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Joshua took Hannah’s hand, gave it a firm but gentle shake. “No,” he said. “I remember all the beautiful women I meet.”
“Oh,” said Cricket, with a mock-serious lift of her eyebrows. “Do you?”
“Until I met you, of course,” he charmed, turning to her. “Now they’ve all faded away. Ghosts of the past.”
Hannah grappled for it. But no. When he turned back to her, stepped further into the light, she realized she’d been mistaken. Maybe she was just tired, hungry. She’d had a horrible night’s sleep, and barely anything to eat all day and it was getting late. No. The more she looked at him, she didn’t know him at all.
“No,” said Hannah. “Just a for moment—you looked so familiar.”
“I might just have one of those faces,” he said.
“I’m sorry.” She offered an apologetic laugh at herself. “It’s lovely to meet you.”
Joshua’s smile was warm, friendly, forgiving.
“I’ve heard so many wonderful things about you, Hannah. Cricket says you’re more like her sister than her friend.”
He gave Cricket a sweet kiss on the forehead. There was something so lovingly intimate about it that Hannah felt herself blush. Her friend looked well and truly happy. Which was good, wonderful, great. She deserved that. They all did, right? They all deserved to be happy and relaxed for a while.
A young blond woman, with sharp, defined features and searing blue eyes, dressed in a crisp black oxford and slim pants, offered Hannah a drink on a cocktail napkin. These strangers must have arrived when Bruce and Hannah were upstairs settling in and talking. She hadn’t heard the bell, or even heard the host leave.
Bruce’s words rang back for a moment.Things I can’t live with.Hannah pushed it away.
“Vodka soda,” the young server said, her voice low. Hannah noticed her nails were trimmed and short, her hands tiny. There was a delicate tattoo of a black spider on her right hand. Her face was dewy and full—so young—early twenties at the most.
“Oh, hello,” said Hannah, taking it from her. “Thanks so much.”
“Chef Jeff and Ingrid will be helping us out tonight,” said Mako, coming up from behind. “Chef is the best in the area, according to our host.”
Of course he is, thought Hannah.
Leave it to Mako to have a staff for dinner. It did change things a bit. What could have been homey, now felt like they were at a restaurant, a hotel. Which whatever, fine—at least she and Liza wouldn’t wind up doing the dishes.
“Where’s Liza?” asked Cricket.
“Migraine,” said Mako with a sympathetic wrinkle of his eyes. “It came on just after we arrived. She’s lying down.”
Hannah mentioned that Liza was hoping to rally for dinner.
“I doubt it,” Mako said.
She and Cricket exchanged aWTFlook. By the way—migraines? Since when did Liza get those?
“Which means—” Mako went on, falsely bright. “We can eat the meat off the bones of the ribs Chef Jeff is cooking up without feeling like barbarians.”
“Carnivores unite!” said Cricket, a little too gleefully.
“Poor Liza,” said Hannah, but no one heard her; they were heading toward the seating around the outdoor fireplace that blazed and crackled. She’d go up to check on her sister-in-law before dinner if Liza didn’t come down.
“What can we get for the big man?” said Mako.
Hannah looked around for Bruce but he was gone.
“Bourbon straight for Bruce,” she said, certain that’s what he’d want.
Mako looked at Ingrid. “Do you mind, Ingrid?”
“Of course.”
