I wanted to crawl back into bed with him, but Lucian convinced me to get dressed. We walked to the BART. He was glancing all around, looking for something or looking at something. He grabbed my hand at one point and jerked me forcefully in a different direction.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“Nothing. I’m getting some strange looks. And I didn’t see Zack or Abigail on my way out.”
“Who’s Abigail?”
“Brooklyn’s poor excuse for an angel. It doesn’t matter. Let’s just get to your parents.”
“Should we fly there?” I wiggled my eyebrows, excited over the idea.
“Probably not a good idea. We should try to blend in, lay low for a while until I can figure out what’s going on.”
On the BART he held me close as he braced the metal pole. The train car was full, and Lucian looked to be on high alert for some reason.
“I just want to get to your parents’,” he kept saying.
“Are you worried you can’t protect me anymore?”
“No, I can protect you.” He stared into my eyes. “You’re safe, okay?”
“Okay,” I said, but I already knew that.
My parents lived in a small suburb of Oakland, in the same house I was born in. It was a modest tract home, but it was warm and always smelled like homemade food. My mother swung the door open before I could ring the doorbell.
“Hello,” she said with a smile. Her attention was immediately drawn to Lucian as he held out his hand.
“Hello, Ms. Casey, it’s nice to meet you,” Lucian said.
“Please call me Jane.” She appraised him and seemed taken aback.
“Okay, Jane,” he said as they continued shaking hands for what seemed like too long.
She turned on her heel and walked toward the hallway. “Come on in and meet Evey’s dad.”
In the hallway, I whispered, “Did you do something to her?”
“No, I swear.”
“What was her deal? She acted odd.”
He shrugged. “I have no idea why.”
My father and Lucian had a similar introduction, then my mother offered Lucian a drink. He declined, and I was surprised.
“Is it all right if I have a glass of wine?” I asked him.
“Of course,” he said, as if it were a silly question.
My mother pulled me into the small guest bathroom and shut the door.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
She was wearing a funny yellow apron that said Sauce Boss on it. I laughed at it, but she wasn’t amused. My mother and I looked exactly alike in facial structure and body, but she had blond hair and blue eyes and I had dark hair and dark eyes like my father. Her eyebrows arched.
“Say something, Mother.”
“What does he do for a living? He’s older than you, right? Where did you meet him?”
“Geez, is this the Spanish inquisition? You don’t like him?”
“Evey, he’s gorgeous—I mean, exotically handsome, but I don’t know him and this just seems a bit sudden. I’m just curious about him. Curious why you’ve never mentioned him, and you’re already bringing him home to meet the parents.”
“God, he really is good-looking, isn’t he?” I said dreamily.
“Evelyn, focus.”
“I’ve known him for a while. He’s a bit older than me.” What an understatement that was. “I met him through mutual friends. He’s in securities.”
“Securities?” My mom looked skeptical.
“Some kind of business with brokerage firms… something like that.”
“So he works in the city? In an office?”
I hesitated. “Yes?”
“Is that a question, Evelyn?”
I was worried she’d walk straight out of the bathroom and ask Lucian about banking securities, which was exactly what she did. I tried to stop her. Lucian was sitting in the living room on the couch, talking about, of course, UPS delivery service.
My dad said, “Hey, DD, this guy is a serious history buff. He knows everything about the beginnings of the United Parcel Service.”
“Yeah, Lucian’s a reader,” was all I could think to say.
Lucian was looking at me, wearing one of those smiles that made it hard not to smile back. He looked like a little boy about to walk into Disneyland.
“Lucian,” my mother said.
“Yes, Jane?”
“So you’re in banking, Evey tells me.”
“Yes, that’s right.” I knew he’d pick up on what to do. “Asset securities to be exact.” He winked. I lost my balance and had to grip the back of the couch.
“What are asset securities?” my father said.
Oh shit, what if he doesn’t know?
“It’s actually pretty simple. I buy shares in companies or in mutual funds that are invested in the stock market. It’s a lot of number crunching. It’s not that exciting, but it pays the bills.”
God, he’s good.
“Do you want to see my childhood bedroom, Lucian?” I asked.
“Evey,” my mother scolded.
“Just to show him around,” I whined.
My mother rolled her eyes. Lucian looked back at my dad for approval.
“Go ahead, DD, show him around.”
“Come on.” I grabbed Lucian’s hand and pulled him down the hall to my bedroom. With my back to him, I said, “So this is it. I’m an only child.” He laughed, so I turned on my heel. Our faces were inches apart. “Why are you laughing?”