Standing in front of the counter, Soren washed his hands and surveyed the ingredients laid out before him. The lively chatter from the dining table drifted into the kitchen, a mix of Zoe's bright voice, Aunt Clara's polite chuckles, and Ethea's occasional responses.
'Perhaps I should have invited Ryan too,' he thought, reaching for a knife.
Being the only guy in the room felt a little weird. It wasn't that he felt out of place with them; one was his wife, one he treated as an aunt, and the third was a teacher who doubled as an annoying big sister. It was just that against a lineup like that, he had absolutely no backup.
If Ryan had come tonight, he would have at least shared the burden, even if the guy would probably just sit there like an obedient little brother.
A faint smile touched Soren's lips as he shook his head, cutting through a bunch of fresh greens.
'Let's just invite him some other time. Alone.'
That was probably for the best anyway.
