chapter 36

Eleanor appeared inthe doorway just as Ashlyn Stewart was packing up her equipment.

“The caterer is almost ready to serve,” Eleanor said, “if you’re done, of course.”

Ashlyn nodded. “We are. I’ll just close down a few things here.”

“Take your time.” Eleanor indicated which overly grand hallway led to the dining room.

But she didn’t go that way herself. Instead, she motioned for Lillian to follow her to one of the terraces. Because Eleanor had terraces, not porches. Lillian followed Eleanor out the French doors and to the stone railing. Eleanor looked like a Greek statue herself in her flowing caftan. The lights of LA below them caught in Eleanor’s eyes, giving them a mischievous sparkle they didn’t have in real life.

“I like your friend,” Eleanor said.

“She seems nice.” It wasn’t Ashlyn’s fault Lillian hadn’t wanted to do the interview.

“I will concede, just this once, that my brother is not entirely misguided. At least, if you feel the way he suggests.” Eleanor spoke with uncharacteristic hesitation.

Kia told Uncle Carl how Lillian felt about the interview, and Uncle Carl told Eleanor. Lillian sighed.

“I approve,” Eleanor said.

Really?

“Not that you need my approval for anything. Mind you, you will not hear me extolling the magic of serendipity like Carl does. But the four of you and all those hideous dogs floating to Catalina Island…” Eleanor shook her head, with a rueful smile. “I can see it.”

“Us and Ashlyn Stewart?”

“You and your friend, Ms. Wells.”

“Izzy?”

How could Eleanor know?

“Kia said you were seeing her.”

Ah. Uncle Carl told Eleanor about Izzy. Damn their deep sister-brother bond. Uncle Carl got to be a gossip and Lillian had to be an icon.

“I won’t let her be a distraction.” Why did that come out so naturally, like she didn’t even have to think about it? Izzy was the only thing she’d been thinking about. She drove Lillian to distraction with a smile.

“I like her for you. I showed her my orchids. All of them.” Was Eleanor hiding a grin?

“Mom, no!”

Eleanor had so many. Izzy didn’t sign up to meet Mom’s orchids. Lillian took a step back.

“Wait? When?”

Eleanor shouldn’t even know about Izzy except that Kia and Uncle Carl didn’t respect boundaries.

Behind them, someone cleared their throat.

“Erik wanted me to tell you that dinner is ready.” A familiar voice.

Lillian turned.

Apparently, you didn’t always have to be your own disruption.

Izzy looked dashing. Their eyes met. Lillian’s mouth dropped open. Izzy looked from Lillian to Eleanor and back to Lillian. Then Izzy pressed her fingers to her lips in an adorable look of shock.

“You didn’t know Kia brought me.”

No. She did not know that her cousin had invited her lover to have dinner with her parents along with a famous movie director. And the look on her mother’s face said Eleanor didn’t know that Lillian didn’t know. She didn’t know that Izzy didn’t know that Lillian didn’t know.

“Kia Jackson,” Eleanor said in a scolding tone, although Kia wasn’t there. But Eleanor never lost her poise. “We’re having sea bass for dinner with a tarragon-infused asparagus mousse,” Eleanor said casually, as though Lillian’s worlds hadn’t just collided. Eleanor brushed past Izzy. “Come on, you two.”

Had Eleanor said she liked Izzy for Lillian?

“If you don’t want me here, I’ll go.” Izzy’s eyes widened with distress.

Finding Izzy in her parents’ house was like stepping onstage to find the director had changed all the choreography. But it had been too long since she’d seen Izzy. And they only had a few weeks left, maybe only a few days. She reached Izzy in three steps, spoke the only clear thought she could muster—“Oh my God, you look gorgeous”—and kissed her. “I don’t even have words,” Lillian said when she released Izzy.

I’m going to kill Kiawas one possibility. You’re so gorgeous. Let me take you to my childhood bedroom and make love to you while my family eats tarragon-infused asparagus mousse was another option. Instead she fell back on her training.

“What a delightful surprise.” She meant it even though her brain was going to explode.

“Why, thank you, Ms. Jackson.” Izzy held out her arm. “Shall we have dinner?”