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Nate started laughing.

“Stop laughing.”

Nate put an arm around his waist and drew him close. Two months of being able to touch him whenever he liked hadn’t made Leo any better at continuing an argument when Nate did that.

“You’re enjoying this far too much.”

“I’ve got to enjoy something if I’m not going to be enjoying dinner.”

Leo put his hands against Nate’s chest, intending to push him away. Instead, he left them there.

“Don’t kiss me,” he warned as Nate leaned in. “You’ve just eaten that sauce.”

Then a car came up the drive.

Leo turned toward the window.

“Oh, hell.”

Miriam brought a pie. Sophie brought salad, and Jonah carried a bag of rolls while little Sally hurried past him into the kitchen.

“Hi, Leo!” she announced to the room at large. Then she sniffed. “What’s that smell?”

Nate looked at the oven. “Oh, no.” He and Leo had both forgotten about the garlic bread they’d put in there earlier. It was now black around the edges.

Jonah set the rolls on the counter while Nate pulled out the burned bread. “Good thing we brought these.”

Miriam inspected the tray, then the saucepan. “Do you boys want some help?”

“Yes,” Nate said.

Leo would have liked him to hesitate, at least.

While Miriam washed her hands, Nate made tea from the little tin she’d brought. After a sip, she turned her attention to Leo.

“Now. Tell me what went into this.”

He told her.

“How much flour?”

Leo glanced at Nate, who looked at the open bag.

“I see,” Miriam said.

“It needed thickening.”

“Well, it’s certainly turned thick.”

Jonah made a noise in the doorway.

“You can go set the table,” Leo told him.

“My pleasure.”

Apparently his hearing was good enough for that.

Miriam tried stirring the sauce. Nate watched for a moment, then took his phone off the tripod and stopped the recording.