The Swede

by Maureen Smith

  Rikard came over to say hello, raking his windswept hair away from his face. “What’re you guys doing today? Is Viggo taking you sightseeing?”

  “Tomorrow.” Scarlett smiled. “I’m going with him to visit some children at the hospital this afternoon.”

  Her heart had turned to mush when she found out that Viggo visited terminally ill children every time he came home. He brought them gifts, read to them, played games and signed autographs. According to his mom, the children idolized him and always looked forward to his visits. His big heart just made Scarlett love him even more.

  Rikard stood beside her, leaning forward with his elbows resting on the island counter. “Maybe I’ll tag along with you guys when you go sightseeing tomorrow.”

  Viggo snorted. “I don’t think so.”

  Rikard laughed and winked at Scarlett before walking away to get some coffee. The man filled out a pair of jeans as well as Viggo did. Wow.

  “Okay, everyone,” Hedda cheerfully announced. “Time to eat!”

  The kitchen flowed into a spacious dining room with white paneled walls and an oak table that was long enough to seat twelve. A beautiful crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, and a series of French doors overlooked the water.

  Viggo pulled out a chair for Scarlett and then sat next to her.

  Rikard sat on the other side of her, earning a dark glance from Viggo. He clearly enjoyed messing with his brother, though Scarlett knew it was just harmless fun.

  Their parents sat at opposite ends while everyone else took their places around the table.

  Scarlett surveyed the platters of food that had been brought out from the kitchen. They were having a traditional Swedish breakfast that included hot porridge topped with fresh berries, hard-boiled eggs and open-faced sandwiches. The sandwiches consisted of a dark bread topped with butter, cheese, smoked ham and cucumber. There was also something called knäckebröd, also known as crispbread. It looked like a big cracker and was garnished with caviar that came in a blue tube labeled Kalles Kaviar.

  Viggo explained things to Scarlett while his mother graciously fixed her a plate. Once the meal was under way, the first thing she sampled was the cinnamon bun. The gooey center was dark and rich with cardamom spice, tingling over her palate and making her mouth water.

  Everyone was watching for her reaction.

  “Yum,” she breathed. “That is delicious.”

  Freya beamed with pleasure. “I’m so glad you like it.”

  “I love it.” Scarlett took another bite and sighed blissfully, sending warm laughter around the table. Viggo had already scarfed down half his cinnamon bun and was eyeballing another.

  Ludvig smiled at Scarlett. “We all enjoyed your national anthem performance at Viggo’s game. You have quite a gift.”

  Scarlett blushed as the others murmured agreement. “Thank you, Dr. Sandström,” she said shyly. “I appreciate your kind words.”

  He smiled, stirring his porridge. “I understand you graduated from a prestigious music school.”

  “Yes. Berklee College of Music.”

  “That must have been a wonderful experience,” Hedda said warmly.

  “It was,” Scarlett confirmed, smiling. “I got to participate in several performances every year, and I belonged to a student organization that provided hands-on experience managing record labels and concert venues.”

  Ludvig smiled at her. “Sounds like your time there really prepared you for becoming a professional musician.”

  “Oh, absolutely. It was great.”

  Ludvig and Hedda exchanged pleased glances.

  Svea grinned, smearing caviar on her crispbread. “Your bandmates are hot.”

  “So hot,” Freya and Astrid giggled.

  Scarlett grinned. “I’ll tell them you said so.”

  This set off more giggles.

  Viggo and Rikard rolled their eyes at each other.

  “Berklee’s in Boston, right?” Leif asked, redirecting the conversation. “You and Reid both went to college in Boston.”

  “We did, but not at the same time. He graduated four years ahead of me.” Scarlett grinned. “I used to watch his Boston College games, and I always rooted for him in the Frozen Four. When he got drafted by the Rebels, my whole family celebrated like we’d just won the Stanley Cup.” She paused. “Well, except Nadia. She didn’t watch hockey, so she didn’t understand what all the fuss was about. She was like ‘Reid who?’”

  Everyone laughed.

  “And now she’s engaged to him,” Freya marveled. “How ironic.”

  “I know. I tease her all the time.” Scarlett grinned broadly. “Of course, we also went crazy when the Rebels called Viggo’s name. We couldn’t believe we’d been lucky enough to get both him and Reid. That was the best draft ever.”

  Warm chuckles swept around the table.

  Viggo put his hand over hers briefly, his eyes twinkling with appreciation. She could tell he was pleased at how well she was getting along with his family. She was feeling pretty relieved herself.

  Astrid grinned sourly at her. “Speaking of your cousin, I’m not too happy with her.”

  Scarlett widened her eyes. “Why? What’d Nadia do?”

  “She stole my future husband. I was supposed to marry Reid.”

  Viggo snorted. “Over my dead body.”

  Everyone laughed.

  Leif grinned at Astrid. “Do you plan to boycott their wedding?”

  She gave a haughty sniff. “I haven’t decided.”

  As more laughter swept around the table, Astrid grinned and bit into her sandwich.

  Freya sighed dramatically. “My heart still belongs to Hunter.”

  “Good,” Svea said, “because Logan’s mine.”

  Viggo shook his head. “Again. Over my dead body.”

  As exclamations of protest erupted from his sisters, he chuckled and sipped his coffee. “Whine all you want. I’m not letting my teammates date my sisters. End of story.”

  This set off more grumbles.

  “You seem to forget that we’re grown women,” Freya said archly. “You can’t stop us from dating whomever we want.”

  “Maybe not,” Viggo conceded. “But Hunter and Logan won’t go anywhere near you. They know better.”

  More pouting occurred.

  “Sorry, ladies. The man has spoken.” Rikard turned to grin at Scarlett. “So you don’t have any sisters?”

  “I don’t,” she said with a regretful grin. “I’m sorry.”

  “So am I.” He winked at her.

  Pretending to stretch, Viggo reached behind Scarlett’s chair and smacked the back of Rikard’s head.

  The table erupted in laughter.

  Hedda smiled, shaking her head at Viggo. “I know your old friends are eager to catch up with you. Will you have an opportunity to see them after you visit the children at the hospital?”

  Viggo nodded. “Scarlett and I are having dinner with all of them tonight.” He grinned at her. “I told them to bring their girlfriends so you won’t feel outnumbered, even though you’re used to being one of the boys.”

  She returned his grin. “I look forward to meeting them. Maybe they’ll have some embarrassing stories to share.”

  He laughed. “They’d better not.”

  “Anders just got engaged, didn’t he?” Hedda asked casually.

  Viggo smiled. “He did.”

  “His parents must be so happy.”

  “I assume they are.”

  Hedda sighed, lifting her coffee cup to her mouth. “All I know is that your father and I aren’t getting any younger.”

  Amused looks went around the table.

  “Is that some sort of hint, Mamma?” Freya teased.

  “If it is,” Leif drawled humorously, “it’s not very subtle.”

  Astrid grinned. “And there are only two people at this table who are currently in a position to give you what you want.”

  As all eyes turned to Viggo and Scarlett, her cheeks heated up with
embarrassment.

  Hedda reached over and squeezed Viggo’s hand, her eyes twinkling with amused warmth. “Vi vill ha barnbarn, okej? Låt oss inte vänta lange.”

  Whatever she’d said made him blush faintly and smile down at his plate.

  The heat in Scarlett’s cheeks amplified, because she knew his mother’s comment had something to do with her.

  Hedda and Ludvig shared a conspiratorial smile across the table.

  Yeppers. Definitely some parental plotting going on.

  Hedda smiled at Scarlett. “Rikard says you’re coming back this summer for a music festival. You’ll have to join us at our summer cottage on Värmdö. We go every year, and we always have such a wonderful time swimming, sailing, cycling, picking berries and just enjoying the fresh air. You must come.”

  The invitation warmed Scarlett from the inside out. “I would love to join you all. Thank you, Mrs. Sandström.”

  She beamed with satisfaction.

  Ludvig grinned broadly. “If the Rebels win the Stanley Cup, that will make our vacation even more enjoyable.”

  A chorus of agreements went around the table.

  Astrid looked at Viggo. “All the players from the winning team get to spend a day with the Cup, right?”

  “Ja.” He grinned.

  Freya’s face lit up with excitement. “When Viggo brings home the Cup, we’ll have a big barbecue at the summer cottage and invite all of our family and friends.”

  “What a wonderful idea,” Hedda enthused.

  Scarlett was excited, too. About winning the Cup. About spending more time with Viggo’s family. About everything.

  Rikard grinned mischievously. “All I’m looking forward to is drinking beer out of that Cup.”

  Everyone laughed.

  As the meal wound down, Hedda smiled around the table. “This has been absolutely delightful. But your father and Leif have to get to work, and I should head back to the hospital to check on Farfar.”

  Freya soothingly rubbed her mother’s back. “You and Pappa were there past visiting hours last night. You need to get some rest.”

  “I also suggest retail therapy,” Astrid piped up. “Freya and I have the day off, so let’s make the most of it and take Scarlett shopping. It’ll give us a chance to get better acquainted.”

  Hedda looked tempted. “That sounds lovely, but someone should be there in case your grandfather wakes up again.”

  “His sister is on her way to the hospital as we speak,” Freya pointed out. “And you know others will be stopping by throughout the day. Let’s go shopping and have some lunch. When we’re done, we can go back to the hospital and spend time with Farfar.”

  When Hedda wavered, Viggo reached over and gently covered her hand with his. “They’re right, Mamma. You need to take a break and try to relax.” He winked. “As my contribution to the cause, the shopping trip’s on me.”

  Freya beamed and clapped her hands together. “That settles it! We’re going shopping!”

  * * *

  An hour later, bundled up in their fashionable coats and scarves, the women headed out in Hedda’s Volvo with Freya behind the wheel.

  Scarlett felt like a little kid as she stared excitedly out the window. She could definitely see why Stockholm was called the “Venice of the North.” With so many beautiful bridges stretched across a maze of glittering waterways, Sweden’s capital was every bit as stunning as she remembered.

  Their destination was the affluent district of Östermalm. It was gorgeous with tree-lined boulevards, luxurious apartments, grand waterfront hotels and upscale boutiques.

  High-end shopping wasn’t really Scarlett’s thing. She much preferred Södermalm, Stockholm’s mecca of secondhand shops and vintage emporiums. She’d thoroughly enjoyed trekking around Södermalm during her previous visit. It had a cool, eclectic, Brooklyn-esque vibe and lacked the elitism of Östermalm. But she wasn’t about to offend Viggo’s womenfolk by suggesting that they shop somewhere else. Besides, she was there to bond with them, so nothing else mattered.

  She kept that in mind as they strolled down Birger Jarlsgatan, a posh street lined with high-end shops and boutiques. They spent a good deal of time inside the flagship stores for Prada, Gucci and Louis Vuitton. The Sandström women clearly loved to shop, and everything they tried on made them look flawlessly stylish. Scarlett didn’t need any new clothes, and she wasn’t too keen on spending Viggo’s money. But again, she didn’t want to be a total buzzkill, so she let his mother and sisters talk her into getting several designer outfits and shoes. At least half would be given to Nadia when she got back home.

  Even though it was cold and gray, the chic streets were teeming with fashionably dressed Swedes. Black clothing seemed to be the top color of choice.

  Scarlett enjoyed people watching as they wandered over to the bustling square of Stureplan, which boasted some of the country’s most expensive restaurants, bars and nightclubs. It was a popular playground for celebrities, models, successful young executives and the younger members of the Swedish Royal Family.

  As they were strolling around, Svea was stopped numerous times by people raving about her Sports Illustrated cover. She smiled modestly, signed autographs and posed for pictures. She also ran into several of her friends, male and female, all of them beautiful and glamorous. She always introduced Scarlett as her brother’s “rock star” girlfriend, which was nice and embarrassing at the same time.

  When they finished shopping, they wandered through Östermalms Saluhall, an amazing indoor market that sold all sorts of gourmet delicacies, seafood, pastries and chocolate. In addition to food stalls, there were several restaurants that offered traditional Swedish and international cuisine. The place was like nothing Scarlett had ever seen before, and she considered herself pretty well traveled.

  Seating was limited, so they left the sprawling food hall and went to eat at a trendy café that supposedly served the best chanterelle mushroom soup.

  Over lunch they talked, laughed and sipped good wine. Viggo’s mother and sisters asked Scarlett loads of questions about herself and her family. Freya and Astrid talked about their jobs and the cozy little apartment they shared in Stockholm. Svea regaled them with funny anecdotes about the modeling industry. Hedda spoke about her modest upbringing and recounted the romantic tale of how she and Viggo’s father met. She had everyone enthralled, hanging on her every word and exhaling dreamy sighs. Even though her daughters had heard the story many times before, they still learned something new.

  “I want that kind of love,” Astrid fervently declared. “A love that’s timeless and powerful. A love that leaves no room for doubt that you were meant for each other. I want that for myself and I won’t settle for anything less.”

  “Nor should you.” Hedda had a glowing smile on her face. “Your brother has found that kind of love with Scarlett, and I couldn’t be happier for them.”

  The others earnestly agreed.

  Scarlett was blushing and smiling. “I love Viggo so much. He means everything to me.”

  His mother and sisters looked like they were going to cry.

  Hedda reached across the table and gently squeezed her forearm. “I’m so glad you and my son found each other.”

  Scarlett’s smile softened. “Me, too.”

  Freya raised her wineglass, her eyes misted with tears. “To fate and timeless love.”

  They clinked glasses and shared a warm laugh.

  At one point during lunch, two young hipsters approached Scarlett for her autograph, gushing excitedly about how much they loved Off The Grid and couldn’t wait for their new album. It was totally unexpected and pretty freaking cool.

  As Scarlett took a selfie with her fans, Viggo’s mother and sisters looked downright impressed.

  “Does that happen often?” Astrid asked when the hipsters left.

  “Almost never,” Scarlett admitted with a laugh. “But we have a bigger fan base in Europe, so it’s more likely to happen over here than back home.”
r />   Svea grinned. “I’m gonna love having a rock star in the family.”

  Everyone laughed and drank more wine before resuming their conversation.

  The afternoon flew by. Since it was the end of February, Stockholm was starting to enjoy longer hours of daylight. So it wasn’t entirely dark outside when they left the café.

  On the way to the car, Hedda received a call. After a brief conversation, she hung up and carefully put her phone in her purse.

  “What is it?” Freya asked anxiously.

  “Farfar is awake.” Hedda looked at Scarlett. “He’s asking to see you.”

  Scarlett was surprised. “Me?”

  Hedda nodded. “He’s insisting.”

  Scarlett didn’t know what to say or think. As Rikard’s warning flashed through her mind, she wondered if his grandfather was summoning her to the hospital so he could insult her and tell her she wasn’t good enough for Viggo. The thought angered her.

  She was tempted to call Viggo, but she didn’t want to bother him while he was running errands and hanging out with Rikard. So she just climbed into the backseat of his mother’s car and braced herself for whatever was coming.

  When they arrived at the hospital, Hedda told her daughters to stay in the waiting room while she escorted Scarlett to their grandfather’s room.

  He was alone, lying very still on the bed with his face turned toward the window as he stared outside. The room was filled with so many floral arrangements, it looked like a funeral parlor.

  When Hedda greeted him fondly in Swedish, he turned his head to look at her, then at Scarlett. It was startling to see how strongly Viggo resembled his grandfather. Even knocking on death’s door, the old man was astonishingly handsome.

  There had to be an unattractive person hiding somewhere in this family. Scarlett was sure of it.

  She hovered at the door as Hedda crossed to the bed and kissed her father-in-law’s cheek. He gave her a weak smile as she straightened the pillow behind his head, speaking softly to him in Swedish.

  Then she turned to smile at Scarlett. “Pappa, this is Viggo’s girlfriend, Scarlett Warner. Scarlett, this is Viggo’s grandfather Olof Sandström.”

  “Hello, Mr. Sandström,” Scarlett said politely.