Page 123 of Beware of Dog

He straightened, and gave her a deadpan stare. Tapped the bridge of his nose, where the old break had healed crooked. “Yeah. ‘Cause that’s what mothers want for their daughters: hot.”

“I’m complimenting you, you goofus,” she said, smiling.

“Yeah, great, I don’t think your mom cares how much I can bench press. Meanwhile.” He gestured to his face. “I have a face made for parking lot brawls.”

“Madebyparking lot brawls, maybe,” she said. “But you’re very handsome.” She cocked her hip and batted her lashes. Put on a fake, breathy voice. “You’re a dish, darling, she’ll love you.”

His eyes bugged, and then, finally, as she’d hoped, he grinned. “What the fuck wasthat?”

“A character I’m workshopping.” She looped her arm through his and towed him up the sidewalk. “Tenny has all these alter egos, I figure I should get one of my own. I think I’ll call her Darla.”

“Darla,” he echoed, chuckling.

“She has a thing for bad boys. American bad boys, specifically. Nothing turns her on like a busted nose and a Jersey accent.”

“Damn. Sounds like Darla hit the jackpot.”

“Oh, she did.”

By the time they pushed through the doors of the hotel, he was grinning, his body relaxed beside hers, and that had been the whole goal. They crossed the marble floors with Shep stilllaughing; passed beneath the extravagant art deco chandelier, and Cass steered him toward three familiar faces while his attention was on her, and not the meeting to come.

Miles and Tommy sat flanking Emily on one of the broad, modern blue sofas that ringed the lobby. Miles lifted a hand in greeting; Tommy’s gaze went straight to Shep, and it wasn’t Fox-intense, but it was aiming for that.

Emily looked smaller and older than Cass remembered. A little thinner, and paler, her hair, always dyed, shot through with streaks of gray, though it was as neatly cut and styled as ever. She wore glasses, black-rimmed oval frames that magnified her eyes, even from a distance.

“Okay, but,” Shep started, and then fell silent, his arm stiffening against hers when he caught sight of the trio on the sofas. “Aw, shit,” he muttered.

“It’s fine,” Cass whispered, and towed him the rest of the way forward.

Miles stood first. “Hi.”

Cass released Shep so she could accept his hug, and then there was Tommy, hugging her sideways with one arm, watching as Miles traded hand claps and a quick bro hug with Shep.

“Hey, good to see you, man,” Shep said, and Miles patted his arm as he drew back.

“Yeah. You too.”

Arm still around Cass, Tommy stuck his hand forward. “Tommy.”

“Don’t put on that voice, you prick,” Cass sighed. “If he’s not afraid of Tenny, he’s certainly not going to be afraid of you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked, affronted.

Shep accepted Tommy’s shake; Cass could see the muscles flex in his forearm and knew the grip was tight. “Shep,” he said, matching Tommy’s don’t-fuck-with-me tone, and then some.

“Yes, yes, you’re both very manly,” Cass said, shrugging out from under Tommy’s arm. “Let’s skip the theatrics.”

Then Emily stood, and Cass’s stomach tightened with nerves. “Hi, Mum.”

Emily stepped forward. She clutched the strap of her purse across her chest, and Cass saw, with alarm, that her eyes were bright with unshed tears behind her glasses. “Hello, darling.”

“Oh, Mum,don’t cry.” When Cass stepped forward, Emily opened her arms, and her hug was tight, her breath shuddery in Cass’s ear. “Are you upset?Pleasedon’t be unhappy.”

“I’m not,” Emily assured. She squeezed her once, hard, and then pulled back to dig a tissue from her purse and dab at her eyes. “It’s so good to see you, love. I’ve missed you terribly.” She sniffed, and smiled.

Then her gaze cut almost shyly toward Shep. “Okay, then. Introduce me to your handsome gentleman.”

Cass wished that now was an appropriate time to whip out her phone and take a picture, because Shep’s nauseated look was the sort of thing that needed preserving. She rubbed at the outside of his arm and said, “Mum, this is Frank. Frank, this is my mum, Emily.”

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