Page 5 of Eat Your Heart Out
I curled my hands around myself. “I’m Ali. Gerard just offered me the server position on his yacht.”
She blinked and tilted her head. “Lovely. Well, let’s get you a change of clothes, then maybe you’ll join us for some appetizers and dessert.”
My stomach churned at the idea of food. However, I glanced at both of them, and they did not look at all alike, so I asked, “You’re his mother?”
She took my hand, and it was like her sweetness might be contagious. She came next to me to guide me to the stairs. “Yes. I love the red streak in your hair. It’s very eye-catching.”
For all they knew, I was a thief they’d taken into their house. I glanced up at the blue abstract sculpture that reminded me of a wave. “It’s… your house is beautiful. Thank you for letting me stay.”
She curled her hand on my shoulder. “My children’s guests are always welcome. Gerard will show you to some dry things.”
Right. My clothes had left a trail of water behind me and a pool at my feet.
Gerard waved for me to go with him up the stairs. “Come, the staff will have laid out clothes for you by now, as we’re both wet.”
I rocked on my feet but then followed him up. If that was how they lured their victims, at least they were hospitable about crime. I had no idea how anyone might afford anything like their house otherwise.
My mother was sweet, but she’d worked at the same burger joint for my entire life until she died. No one I knew had anything so grand.
Gerard motioned toward a door when we made it upstairs, and I opened it. It smelled like vanilla, sweeter than the hotel rooms I’d cleaned. The closet was full of women’s clothes, and I saw fluffy-bottomed dresses.
I shook my head. “I’m not the kind for fancy parties.”
He shrugged but didn’t come inside. “Tonight is just family. Tomorrow is fancy.”
I let out a small giggle. “Fancy” sounded odd coming from his lips. He must never speak about his life with that word. I returned to the door. “Your family looks fancy. How come you don’t look like your mom?”
“I was adopted at birth.”
“You lucked out,” I said quickly. I’d been terrified about being kidnapped, but never once had I imagined a place like this was possible. I blinked the thought away.
He asked, “What about your parents?”
“My mom died. My dad left us when I was a kid, so I’m pretty much on my own.” My stomach made a loud noise.
He glanced down at it. “Did you eat today?”
There was no point in lying, so I said, “Not really, just some popcorn.”
“I’ll have the staff set up two plates.” He stepped backward.
They trusted me in their fairyland. I called after him, “Sounds perfect.”
He waved and left.
In a movie I’d seen once, a wrongly imprisoned ex-convict had stolen his hosts’ silverware, but they hadn’t turned him in. Instead, they’d given him the silverware as a gift to better his life. Because of that, he’d decided to become a good guy and used the money to help others. I wouldn’t take the candelabra or any of the clothes or shoes, which I could probably turn a profit on.
The Norouzis had kindness written all over them, and that was what they had in common with my mother. I mumbled to myself as I headed to the en suite bathroom. “Even if this ends badly, I’ll be dressed up for whatever happens next.”
The bubble in my chest was close to hope. I wasn’t sure that was possible, though, as I shimmied out of my soaking-wet panties that weren’t sexy at all—then again, neither was I. I wasn’t able to trust anything, even if they were letting me borrow from them for the night. It would be nice, though, to not need to sleep with one eye open, always on the edge of disaster.
