“They’re delightful,” I said. “You were right. It is like eating with family. Thank you for thinking of it for me.”
We got into the car.
“Do I have to keep my promise?” he asked.
“Early night?”
He nodded.
“I’m afraid so,” I said.
“Okay, okay.”
“But there’ll be times when we won’t worry about the clock so much, I hope.”
He looked as if he would explode with happiness. “Can I pick you up in the morning?”
“It’s out of your way.”
“There is no way,” he said, punctuating each word hard, “that you will ever, ever be out of my way.”
“Okay,” I said, laughing. “But people will talk.”
“You mean Great-auntie Amelia?”
“And Mrs. McGruder.”
“I’m sure they’ve been talking about us all night,” he said.
When we arrived at the Winston House, we sat and talked a little more about his family. I saw how much he loved Julia. At times, he spoke about her as if she had been his mother, always looking after him, always more disappointed than anyone for his failures and mistakes.
“You’re lucky to have her,” I said.
“You didn’t have any brothers or sisters?”
“No,” I said. I wondered, if we did see each other steadily, whether he would begin to know when I wasn’t telling the truth. My sisters had always been confident in their ability to handle any man, twist and turn him whatever way they wanted, and get him to believe whatever they wanted. When I was very young, I had witnessed Brianna bringing home her catch. I had even overheard some of the lies she told, and I had seen how easily the man had accepted them as the truth.
“They want to believe what we tell them,” Ava once said. “They don’t want to do anything to endanger their fantasy and their ultimate success. No one fools himself more than a man does when it comes to the woman he wants.”
The implication had been clear: I, too, would have all of this power.
But did I want it?
Liam and I kissed good night, softly, lovingly. He touched my hair and looked into my eyes as he stroked my cheek.
“Okay,” he said. “I have you memorized. I’ll fall asleep with your face on the inside of my eyelids.”
“Good night,” I whispered.
“I’ll be right here at seven forty-five.”
I stood watching him drive off. When he was gone, I turned to walk to the front door.
I was halfway there when she stepped out of the shadows.
16
“What the hell do you think you are doing?” Ava asked.