Note: This would not exist if not for lacrevette35. In her review of Promise she wondered if Steve would have the nerve to answer this particular question. A flustered Steve popped into my head and the following transpired. Thanks very much, my dear, for your wonderfully enthusiastic support – this is for you!
The Question (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)
Steve relaxed in his chair at the Rollins' dinner table. He smiled at Grandma Ang who was seated across from him.
"That was really good," he said sincerely.
Elizabeth Rollins laughed from her place beside her mother. "It must have been! That was your second bowl."
Steve shrugged with a smile and said, "What can I say? Can't have too much of a good thing. I'm considering a third."
"So?" Catherine asked.
Steve turned to look at her seated next to him. "Hmm?"
"Which was better?"
"What?" he asked, confused.
"The ragù." She nodded at his bowl. "You've had Grandma Ang's now. You can make your 'accurate comparison,' " she continued, over-enunciating his words from the airport.
Steve started to chuckle but then realized no one else at the table was laughing.
"Wait, are you serious?" he asked her.
Catherine raised her eyebrows as she waited for his response.
He shook his head, incredulous. "You don't actually want me to . . ." his voice faded as he realized that all four of the others had stopped eating and were looking at him with nearly identical expectant faces.
At the head of the table, Captain Joseph Rollins put his fork down and straightened in his seat. "Well, Commander?" he asked, straight-faced and serious.
Steve paused for a long time, his eyes darting from one person to another. "Um, well . . . that is, Cath's, um, she puts uh . . ." he swallowed with difficulty, "and this was . . . I like the . . ." he motioned at the bowl desperately. "Cath uses . . . nutmeg, right? I, I like that . . . but this has . . . it has uh, a really good . . . um–"
"Oh, Catherine, let the poor boy off the hook." Ang finally said, looking at her granddaughter with a mischievous glint in her eye.
Steve turned to Catherine whose grin had grown to Cheshire proportions. He exhaled in equal parts relief and exasperation. She started laughing, as did the rest of her family.
Steve nodded. "That's, that's very nice."
"Ohhhh," Catherine said soothingly and rubbed his arm in a placating gesture, though she was still laughing.
"Yeah, that's just great, you, you had me going there," he said as he glanced around the table. "All of you. I should know, by now–"
"You really should," Catherine agreed, smirking at him.
As the others resumed their conversation, Steve leaned toward Catherine and wiped his mouth with his napkin, whispering, "Oh, you are gonna pay for that, Lieutenant."
"Shakin' in my boots, Commander," she whispered back. "I'm a little disappointed, actually."
He quirked his eyebrows.
"You didn't answer the question," she said.
"And I never will."
Just a short one, but I hope you enjoyed!