Three Fates

the bosom of the Sullivans and all that jazz?”
    “This isn’t the time to mention bosoms. Put some clothes on. I can’t come over there when you’re naked.”
    “I’m only mostly naked.” With Gideon’s shirt skimming her thighs, Cleo got up, walked to him. “Is this cool with you? Mister Head of the Family?”
    He looked down and, relieved the shirt was buttoned, took her face in his hands, kissed both her cheeks. “I couldn’t have chosen better for him myself. Now I’m begging you, put some pants on.”
    “Thanks, and I will. I really need to talk to Tia a minute.”
    “We’ve got a lot to tell you about Anita, and what’s about to happen.”
    “Just five minutes,” she whispered. “Please. Take Slick up on the roof for a smoke, a man-to-man or something.”
    “Five minutes,” he agreed. “It’s all in the timing now.” He signaled his brother. “Up on the roof.”
    “I need my shirt.”
    “Well, you’re not having the one she’s wearing and sending me into another heart attack. Your jacket’s good enough.”
    Obliging, Gideon pulled his jacket over his bare chest. “I haven’t kissed her yet.” So he did, warmly enough to have Malachi looking at the ceiling again. “I’ll be back.”
    “I’m counting on it.” When the door shut behind them, Cleo sighed. “Wow, who’d’ve thought?” She walked back to Tia, dropped down on the floor. “Have a seat.”
    Curious, Tia sat on the rug facing her. “Is anything wrong?”
    “No. Definitely not. Don’t cry, okay, because I’ll get all choked up. I just want to say . . . Okay, I’m going to get choked up anyway. So . . .” She took a deep, cleansing breath. “I’ve been thinking about stuff. Takes some longer than you to get down there. You’re the brainy one.”
    “No, I’m not.”
    “Sure you are. Tia, you’re like, deep.”
    “I am?”
    “You get stuff. You see the connections and the layers and, hell, all that neat shit. That’s part of what I was thinking about. If it wasn’t for the Fates, you and me, we wouldn’t be sitting here on the floor together right now. We didn’t exactly circle the same wheel. Anyway, I think about what happened to Mikey, and that’s hard. Part of me feels lousy because I’m so fucking happy. I know that’s stupid,” she said even before Tia could speak. “I’m working on it. Anyway, it’s like the things I’ve heard you say. Threads, and what is it, lots?”
    “The apportioning of lots. Lachesis.”
    “Yeah, that one was mine. I never figured this would be my lot, you know? Having a friend like you, having somebody like Gideon love me. And the rest of them. Like a family. I never figured that kind of thing was in the cards for me. I’m not going to screw it up.”
    “Of course you’re not.”
    “I’ve screwed up plenty before. I guess I could figure I was meant to. It’s weird thinking that I swiped a pair of Levi’s when I was sixteen, or tanked a history test so I could get here, mostly naked on your living room rug, sniveling because there’s this great man up on the roof who loves me.”
    She shoved her hair behind her shoulders, swallowed back the tears. “I guess I’d better get my pants on before Malachi comes back in and goes ballistic.”
    She reached for her jeans, stopped. “There is one more thing. I was wondering if you’d stand up for me. Like the maid-of-honor deal when we get married.”
    “Oh, Cleo.” Tia threw her arms around her, hugged tight. And blubbered. “I’d love to. I’m so happy. I’m so happy for you.”
    “Jeez.” Sniffling, Cleo hugged back. “I feel like such a girl.”
     
     
    AT PRECISELY SEVEN-thirty, Anita walked into Jean Georges. Though she had dressed with meticulous care, and in Valentino, she didn’t bother with the ploy of keeping her date waiting.
    She turned toward the bar, noted that Jasper was in place. And enjoyed the idea of this being Malachi Sullivan’s last meal.
    The bastard thought he had her by the throat, ordering her to meet him in this upscale and very public restaurant so that he could lay out the terms of the deal. She’d play him through to coffee and dessert, then he was going to find out who held the cards.
    She was greeted by name and shown to the window table where Malachi was already waiting. He was wise, she noted, to sit with his back to the wall. Not that it would help him.
    He got to his feet, took her hand and brought it to within an inch of his lips. “Anita. You look very