Sun & Moon - a contemporary romance (The Minstrel Series #1) by Lee Strauss, Elle Strauss

verbal praises ( his father’s in German and his mother’s in English) about how great Micah looked. They obviously loved him. Maybe too much.
    They entered the kitchen area that opened up to the living room and stopped short when they spotted Katja standing there. She had her hands folded in front of her like a young girl scared of her teacher on her first day of school.
    Micah’s father was a handsome man for his age, with greying temples and the same warm, brown eyes as his son. His mother looked like Meryl Streep in, The Devil Wears Prada . She wore a high-end, fitted dress suit and four-inch stilettos, definitely brand name items. Her hair was short and blond and perfectly styled. She wore fashionable glasses, which she slowly removed as her eyes roamed from Katja’s face, down to her feet and back again.
    “Hello,” Katja said timidly.
    Frau Sturm looked at her son and said in English, “Seriously, Micah?”
    He frowned and returned in English. “Now, don’t be rude.”
    Katja took English all through school, and of course listened to a lot of English music and watched English movies. She wasn’t that comfortable speaking it, but she understood a lot.
    “Of course.” She turned back to Katja and spoke once again in German. “Who is your friend?”
    “Mama, Papa, this is Katja Stoltz.”
    Frau Sturm stepped close to Katja and offered her hand. Katja shook it, hating how her palms had suddenly grown damp. “Good day,” Frau Sturm said stiffly.
    Herr Sturm was slightly more cordial. He shook Katja’s hand and smiled, “It’s my pleasure to meet you.” Then he settled on the chair nearest the window and stared outside.
    Frau Strum continued, “So, Katja, how did you meet my son?”
    Katja’s face grew red at the memory of being picked up on the street like a common hooker. Her eyes flashed to Micah for help.
    “I saw her playing at a pub. She’s very good.”
    Frau Sturm’s eyes darted to Micah and then back to Katja. “You’re a musician?”
    “Yes,” Katja said. “And an artist.” She didn’t know why she added that. This woman just made her so nervous.
    Frau Sturm’s gaze landed on the wall behind her, to the three framed sketches. Her heels clicked along the floor as she walked over to examine them. “These are new, Micah,” she stated.
    Herr Sturm twisted to look, apparently amused by the dramatic scene playing out in front of him.
    “I thought it time to hang something up,” Micah muttered.
    “ Hmm ,” Frau Sturm hummed. She turned back to Katja. “Is this your signature?”
    Katja nodded. She waited for a commentary on the quality of her work, but Frau Sturm’s lips formed a firm line. Then she said, “What do you do for employment?”
    “Mama?” Micah said, breathing out hard. “What’s with the interrogation?”
    “What?” Frau Sturm feigned puzzlement. “I’m just trying to get to know your friend.”
    “I work at the coffee shop around the corner,” Katja blurted out. It was a lie. She didn’t work anywhere, but she didn’t want Frau Sturm to think she was an unemployed bum. She wasn’t sure why she cared what this woman thought, but she did. And she did know why. She was Micah’s mother, an important person to him, and she knew deep down she had the power to take him from her.
    Even though he wasn’t hers.
    What was the matter with her? Katja couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so flustered and so… lacking.
    Frau Sturm turned to Micah. “I must visit your restroom.”
    It was like a tornado died down when Micah’s mother disappeared behind the closed bathroom door.
    Katja stared at Micah with wide eyes and whispered, “Should I leave?”
    He shook his head sharply. “No.”
    Katja slumped into one of the chairs, feeling completely exhausted and depleted.
    Frau Sturm’s interest returned to something outside the window. “Are you planning on staying at this branch for a while, then?” he said without looking at his son.
    Micah frowned.