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Saw his face and was interested enough to ask who he was? Or had Beatriz mentioned him positively?

“I was best man. I’ve known Hunter since we were kids.” He flashed his most innocent smile.

“It’s good of you to help Beatriz move in.”

“Anna would shred me if I didn’t help a friend of hers.”

He was paranoid or burdened with a guilty conscience if he thought every sentence coming out of Mrs. Gomez’s bow-shaped mouth was loaded.

“They’re on their honeymoon, aren’t they?”

“A secret location for a month,” Cas volunteered. “They promised to send us occasional proof of life shots, but so far I haven’t heard a word. What about you, Beatriz?”

“Nothing yet, but it hasn’t been forty-eight hours.”

“And Anna wanted Beatriz to look after her apartment. That’s very generous of her?” Mrs. Gomezwasdigging.

“Anna thought the apartment would be safer with someone staying in it. She hasn’t had time to move most of her belongings.” Every word Cas uttered was the truth.

“Makes sense.” Mrs. Gomez wasn’t calling him a liar, but her delicate digging had sweat trickling down his spine. She only had to twist his arm behind his back for Cas to tell her everything she wanted to know down to the colour of Beatriz’s toenails.

“Bye, Mamá. We shouldn’t keep Casildo waiting. He’s got a lot to do this afternoon.” Beatriz hugged her mother, climbed into the car and accepted the carry bag.

Mrs. Gomez’s bright gaze skated over the casserole dish on the back seat. The rich aromas of the recently cooked lasagne swirled around the car. Then Beatriz’s mamá winked at him before stepping back. “No rest for the wicked.”

Cas waited until they’d turned the corner and Mrs. Gomez was no longer visible in his rear-view mirror. “What did you tell her about me?”

“That you’re a friend of Hunter and Anna’s and offered to give me a lift. She asked if you were at the wedding. I said yes.”

“Did she believe you?”

“I’m not in the habit of lying to Mamá.”

“I didn’t lie to her either, but I’m not sure she believed me.” He jerked his head toward the back seat, while keeping his attention on the traffic. “She smelled the lasagne, I’m sure of it.”

“When did having a lasagne become a crime?”

“What’s in your bag?”

“Salady things.” She used his term. “Mamá said it would cover dinner tonight.”

“Bingo. Maha made the lasagne. We’ve both got food. That’s the sort of thing that makes mothers curious.”

“I thought you said you can cook.”

“I can. Maha thanked me for leaving her place neat.”

“Do you need a thank you for leaving a place neat?” Her stare was boring a hole right through his temple.

“I was born neat, or at least had neatness bred into me by the time I hit adolescence. Maha was saying a whole lot of complicated things, but mostly she was saying she loves me, and while she kicked me out, she’ll always have my back.”

“You’re close.”

“We’re a close family. Hunt’s part of that. Now Anna. As a friend of Anna’s, we’d look favourably on letting you join too.” Cas winked at her.

“Thanks, but I’ve got my hands full with the family I’ve got.” Her hands sat neatly on the carry bag in her lap in contrast to what he guessed was her muddled mind. Moving out was both terrifying and hopeful.

“Your mum’s got a good memory if she recognised me from the wedding photos.”