Page 8 of You'll Be the Death of Me

Jason waved in response and bent over to touch his toes.

“He says hi back.”

“Lunch today?” Alex asked. She wassureit was Alex.

“I can’t. Sorry. I’m going to lunch with Tommy and his mom.”

One of them snorted. “Maybe we should join. The mayor’s office hasn’t signed off on these...”

She tuned out when he launched into another brain-melting explanation about permits.

When they finally hung up, she was halfway done with stretching. She spent the rest of her cooldown mentally preparing for the rest of her busy day.

Chapter 2

Dell moved through her dress fitting and emergency cake tasting like a woman on a mission. Jason ran front of house at Pergo, so they basically had the same schedule. He normally would have been with her to finalize details, but he had someplace to be this morning and told her he’d see her later at work. Mariana followed on Dell’s heels, plying her with caffeine and screening her calls.

Her lace mermaid gown with a chapel train had been tailored to love her every curve. The sight of her in it left Mariana nodding in approval.

They settled on red velvet cake, which was not an ideal replacement for passionfruit, but they were working with limited options and a very apologetic baker. At least they were getting a discount.

By the time she arrived for lunch at a classy spot near city hall with exposed brick walls and loud, splashy paintings, she was hardly hungry thanks to all the cake but knew she needed to put in the face time with her future mother-in-law.

Evelyn Moratto was a powerhouse of a woman. Dell often wondered if that was the reason the two of them got along whileeveryone else in Dell’s life seemed to struggle. They were alike in their drive and ambition. Tommy had gotten his olive skin from his Italian American father. His mother was fair, blue-eyed, and wore flawlessly coifed waves of blond hair like sunlight grown from her head.

The two of them were already seated when Dell arrived at the restaurant. One of Evelyn’s security-detail members occupied the table behind theirs in the crowded dining room, casually reading a newspaper. Evelyn and Tommy appeared to be deep in conversation, but when Dell approached, Evelyn rose from her chair.

“Dell, sweetheart. So lovely to see you,” she said, and pulled Dell into a hug, which smelled like springtime florals and power. Her perfectly tailored pantsuit sleeve rubbed Dell’s arms in a soft swath of luxury as she leaned in and returned the hug and air-kiss.

“Hi, Evelyn,” Dell said, and felt the tiny swell of familiar appreciation she always got when around a kindred old-name spirit. Evelyn wasn’told—she was the same age as Dell’s mother, in fact—but the name felt aged even for a child of the sixties, much likeVerdella. The small, shared similarity was another thing that drew Dell to her.

“Hey, baby,” Tommy said when he stood and pecked her cheek. He wore a slick suit without a tie and smelled like the dark, spicy cologne she’d gotten him for his birthday.

She kissed the air in return and sunk into the chair he’d pulled out for her. “Hey.”

“We already ordered, since schedules are tight today,” Tommy said with a casual wave of his hand. “I got you the seared ahi salad and a glass of pinot gris.”

Dell’s lips pressed into a tight line. Some women couldn’t stand beard hair in the sink, or smelly socks on the floor, or thetoilet seat being left up, but her number one pet peeve was being robbed of choice in any culinary experience. Ordering for her was the mostegregious thing he did. If she couldn’t break him of the behavior, it might become grounds for eventual divorce.

“Thanks,” she said tightly. “I would have gone with a pinot noir.”

“Noted,” he said, and winked at her. “At least I remembered to have them hold the walnuts.”

At least, Dell thought. If her future husband was going to remember one thing about her dietary preferences, she preferred it be her deadly allergy to walnuts.

Tommy leaned back in his chair and drummed his fingers on the crisp white tablecloth. His watch peeked out from his sleeve in a blink of gold. He worked in the mayor’s office, and in the way Jason and Mariana were attached to Dell’s hips—though not currently, because Jason could not promise to behave in present company and Mariana had calls to return—Tommy was adhered to his mother like glue.

“Dell, darling, how did the dress fitting go?” Evelyn asked. She turned her full attention to Dell and brightly smiled at her like she was truly interested in her response.

Evelyn always called Dell pet names likedarlingandsweetheartand occasionallyhoneyin moments of solace. Dell loved it.

“Really great!” she said. “Everything is coming together.”

“Excellent. And the cake?”

“Finalized as well,” Dell said with a nod. “Crisis averted.”

Tommy sighed like he was tired and had been the one running around confirming details all morning. “Does anyone even care about the cake? Won’t they all be sloshed on the free booze by that point in the night anyway?”