Page 28 of The Last Days of Lilah Goodluck

“I’ll see you and your blonde friend shortly. I’m very excited. Such a wonderful surprise, darling!”

His previous unhappiness has been doubled at least. It’s obvious in the stark line of his jaw. “I’m sorry. We’re going to have to go.”

“Of course,” I say quickly. “Does she really think you were on your way to visit, or was she just pretending so she could guilt-trip you?”

“With my mother, you never know.”

He doesn’t offer any further explanation. Just slows the car and turns at the next exit, taking us toward the beach. Lots of big, impressive homes. I doubt I can even afford to breathe the air around here. His mother was right—we were indeed only minutes from her place. Alistair’s grip on the wheel tightens with each mile while I feel smaller and more insignificant. Facing down this sort of wealth is intimidating. Multimillion-dollar properties and cars that cost more than all my worldly possessions. It just reinforces how he and I have nothing in common. Not really. Our budding friendship was probably bound to crash and burn.

We pull up outside a tall iron fence and wait for it to slowly open. A hedge guards the property from prying eyes. Spiky cabbage palmettos and olive trees with branches twisted from the harsh coastal winds line the driveway. We pass two smaller buildings and pull up behind a sprawling midcentury modern house. A five-car garage sits to the side. I think this is what they call a compound.

And the man beside me continues to be one big ball of tension. He takes off his Ray-Bans and says, “I’ll try to keep it brief. Then we can get back to our plans.”

“Sure.”

A pale woman wearing a voluminous pastel dress with her gray-tinged dark hair piled messily on top of her head emerges from the house. She is nothing less than spectacular. “Darling!” she calls.

“Hello, Mother,” Alistair says, climbing out of the car with the air of someone submitting to some sort of horrible fate.

“It’s so good to see you.” She throws her arms around him and squeezes him tight. “My beautiful little baby boy.”

Meanwhile, his expression is pure stoicism. “Brave words from someone who doesn’t even reach my chin.”

“Introduce me to your friend.”

“This is Lilah” is all he says.

I climb out of the car and give her my best non-awkward smile. “Hello, Lady Helena.”

“She’s nervous, darling. Isn’t that sweet?”

“Mmm” is all he says.

“It’s been too long since I’ve seen you.”

He scoffs. “A month at most.”

“Try three, my darling child. You’re always so busy.” She beams up at him. “But you’re here now and you’ve brought a friend. You never introduce your friends to me. Not since... Well, we won’t talk about that. But Lilah must be special indeed.”

Alistair frowns. “Mom, we’re not—”

“Welcome to the beach shack.” She sweeps forward and grasps hold of my hand. “Come inside, come inside. It’s too windy for drinks on the patio. But they’ll taste just as good in the parlor.”

Beach shack, my butt. The place is a mansion. All glass walls and beamed ceilings. Despite her colorful clothing, the decor seems sedate. Lots of cream and dark wood. And the moment we walk inside, Lady Helena bellows, “Dougal, they’re here. Where are you? We need drinks.”

“I’m coming,” yells back someone with a heavy Scottish accent. Dougal appears to be around the same age as Lady Helena. In his sixties, if I had to guess. He’s fit and tall with a bald head and bushy gray beard. And after giving Alistair a hug, he heads immediately to the well-stocked bar in the corner of the living room. “What’s your lass’s name?”

“My name is Lilah and we’re just friends,” I say. “Nice to meet you.”

The older man laughs. “The lad’s always been a friendly sort. Hasn’t he, Your Ladyship?”

“Oh, yes,” she says. “Wait. Is that the right answer? Should I have lied? We don’t want to scare her off.”

“You’ve forgotten your glasses, old man,” says Alistair. “Need me to come back there and pour?”

Lady Helena reclines on a cream armchair. “You better, or half of the good whiskey is going to end up on the floor.”

“I heard that,” says Dougal.

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