“She gave us all copies of the floor plan,” Rosa said. “She takes her maid of honor duties very seriously.”
“That Pepper has always been like a wrecking ball. I should know. The girls have been friends since they were eighteen years old.” Lois spoke in a tone that was supposed to put Rosa and Ria in their place.I’ve known Pepper longer than you.
As though it was a contest.
She and Ria weren’t likely to be put into any place they didn’t want to go.
Nico and Trey appeared with their bags. Already the chilly air had pinkened their cheeks. Lois, as if in charge, instructed them to take the bags to bedroom four. She pointed one of her skeleton-like fingers toward the hallway to the right. “Down there.”
“Not a problem,” Trey said with a wink in Rosa’s direction. Lisa had warned them about her mother. She hadn’t been exaggerating. Lois Perry was a witch.
“I’ll take our stuff up to the loft,” Nico said.
Rosa couldn’t help but smile, thinking of Nico and Trey in the loft area. Pepper had described it as summer camp for adults, with a pool table, big-screen television, and full bar. She might never get these boys home.
Lois turned back to Rosa and Ria, probably to ask more probing questions about Rafael’s father, when a door to the left opened, giving Rosa a glimpse into a kitchen with shiny chrome appliances and dark cabinets. A robust man with thick silver hair and the air of someone important, like a judge or king, sauntered into the living room.
If she’d known that morning that today would be the end of Mama and the rise of Rosa the Seductress, she might have made more of an effort with her hair. She could have layered her lips with the expensive lipstick Lisa had gotten her as a gift last month for her birthday. Instead, she’d used her drugstore brand in the same shade of peony pink she’d worn for twenty years. As with the honeysuckle-scented candle and bubble bath Rafael had given her, she wanted to save the good tube for special occasions.
“Who do we have here?” The man’s voice was like thunder, deep and unexpected. “You didn’t tell me the movie stars had arrived.” He grinned at Rosa, then Ria. “Are these friends of Lisa and Pepper’s from Hollywood?”
Lois mumbled something under her breath and wandered off to stand near the fire.
Rosa laughed, charmed. “I’m the mother of the groom, Rosa Soto. And this is my dear friend, Ria. We are invited to the opening of Lisa and Pepper’s movie with Genevieve Banks, but other than that, we’re about as far away from Hollywoodas two could be.”
The man stuck out a large, tanned hand. “I’m Dominic Perry. Lisa’s uncle. Warren’s my brother.”
She observed him closely. The brothers shared the same dark hazel eyes and silver hair. However, Dominic was more of a grand piano than slouchy armchair.
“Warren, I believe it’s cocktail time.” Dominic arched one dark eyebrow at his brother. Those dark eyebrows in contrast to his white hair were a little disconcerting. Did he glue them on?
“On it,” Warren said, sounding lighter than a moment ago.
She could imagine that Dominic’s strong, determined jaw moved easily between stern and amused, as did his full, expressive mouth. He was dressed impeccably in dark jeans and a black cashmere sweater that stretched over his broad shoulders, and his eyes sparked with energy and intelligence.
Eyes that were currently fixed on her, as if there were no one else in the room. She flushed and looked away. Men didn’t often look at her as if they enjoyed what they saw. Especially not a man like Dominic Perry.
Warren handed his brother a tumbler of amber liquid. Probably scotch. The boys drank it sometimes when they were looking for trouble.
“And why exactly are you as far away from Hollywood as you can get?” Dominic asked.
“I’m a former lunch lady,” Rosa said.
“And I worked at the same furniture factory for most of my adult life,” Ria said.
“Is that right?” Warren asked, sounding hopeful that he’d found a friend. “Woodworking is my hobby.”
“He rarely comes out of his workshop,” Lois said from over by the fireplace. “Would anyone like some cheese?”
They all declined, politely.
“I worked in the upholstery department.” Ria held up herhands. “These have stretched more fabric than you can imagine.”
“She was the best in the entire factory,” Rosa said. “They threw her a huge party when she retired a few months back.”
“Are you retired, Rosa?” Dominic asked.
“Yes. There was no reason to retire. I’m only fifty-three. But my son bought an apartment building and insisted we move to Cliffside Bay.”
