All the Lies We Tell (Quarry Road #1)(43)

“Since when do you care about my business or Allie?” Ilya jerked his chin in his brother’s direction. “What’s she been saying about me? Has she been bitching to you?”

Niko didn’t answer that, not trusting himself to talk too much about Alicia. He focused on opening the bottle of Malbec. He was saved from further interrogation when the doorbell rang as a warning, and, moments later, Theresa came into the kitchen.

She held up a large boxed chocolate cake. “I brought dessert.”

“A working woman,” Galina said with a pointed look at her older son. “With responsibilities. And a paycheck. Someone raised her with a good work ethic.”

“Well, it wasn’t you,” Ilya said. “So I wouldn’t get all proud about it, like you can take credit.”

Oh, shit, Niko thought. Here we go. The tension that had been brewing since Galina had returned home was about to get ugly.

“Let me get an opener,” he said to soothe them both. “Mom, dinner smells fantastic. Let’s eat.”

Theresa set the box she’d brought on the counter. “Ilya, don’t be a jerk. What can I do to help?”

For a moment it still felt as though Ilya and Galina were going to launch themselves at each other like Godzilla versus Mothra, or something, but at Theresa’s admonition, Ilya quieted.

“Good job,” Niko said under his breath as they were both dispensed by Galina into the dining room with handfuls of food.

Theresa gave him a small smile and shrugged as she put down a basket of rolls. She cocked her head at the sound of Galina’s laughter from the kitchen. “I’m good at peacemaking.”

“Part of your job?” Niko had a vague idea about what Theresa did for a living—something to do with real estate development and property management.

“You could say that.” Theresa hesitated, looking as though she meant to say more, but looked toward the dining-room doorway that connected with the hall, not the kitchen. “Hey, Allie.”

Niko turned. Alicia stood with a pie in her hands. She looked him right in the eye and held it up.

“I brought dessert. It’s cherry.”

“My favorite,” Niko said.

Alicia didn’t smile. “I know.”

Then Ilya came in with a steaming platter of chicken, Galina on his heels, and whatever Niko had thought he might say to Alicia was lost in the bustle of everyone taking places at the table. Once they’d all been seated, Galina raised her glass of wine and waited for everyone to quiet. She cleared her throat.

“It’s nice to sit down with family at the beginning of the week. Talk about what we’re doing. Be involved with each other’s lives. Thank you all for coming to Sunday dinner. I’m happy to have you here. My sons . . . and both my daughters.”

Niko saw Theresa and Alicia sharing a look. Alicia’s lips thinned, though he couldn’t tell if it was to hide a laugh or a cough of surprise. Theresa rallied first, lifting her glass of water.

“To family,” Theresa said firmly.

There wasn’t anything to do but join the toast, so Niko raised his glass, too. He tried catching Alicia’s eye, but she wasn’t looking at him. “Family.”

“Family,” Alicia agreed, her own glass raised, but her gaze averted from his and everyone else’s.

“Fine,” Ilya said at last, and clinked his glass against each of theirs. “To family.”



“It wasn’t the weirdest dinner we’ve ever had,” Alicia said quietly with a glance over her shoulder to make sure they were alone in the kitchen.

Galina had declared that since she’d cooked, it would be someone else’s job to clean up. With the fancy china, that meant hand-washing, not the dishwasher. She’d disappeared upstairs to the master bedroom she’d commandeered from Ilya. Theresa had apologized but excused herself to take a conference call in her room—the fact she was actually staying in the house while she was in town still made Niko shake his head. Ilya had claimed exhaustion and gone up to his old bedroom.

That left Niko and Alicia to handle the dishes and put away the food. It hadn’t taken them long. They worked together like they’d planned out every move ahead of time.

“No,” he agreed. “Not like when she was into tarot, and we had to get a reading just to see if she was going to serve cold cereal or tacos.”

Alicia laughed. “Oh, wow. I guess I must’ve missed that.”

“I was in about fifth grade, I guess. It didn’t last long. Babulya was very against it. Said tarot were the devil’s cards.” Niko laughed, too.

“I think it’s kind of nice, actually. That she wants to spend family time together. Losing her mother must’ve had her thinking about things.” Alicia ran her hands under the faucet and dried them on a towel, then leaned against the counter. “Having everyone here is different, huh? Feels weird. It’s been a long time.”

He nodded. “Yeah. Totally weird. And Theresa. How about that?”

Alicia gave him a sideways glance. “She’s got some business in town. I’m not sure I’d want to stay here instead of in a hotel, though. I guess it’s only for a few days more. Then she’ll be leaving. And you?”

“What about me?” He leaned on the counter.