Page 80 of The Love Scam
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.”
“Gotthatright,” 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 knew.”
“Again: ew.”
“She only knew because I ratted him out. Which was shitty,” Rake acknowledged, “I won’t deny it.”
“But such a good story,” Nonna Tarbell added.
“That was a big one, Delaney.”
