She got away from the table as quickly as possible, gaining some much-needed distance. People often questioned her diet. She lived in a farming town, so she was used to it. But having her diet, her hometown, and her cooking abilities all called into question within an hour was a new experience. Frankly, keeping a straight spine in the face of their animosity was exhausting her.

Once in the ladies’ room, she studied herself in the mirror. Her face appeared pale behind a layer of foundation, washed out. She reapplied lipstick, dotted some color onto her checks, and twisted her lips into a smile.

“You can do this,” she said. “You’re a strong woman.”

Great. Now she sounded like one of her mother’s self-affirmation DVDs. She gave herself two thumbs up before heading back to the table. When she was a few feet away, she heard her name and hesitated. No one had noticed her, so she edged toward the wall, trying to blend in, and listened intently.

“Aria is a charming girl,” Victoria was saying. “So provincial. It’s sweet of you to bond with the locals, Elijah.”

“That’s not—”

“She cooks some hearty meals, does she? She certainly keeps herself full-figured.”

Aria gasped. Then she looked down at herself. Sure, her hips were wide, her butt prominent and her boobs more than a handful, but she exercised regularly, and she was in good shape. For god’s sake, she was pregnant. Shouldn’t they cut her a bit of slack?

A flush crept up her neck. Victoria, slender as a stick, clearly thought all women were meant to be that way. At that moment, a waitress stepped too close and Aria tripped over her feet, drawing the attention of everyone seated at the table. Teri covered her mouth in horror, and Eli’s expression was stony— perhaps he was angry; it was difficult to tell—but no one else seemed concerned. She was torn between pretending she didn’t care and stomping away. Leaving would be far more satisfying, but it would also be childish, and she didn’t have anywhere to go.

Instead of running, she took her seat, flashed a big smile at Victoria Burns, and said, “I am a great cook, and I do have a full figure. I rather like it. I’m not a size six, but so what? Different strokes for different folks.” She enjoyed the astonishment that flickered across Victoria’s face. Aria didn’t like conflict, but she wasn’t a doormat, and she wasn’t about to be treated like one.

Victoria tilted her head and plastered on a phony smile. “So true.”

Teri giggled, and her hands shook. Luckily, before further words could be spoken, the main meal arrived. Ham, with a side portion of potatoes and a green salad. Thank-freaking-god. Aria was starving.