Page 127 of Say Yes to the Death

“Me too! We have so much in common. Did you see the other gift?” Tanya asked in the same manner that someone would have asked what their wildest hopes and dreams were.

Claire reached into the bag again and pulled out a bag full of tiny glass bottles and a diffuser. “Oh, a diffuser. Thank you.”

“It will change your life,” Tanya said earnestly. “I used to have crippling migraines and an awful immune system. I started using these oils and I feel twenty years younger. If you like these, there are dozens more. My friend from ceramics class?—”

Jack put a hand on Tanya’s shoulder, and she stopped.

“Tanya, we talked about the oil thing,” he hissed through gritted teeth.

“I know, I just thought after all the poor girl’s been through, she could use some relief,” Tanya said.

“Great. I’ll just set this over here.” Claire slunk further into her living room and placed the bottle on her coffee table. She sneezed immediately, overwhelmed by the smell of star anise.

The doorbell rang again, and Claire almost sprinted to it. The door swung open, revealing Luke dressed in a navy button-down with the sleeves rolled up.

“Luke,” she said in relief. Butterflies swarmed in her stomach.

He stepped over her threshold, smiling and holding two bottles of wine. He stepped forward and kissed her on the cheek.

“Come in,” she said, backing away to let him enter. “Dinner will be ready in a couple of minutes.”

The secret of George perched on her tongue, but she swallowed it. He should be here any minute. Luke would know soon enough.

Rosie, who had been dancing on two legs trying to get Jack to pet her, sprinted for Luke and nearly took him out at the knees.

“Jack, this is Luke.” Claire nudged him toward her father. If she had to deal with the awkwardness, so did he.

“Nice to meet you, Special Agent Hartley,” Luke said, giving what looked to be a firm handshake.

Jack seemed to be sizing him up. Luke flexed his fingers when the handshake broke.

“Something smells good,” Luke said, turning back to Claire.

“Lasagna.” She gestured at the oven.

“Sounds great. Anything I can do to help? I see you already set the table.” He scanned the place settings. “Are we expecting someone else?”

As if he had summoned it, there was a knock at the door.

“There might be one teensy surprise,” Claire said. Her heart rate quickened. Maybe this had been a bad idea. Luke was making an effort, and she was intentionally pulling the wool over his eyes.

She opened the front door and stepped back.

A man strode into her apartment. “You must be Claire. George Islestorm, attorney at law,” the man said, putting a very confident hand forward.

So, he had taken after his mother. This was true in more ways than one. In addition to Rachel’s steely, commanding demeanor, George also had her fierce cheekbones. Although Luke had clearly inherited more traits from his dad, there was no denying they were brothers. Their movements were the same, the “nice to meet you” fake smile was the same. George was an inch or two shorter than Luke, and his sandy blond hair was carefully molded into place.

“Hey, man,” George said, crossing into the dining room and sticking a hand out to Luke. “It’s been a while.”

Oh, boy. A vein stuck out in Luke’s forehead. He opened his mouth to speak, but only a strangled sound came out. His hands turned into fists at his side.

Luke had never acted like this before. Not when she was bleeding out on the ground in front of him, not when strangers had broken into his house. Bamboozling him with George’s presence may have been a mistake. He hadn’t seen him since their father’s funeral, after all. Blinded by her rage, she may have gone too far in her quest for revenge.

George’s permasmile faltered, and he pulled his hand back to his side.

“Jack, this is Luke’s brother, George,” Claire redirected. Jack reached over and shook George’s hand. “George, this is my biological father, Special Agent Jack Hartley.”

“George Islestorm, attorney at law,” George parroted, administering another bone-crushing handshake. “FBI, CIA, or something in between, Jack?”

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