Page 91 of The Love Scam
“That is an insane way of prepping me for fatherhood,” Rake announced. “Not just me. Anyone. It’s an insane way to get anyone ready for unexpected fatherhood.”
Or unclehood,Delaney thought.And I see we’re still not mentioning that possibility to Lillith. Perhaps the Tarbells think she’s had enough uncertainty in her short life. Either way, I guess it’s not my problem. Donna wanted her well looked after, but she was vague on specifics.…
Which was problematic. This dinner looked like the last scene in a sitcom where everyone talks about lessons learned and then leaves, only to reappear a week later for the next episode. For the first time in her life, Delaney didn’t want to disappear, never seen again by the mark(s) in question.
Maybe I’m catching gastroenteritis? Itdoesseem pretty warm in here.…
“Insane!” Rake was still bitching, which she thought was kind of adorable. “Who does that? And how are you going to explain yourself to Blake when you see him in a couple of days? Don’t give me that look, Nonna. You had a ridiculous overreaction and treated your grown grandsons like adorable morons.”
“Se la scarpa si adatta…”Teresa murmured with a smirk.
“I’m going to ignore that snipe with dignity and grace,” he retorted. Then: “Oh, come on. Stop laughing. All of you!”
“Yes, don’t pick on Rake,” Delaney said, patting his arm. “He did the best he could with the tools at his disposal.”
“Thankyou. Wait… no, hell with it, I’m taking your words at face value.”
Delaney laughed. “Oh my God, you’re still an adorably naïve doof, I love you.”
Pretty immediately, she felt the blood rush to her face.Whoa. Right out there in front of everyone.
Um.
What the hell do I do now?
Nothing, she decided. Because even if she’d blurted it out, it was true. She had no idea she could fall in love with Rake in just a week, but there it was. And the strangest/best thing was, no one at the table seemed to think she’d said anything strange, or that Rake was doing something odd by reaching out and taking her hand in his.
“So! I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t think eight desserts are enough.”
Which, happily, was something else they could all agree on.
Fifty-three
After far too much pasta and wine and sorbet and cookies, they were ready to go their separate ways. Ellen and Teresa handed out hugs all around before taking off, leaving the Tarbells with Delaney.
Lillith cleared her throat. “Will you be okay, Rake?”
“At any other time, that would seem like a condescending question,” he replied. “And I don’t blame you for wondering. I’ll be fine—I’ll be with Delaney.”
“Hmmm.” From the nuclear option.
“Oh, stop it, you’ve got a dirty mind.”
“As do you, dear. But never mind. I’ll take Lillith back to the hotel and get her settled, and we’ll see you in the morning. Donotkeep us waiting. This isn’t a flight you want to miss.”
“Noted.” He reached down, his daughter reached up, and they hugged.
“You’llloveAmerica,” Mrs. Tarbell promised, taking Lillith’s hand.
“Grandma, I was born there. I actually live there. For my whole life. This was just a dangerous field trip.”
“Right, right, I keep forgetting—your Italian is sogood,dear.” And they were off in a swirl of tweed and Chanel and Lillith’s fake belly, which currently held crackers and Tootsie Roll pops.
Rake spotted what he’d been looking for and tugged Delaney’s elbow. “C’mon, my treat. Well, Lillith’s. She lent me a thousand euros.”
Delaney was already rolling her eyes as they approached the dock. “So corny, Rake, c’mon—really?
“Shut up, darling. I wanna! It’s our first night on the town as a couple, dammit—”
