Chapter 14 Freezer Feast
Fourteen
Freezer Feast
Miles
The next three weeks blur into a haze of meetings and scheduled footage days with Trey and the Bluestone Group real estate team.
By the time I finally make it home, my brain is running on low battery.
I drop my keys on the counter and flip through the mail just as my phone lights up with an incoming call.
I answer on the first ring. “Hey.”
“Miles!” Mallory’s voice is already loud and suspiciously cheerful. “You and Nora are still coming over for the Freezer Feast, right?”
I pinch my eyes shut. How could I forget? “Yeah. I’ll be there.”
“Great! And don’t forget to bring a freezer dish to pass. See you tomorrow,” she sing-songs before hanging up.
I scroll to Nora’s name and hit call. It rings a few times before she answers.
“Hey, Miles. What’s up?”
“Hi. Sorry it’s been a bit since we talked. Work got busy—”
“Miles,” she cuts in gently. “What do you need?”
“Freezer Feast is tomorrow.”
“Shit. I forgot.”
“Are you free?”
There’s a pause. “I am. But I don’t think I have anything in my freezer.” I hear rustling. “Yeah, nope. Just a half-empty bag of frozen peas and something completely encased in freezer burn that should’ve been thrown out months ago. Oh—and ice.”
I pull open my freezer drawer and glance inside at a single vacuum-sealed filet of salmon, a half-empty box of fruit popsicles from the summer, an almost-empty box of dinosaur chicken nuggets from when my nephews were over, along with a couple of ice packs.
“Same. Want me to pick you up tomorrow, and we’ll go shopping before heading to my sister’s? ”
“Sounds like a plan. See you then.”
The next day, I pull up in front of Nora’s place right on time, and when she steps outside, I do a quick double take.
She’s dressed casual in dark leggings, an oversized sweater that looks soft enough to live in, a coat, and sneakers.
Nothing fancy. Still, she looks great. I climb out and pop the trunk so she can toss her tote inside before sliding into the passenger seat.
As we pull away, I clear my throat. “I’m sorry again for forgetting to remind you about today.”
She laughs it off, shaking her head. “Don’t be. Honestly? Thanks for the reminder. I’ve been intrigued ever since your sister mentioned Freezer Feast. It sounds fun.”
At the store, we grab a cart and drift down the frozen food aisle together, debating casseroles and laughing at questionable box art. It’s easy and comfortable. Almost… domestic. After tossing a few freezer-worthy items into the cart, we check out and head over to my sister’s place.
Before our feet hit the porch, Mallory swings the door open and beams. “I’m so glad you made it.” Mallory squeezes me once before moving on to Nora. “I hope you didn’t bring frozen peas. We have enough of those to start a pea farm.”
Nora laughs. “Lucky for you, I left my peas safely locked in my freezer at home.”
Mallory takes the bag from me and peers inside before pulling out a receipt. “This defeats the purpose of the Freezer Feast.”
“I thought this would be better than ice cubes and peas.” I shrug.
She steps aside to let us in, the warm rush of noise and laughter spilling out onto the porch. “Come in. Shoes off, you can put your coats on the bench, food in the kitchen, and fair warning—there’s already an argument happening about whether freezer lasagna counts as homemade.”
Nora glances at me, eyes bright. “I’m curious to know who wins this argument.”
Mallory hoists the paper bag higher on her hip. “Ben is adamant that it’s homemade because the recipe comes from someone’s great-great grandma, and the family found a way to capitalize on it.”
Nora peers over her shoulder, smiling. “Ben has a point.”
I groan. “Don’t encourage him.”
After helping Nora with her coat, I drape them both over the bench. We barely make it two steps into the living room before my other sister spots us.
“Nora!” Melanie is already on her feet, arms wide as if she’s been waiting all day for this exact moment. “I’m so glad you’re here again.”
Nora doesn’t even have time to smile before my mom pulls her into a hug. When she steps back, my dad’s right there, smiling and opening his arms too. “Good to see you.” He wraps an arm around her shoulders. “We were hoping you’d come.”
“Me too.” Nora lightly laughs, clearly surprised by the double welcome.
Mom keeps a hand on Nora’s arm like she’s afraid she might disappear. “We have a very important question for you.” Her voice drops, serious now. “The tone of the entire evening rests in your hands.”
Nora’s eyes flick to mine, wide and amused.
“Are you,” Mom continues, “on Team Frozen Lasagna Is Homemade… or not?”
A laugh bubbles out of Nora. “Well, I did hear Ben’s argument about the family recipe—”
Half the house groans. The other half cheers.
Ben steps forward and clasps her shoulder. “Extra lasagna for this one.”
I reach for Nora, tugging her gently into my side. So far, everyone in the house has gotten a turn to touch her but me—and I’m done waiting.
“Greg, Jackie, when do you leave for Arizona?” Randy asks.
“Next week,” Dad answers. “Mom’s already made a list of everything we need to see.”
“It’s not set in stone,” Mom adds quickly. “I just don’t want to forget anything.”
“I’ve heard the Grand Canyon is breathtaking,” Nora says.
Mom lights up. “See? That’s number two on the list.” Then she turns to Nora. “Have you been?”
Nora shakes her head. “I haven’t. I don’t get much time to travel, but I love visiting new places. Meeting new people.” She glances at me. “What about you? Do you travel a lot?”
“Only for work. I’m not big on the unknown.”
“You don’t step out of your comfort zone?”
“I want to.” I shrug. “Hence the whole putting-myself-out-there-to-date thing.” She nods, letting it go. “Want a drink?”
“That would be great.” She flashes me a grin. “Lead the way, boyfriend.”
I take her hand, threading our fingers together just like we practiced, only now it feels easy.
When the food’s ready, we all gather around the kitchen table. Nora drops into the chair beside me without hesitation. Our knees bump, and she smiles before launching into an enthusiastic explanation of how Mallory’s ranch seasoning on the fries is life changing.
After clearing the plates, Mallory pulls a deck of cards from a drawer. “I don’t have any fun games like Melanie, but surely we can do something with cards.” She turns her attention to Nora. “Guest of honor picks the game.”
Nora glances at me, twisting her hands together. “I’m not sure. I didn’t play a lot of card games growing up.”
“How about BS?” I suggest.
“What’s BS?” Nora asks.
“Technically, it’s called bullshit,” Melanie says, “but Miles insists on calling it BS, and we humor him.” Her gaze snaps to me. “Of course you’d pick that one—you always win.”
“It’s true. I’m the reigning BS champion.”
“A chance to beat Miles? I’m in.” Nora sits up straighter in her chair.
I give her a quick rundown of the rules. “And if you think someone’s lying, you call BS.”
“Why BS,” she asks, eyebrows lifting, “when the name of the game is bullshit?”
“You can call it that. Or you can say BS.”
“But what’s it actually called?”
“Bullshit.”
Nora mock-gasps, then grins. “You swore.”
“No,” I say. “It’s the name of the game.”
Mallory points the deck of cards at me. “I think that’s the first time I’ve ever heard him say the full name.” Everyone around the table nods in agreement.
Nora turns to me, curious now. “So why don’t you swear?”
“I prefer a more articulate vocabulary.”
“So it’s not a religious thing or anything?”
“No. I just think there’s rarely an appropriate time for that kind of language.”
She smiles slowly. “Unless we’re playing this card game. What’s it called again?”
“Bullshit.”
“I’m going to like this,” she says, rubbing her hands together.
Melanie leans toward Nora. “Fair warning, Miles is the human lie detector of this family. He wins every time.”
“That’s not—” I start.
“It is,” she insists, pointing an accusing finger at me. “He always knows when people are bluffing, something about micro-expressions, tone shifts, or whatever. Honestly, instead of flying drones, he should’ve joined the FBI.”
From beside me, Nora turns her head slowly, the corner of her mouth lifting. “Is that so?”
My throat goes dry. “I mean… I notice things.”
She hums. “Interesting. Good thing I have an expert poker face.”
Melanie grins. “If anyone can take him down, it has to be his girlfriend.” She deals the cards. Nora tilts her cards away from me immediately, smirking as if she’s already plotting my downfall.
The first round passes with everyone playing it safe. Then it circles back to Ben. He drops two cards into the middle. “Two aces.”
Randy squints at him. “You don’t have two aces.”
Ben leans back. “Prove it.”
Melanie laughs. “Bullshit?”
Ben glares at his wife. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”
Melanie flips the pile, revealing a four and a seven. Everyone around the table erupts into laughter.
Ben sighs dramatically and scoops up the pile. “My wife hates me.”
Melanie blows him a kiss from across the table.
Nora leans in close, whispering, “I’m having so much fun. Your family is a hoot.”
A soft warmth settles deep inside me. “Don’t tell them that,” I whisper back.
The round continues until it’s Melanie’s turn. She drops her cards on the pile. “Two twos.”
I glance at her face—the tiniest twitch of her lips gives her away. “Bullshit.”
She gasps. “Are you bullshitting me right now?”
“Yes. I absolutely am.”
She groans and collects the pile. “See? He reads people. It’s creepy.”
On Mallory’s turn, she lays down her cards. “Three eights.”
Randy immediately points. “Bullshit.”
Mallory flips them—three eights. Randy curses under his breath while everyone laughs.
Then on Nora’s turn, she sets down a card. “One four.”
Melanie points at the pile. “Bullshit.”
Nora smiles and flips the card. It’s a four.
Melanie stares at her like she’s been betrayed. “No fair. You two,” she points at me and Nora, “are sharing a brain or something.”
The room fills with laughter.
Randy drops two cards into the pile with too much confidence. “Two jacks.”
“Bullshit,” I mutter.
Randy leans back. “Are you sure?”
“Yep.”
“Dammit.” Randy reaches for the pile and flips over the cards. A four and a seven.
“Too easy.” I smirk.
Randy laughs and pulls the entire pile toward himself. Just as Ben lays down his cards, Nora’s hand slides onto my thigh beneath the table.
My brain immediately forgets numbers. And rules. And what month it is.
“Two kings,” Ben says.
Nora’s thumb traces the smallest circle on my leg, destroying my ability to function.
“Bull—” I start.
Mallory leans forward. “What was that?”
“…Bullshit?” I finish, with absolutely zero confidence.
Ben flips his cards. A king and a seven. “He has to have some kind of superpower. X-ray vision. Maybe it’s the glasses.”
The round moves on, everyone playing it safe with one or two cards. When it’s my turn, I stare down at the three cards in my hand. I could easily play all of them and win on a lie. Nora’s thumb makes another slow circle, and all rational thoughts exits my body. “Three fours.”
Nora turns to me, eyes bright. “Bullshit.”
I flip the cards. Two fours and a queen.
The table erupts in cheers as I drag the pile toward me. I should have played it safe.
“I’ve never seen Miles pick up that big of a stack,” Mallory laughs. “Nora might be his kryptonite.”
Nora and Melanie take their turns, followed by Ben, who slaps his cards down. “Two sixes.”
I should be paying attention. I want to pay attention. But Nora shifts closer, her knee brushing mine beneath the table, and my brain promptly turns into a screensaver. A hush settles over the group. I open my mouth to call bullshit—and absolutely nothing comes out.
Nora tilts her head, her hand inching higher on my thigh. “You okay?”
I blink hard. “Yes. Totally.”
Her hand presses in just enough to remind me she’s winning whatever game she’s playing.
I point at Ben with confidence I don’t feel. “Bullshit.”
Ben’s eyes go wide. “Yes!”
He flips the cards. Two actual sixes.
Melanie scream-laughs. “He’s human!”
“We got him twice!” Randy howls.
Heat floods my face. “I’m off my game today.”
Nora leans in close, voice soft and wicked. “Aw. Did I break your superpower?”
I glare at her, but it has no bite because she looks delighted with herself. “You sabotaged me.”
Nora sits back, very composed. “I have no idea what you mean.”
By the end of the game, Nora is declared the winner, and I’m left holding a humiliating pile of cards. For once, my family is thrilled that someone else took me down. After another game and Ben taking the win, the evening turns to night, and we say our goodbyes.
“Thanks for inviting me over. I had a lot of fun.” We step out into the cool night air in front of Nora’s apartment.
“Thanks for saving me,” I reply. “Again.”
She smiles. “That’s what fake girlfriends do. Plus, I was thoroughly entertained by you swearing. It was kind of sexy.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Because you never do it. It gave you a bad-boy vibe.”
I huff a laugh as we walk up the path to her apartment. “Is that what you like? The bad boy?”
“I like confidence. With a little dirty talk sprinkled in.” She grins. “Also, I didn’t realize how competitive your family is with games. They were thrilled that I beat you.”
I shake my head. “You only won because you distracted me.”
“Sometimes you have to play dirty.”
After entering the building, we stroll down a short hallway until we stop at her door. She shifts her weight, suddenly closer. “I should probably head inside. I want to stop by my mom’s house in the morning.”
“Okay,” I say. “Tell her I say hi.”
“I will.”
She rises onto her toes and presses a quick kiss to my cheek. “I’ll talk to you later.”
I nod, watching as she unlocks the door and slips inside before it clicks shut behind her. I blow out a deep breath. Too bad none of this is real.