“All done.” Nick turned off the vacuum cleaner. “The living room is ready for guests.”

“Thank you for doing the vacuuming,” Ruth called out from the kitchen.

Holding the device, Nick walked in and stored it in the broom closet. “Anything else I can do?”

She handed him the salad bowl. “You can put this on the dining table.”

“Yes, ma'am.”

Nick was so excited about the dinner get-together she’d organized to celebrate his return from Rio, that it seemed as if he could sense it was about much more than that. Although a more obvious and less mystical explanation could be that he might have picked up on her excitement, or rather apprehension.

A lot depended on the success of tonight's experiment.

Except, it was also possible that he was happy about her inviting Tessa and Jackson and Sylvia and Roni to dinner. Unlike her, Nick loved to socialize even though he wasn’t great at it.

So what. With a smile, Ruth repeated Nick’s mantra in her head. Everything felt much less stressful when that little two-word sentence was said enough times.

“Can you get the door?” Ruth called when she heard a car pull up into her driveway.

Nick shook his head. “I swear that you have bat ears.”

Oops. She’d done it again.

A moment later the doorbell rang.

“I’m coming!” Nick called out, and then winked at her. “Not yet, but later for sure.”

Ruth flicked him with a dishrag. “Just go open the door already.”

As he rushed to the living room, she pulled the roast out of the oven and started transferring it to a serving platter. It was good that her guests were arriving on time. Heating up the food would have spoiled its taste.

For the best flavor, it needed to be eaten right as it was done.

Walking into the dining room with the platter balanced on her hand, she warned, “Keep clear, this is very hot.”

“Hi, Mo…,” Sylvia started, stopping herself on time.

Luckily, another knock on the door distracted Nick.

“Careful,” Ruth whispered.

“Yeah. Sorry about that.”

Roni waited for her to put the tray down before pulling her into a hug. “Hi, Ruth. Thank you so much for inviting us to dinner. I missed your cooking.”

She hadn’t cooked for him and Sylvia in a long while. Ever since she’d started working at the café, her visits to her daughter had dwindled down to no more than once a week, and then to none at all when she and Nick had gotten closer and were spending most evenings at her home.

“Then I should invite you guys over more often.”

“That would be nice. Although it’s a schlep getting here from the village.” He leaned closer to whisper in her ear. “Hopefully, you’ll be joining us there soon.”

“What smells so good?” Jackson walked in and bee-lined straight for the dining table. “Can we eat? I’m starving.”

Behind him, Tessa shook her head. “Sometimes he behaves like a caveman.”

Jackson turned around. “What did I do this time?”

“You should wait to be invited to the table and not ask if you can start eating.”

“That’s okay.” Ruth patted Tessa’s arm. “He is right. Everyone is here and the food is getting cold. Let’s eat.”

“Yeah.” Roni rubbed his hands. He was already seated with a napkin draped over his knees.

Even though everyone other than Nick knew what this was all about, the conversation at the table wasn’t strained. In fact it flowed naturally.

“Do you remember that you promised us songs?” Jackson asked Roni.

Forking a second piece of roast, Roni transferred it from the platter to his plate. “I didn’t forget. I’m still working on it.”

“Do you have anything ready?”

“I have one. But I’m not happy with it. Besides, do you guys play at all since Gordon left?”

“Vlad and I jam from time to time while we are waiting for you to fill the drummer’s position. You said you’d have the drums mastered in no time. What happened with that?”

“Life.” Roni sighed. “It seems like there is never enough time.”

“Are you guys still playing at clubs?” Nick asked.

“Not since Gordon left for college and Vlad started studying while still working part-time at the café.” Jackson shook his head. “It’s tragic. I feel like my youth is over.”

“Do you need a bass guitar player? I’m not great, but I’m decent.”

“Sure, but without a drummer there is no band, and Roni is taking his sweet time to get ready.”

Roni threw his hands in the air. “Okay, people, enough with the guilt. I’ll step up the pace.

Ruth was getting impatient. It seemed to her that Jackson was dragging his feet about the test, and she nudged his foot under the table while lifting her brows at the same time.

Reluctantly, he put his fork and knife down and looked at Nick. “So Nick, what was the last rock concert you saw?”

“A bitching cover band for Pink Floyd. But it was like six months ago. Last November, I believe.”

“What’s their name?”

“Brit Floyd.”

Roni lifted his fork. “Not original, but easy to remember.”

“Are they any good?”

By the way he was focusing on Nick’s eyes, Ruth could tell Jackson was attempting a thrall.

“As I said, they are bitching. You should go see them the next time they are on tour here. I can check for you if they have anything planned for this year.”

“Thanks.” Jackson went back to eating.

Five minutes later he put his utensils down, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and turned to Nick. “I forgot. What was the name of that band?”

Nick frowned. “What band?”

“The cover…” Roni started. A kick under the table shut him up quickly.

Jackson smirked. “Never mind.”

Rubbing his brows between his thumb and forefinger, Nick grimaced. “I feel a headache coming on. Do you have ibuprofen, Ruthie?”

“No, I’m sorry, but I don’t. Would you like an icepack?” She’d seen it in a movie once. Supposedly applying ice to the forehead helped with headaches.

“Do you have Advil?”

She shook her head.

“How come you don’t have any pain medication? Did you run out?”

“Ruth believes in natural remedies,” Sylvia came to her rescue.

Nick waved a hand. “I prefer a quicker solution.”

“Do you still want the icepack?”

“No, I should have some Advil in the car.” He pushed to his feet and headed out.

“Well.” Jackson puffed out his chest. “It seems your guy is not difficult to thrall at all.”

Ruth wasn’t sure about that. “Wait a little and then ask him again. I want to make sure the thrall holds.”

“Good idea. I will do that.”