Page 62 of Tell Me All Your Lies

Brad focuses his attention on Ms. Miller, who has realized that he’s waiting outside of her guarded perimeter. She looks around and notices that Cara and I are standing with him as well.

“Bradley! Come in here,” she exclaims.

I watch as she says her goodbye to the other couple before they step out of the area and disappear entirely.

“And who might you have with you?” she asks as we all step into her space.

“Ms. Miller, this is Ace and Cara Weston, my new neighbors,” Brad says.

“It is a pleasure to meet you,” Cara says.

“Isn’t this wonderful! The pleasure is all mine. I’m Cordelia Miller. Welcome to the neighborhood,” Cordelia says with her arms extended.

Cara and Cordelia share a cautious hug as if this were any other set of neighbors meeting for the first time.

As they pull away, Cordelia gets a twinkle in her eye as she turns her attention my way.

“And it’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Ace,” she says with her hand extended. I pass our pie bag to Cara and then take her hand immediately, giving it a firm shake.

Cordelia looks pleased with this development. It’s almost as if Brad had told her who I was and that I would be moving to Charlotte soon.

I’m making some assumptions, but it feels as if our plans are falling into place.

The way that Cordelia is eyeing me isn’t one of seduction but appraisal. I’m almost positive that she’s the Kingpin of Charlotte that Cara has been trying to track down.

“Thank you for the invitation to attend. We brought you one of my famous pies,” Cara says.

Cordelia doesn’t look back over to Cara.

“Well, isn’t that the sweetest, sugar. Thank you.”

Cordelia lets go of my hand and leans back to whisper something to one of her guards. He takes the pie bag out of Cara’s hands.

“What would you like to drink? Drew here can grab us a round.”

“Whatever you’re having,” Cara says.

“Sugar, you like a whiskey neat?”

Cordelia may have had plastic surgery to try and hide her age, but I can see the hint of exhaustion and boredom in her eyes.

“Love it.”

“I’ll be damned. Four whiskeys, Drew.”

“Coming right up.”

Drew heads toward the bar, and someone else immediately steps in to fill the half circle around Cordelia.

“How are y’all settling into the neighborhood?”

“It’s breathtaking,” Cara answers.

“It really is. One of a kind neighborhood. We’re all…” Cordelia trails off before looking over to Brad.

“Like a family.”

“That’s exactly what we want. I’m so glad that Ace was able to find us a home here,” Cara says.

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