silent sigh as the focus of attention became more scattered. Even Griff addressed his food, rather than her.

But when she put her hand into her lap for her napkin, he reached over, grasped her fingers and squeezed.

As appeared to be their custom, the family sat late around the table, drinking wine and carefully avoiding asking Arden more questions. Her offer to help with clearing the dishes was met with a small smile and a shake of Mrs. Campbell’s head.

“No, thank you. Just sit there and relax.” Her three daughters and several cousins did get up, however, leaving Arden at the table with the men. She might have found that relaxing enough, but Griff hitched his chair close to hers and put his arm around her shoulders.

“This is what I’d do if we were authentic,” he murmured, taking her hand off the table and twining his fingers with hers. “Thanks for putting up with all this. I know it’s not easy.”

She smiled, trying to look as if he’d said something sweet and romantic. “It’s not exactly hard. You have a very nice family.”

“Too nice, sometimes.” He leaned close and kissed her cheek.

“What does that mean?” Her face felt hot where his lips had touched.

“Not my dad—he’s your usual gruff, grumpy, take-care-of-yourself old guy. But being the only boy with three sisters and a mom is like trying to swim in a pool filled with feathers. Soft, sweet-smelling feathers.”

Arden laughed. “That sounds awful.”

Griff gave her a dire look. “Exactly.”

People began getting up from the table, and Griff stood to pull her chair out so that Arden could, as well. Unfortunately, the end of dinner signaled the resumption of questions. As Arden surveyed photographs of the family displayed on the bookshelves framing the fireplace in the den, she felt Mrs. Campbell’s presence at her shoulder.

“Does your family live in Miami, as well?”