She's cute around him

She would ask him to go ahead whenever they started talking at the same time. And whenever they walked, Max noticed that Alina either trailed behind or walked beside Steve. She didn't seem to want to overtake him, it was like she enjoyed slowing down whenever he was around.

"How are both of you today?" Steve's voice brought Max back to the present. He smiled and draped a hand over Alex's shoulder before replying, "We're good. Just finished breakfast." "Which tasted heavenly, if I may say so." Alex chimed in, to which Alina rolled her eyes and said, "I have no idea why you're still flattering me Alex, but it's getting kind of repetitive."

"So I will have to think of new ways to flatter you? Hmm . . . " Alex muttered which led to Max chocking back a laugh due to Alina's expression. But the scary expression vanished the next second when Steve spoke up. "I don't think he's flattering you Alina. Your cooking does taste very good. I, for one have never eaten better."

Though Alina rolled her eyes upon hearing this, but she looked quite pleased nonetheless.

After a bit of small talk, Steve looked at Alina. "Say Alina, are you free right now?" he asked. Alina blinked in confusion and looked at him. "I was just going to clean up breakfast and work in the fields. Why?" she replied. "No reason." Steve said, "Just wondering if maybe you would like to go for a walk?"

"A walk?" Alina repeated, turning to look at Max. Even though she had said she was going to work in the fields, the truth was that she had shooting practice with Max in one hour. Alina was about to deny and say that she would talk to him after dinner when Max cut in. "That's wonderful!! I think a walk will do you much good, sis-in-law." he said. He had taken to calling Alina sis-in-law since last night, and Alina wasn't sure she hated the name.

"But . . . " Alina began, and this time it was Alex who spoke up. "Just go Alina! The fields can wait a couple of hours, and Max will do the dishes. GO!!" he said. Alina looked at the two men, and her face broke into a smile when they nodded.

"I'll be back quickly." she said as she almost rushed towards her coat, making the three in the living room chuckle.

"She's cute when she's around him." Alex said as he watched the door close behind Steve and Alina. "Kind of like you when you're around me." Max replied with a chuckle, ruffling Alex's hairs. "Hmm? . . . Wait! . . . You don't . . . she doesn't - you . . . " Alex let out a string of coherent sentences as he tried to decipher what Max meant by that.

Max shook his head with a sigh. "How can you be so dense and blind." he said, getting up and walking towards the kitchen.

Outside the house, Steve and Alina walked for some time without talking. "My dad wanted you to come over?" Steve said suddenly, making Alina look up at him surprised. "Uncle? Why?" she asked.

Steve shook his head. "Okay that came out all wrong." he said, "He wants you Alex and Max to come to our house for dinner sometime. There. That was better."