so much as taken a sip, as far as Delaney could tell. “Though he cheered up quick enough when he had my cash.” Then she glanced over Rake’s shoulder. “And speaking of big dark eyes…”
He turned and saw Elena approaching while leading Lillith by the hand. Who promptly lit up and ran the rest of the way to the table. “Hi, Grandma!”
Rake felt the muscles in his jaw give up as his mouth fell open. “Lillith, you know who this is?”
“Sure! Why, do you need an introduction? This is Nonna Tarbell, my paternal great-grandmother.” She stepped into the nuclear option’s welcoming hug. Then, to Rake: “But I bet you don’t know who this is.”
“Hey, guys, how’s it goin’?”
“Elena? Why do you sound like you’re from Massachusetts?”
“It’s Ellen, actually. And I’m from Andovuh.* Figured we were lettin’ all the cats outta all the bags, time to drop the accent. Well. That accent, anyways.”
“What is happening?” Rake wailed. “Do you all have deep dark secrets and/or multiple identities?”
“Yeah,” Delaney admitted.
“Pretty much.” Elena—sorry, Ellen—shrugged.
“How do you know my grandmother? Lillith, when did you guys meet?”
“Just a few days ago.”
“But it’s only been a few … oh, hell. The Fedex office.”
“Well…”
Forty-five
Thank goodness, Lillith thought as she entered the ladies’ room. She liked Delaney, and Rake seemed nice (if deeply confused), but she hated peeing when she knew people could hear it. Even strangers. Side effect of being an only child, maybe?
And speaking of strangers, an old, pretty lady was standing beside the sinks
(not washing her hands, not checking makeup, not on her phone, standing straight, facing the door)
waiting for someone.
She was pale and chubby, with silver-streaked brownish blond hair pulled back and pinned in place. She was wearing light blue pants, a white blouse, black tennis shoes, a black cardigan, and she had a black purse the size of a pillow slung over one shoulder.
When she spoke, her voice was warm and welcoming. “Buongiorno, darling.”
“Ciao, signora,” Lillith replied, smoothing her slightly too-small shirt over her belly and standing straighter. “Come va?”
“Just fine.”
“Posso aiutarti con qualcosa?”
“I’m sorry, dear, but you just heard the extent of my Italian. I’m much better in French.”
“Oh. Puis-je vous aider avec quelque chose?”
The woman’s smile brightened. “You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you, sweetheart? Did you know that we have a friend in common? Her name’s Delaney. I wanted to meet you and asked her to arrange it. I’m so happy to see you.”
“Oh.” Lillith studied the woman’s elegant clothing and nonthreatening mien. “That makes you Rake’s mother or grandmother. If you don’t mind, when’s your birthday?”
The woman blinked, then replied, “Nineteen fifty-seven.”
“Grandmother, then.” She held out her hand and answered the unspoken question. “You and Rake have the exact same eye shape and color. It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Tarbell.”
“Thank you, darling. Lovely to meet you, too. And I can’t tell you how happy I am that you’ve joined our family.”
“Have I?”
“Oh yes.”
“Then … can I tell you something?”
“Anything.”
So she did.
Forty-six
“I get that you’re a pack of duplicitous sociopaths, but did you have to drag the good people at FedEx into it?”
“Don’t whine, Rake dear. It’s unbecoming.”
“I’ll whine anytime I like,” he whined. To Lillith: “She’s a horrible human being. Never say I didn’t warn you.”
“You’re just mad because you don’t know what’s going on.”
“You’re right, Lillith,” he admitted. “That’s exactly why I’m mad.”
The waiter chose that moment to check on them, and Lillith chatted with him in Italian while Mrs. Tarbell visibly puffed up with pride. “Isn’t she brilliant? I can’t wait for her to meet the rest of the family.”
“Take it easy. She’s been through a lot.”
“Oh, I heard.” The nuclear option lowered her voice. “Delaney told me about her mother. Are you any closer to finding out if the car accident was accidental?”
“Yes, which may or may not work out for us.” Delaney spread her hands. “It’s too soon to tell.”
“It’s always too soon to tell,” Rake pointed out. “That’s pretty much the theme of the week.”
“Got that right,” Delaney agreed. “But getting back to how you knew my employer was your grandmother…”
“Yeah, I’d like to hear that, too,” Ellen said, making herself comfortable and helping herself to Delaney’s drink. To Delaney: “We’re gonna recruit him, right? Boy’s got skills.”
“Well, Ellen-not-Elena, I’m flattered and also a smidge terrified. But getting back to my brilliance—shut up, you asked—Delaney not only kept a set of clothes in my size on hand, she also knew how my brother lost his virginity.”
From Ellen: “Ew.”
“And she knew because my grandma