The Comeback Kiss (23 page)

“
Heavenly,”
Babs said, and smiled.

“
So,”
Tessa said, leaning forward and keeping her voice low, “
what exactly do you and Finn do together? I mean, professionally?”

Babs smiled. “
Why, we run an investigation agency in Las Vegas.”
Babs winked at Tessa, then glanced arou
nd. There were only two other customers there, and they were involved in a discussion on the other side of the diner. It was probably okay to take pity on the poor girl. Babs leaned forward, also speaking in low tones.

“
We do charity work,”
she said.

Tessa
’
s eyebrows knit together. “
Finn? Does charity work?”

“
Hard to believe, isn
’
t it?”
Babs laughed. “
Well, he could hardly spend the rest of his life being a bird thief, could he? Can you imagine?”

“
He was a bird thief?”
Tessa
’
s face registered dark surprise,
and Babs wondered briefly if she was telling too much, then shooed the feeling away. Tessa would learn about Finn eventually, anyway.

“
Yes,”
Babs said. “
He was a bird thief. A damn fine one, too. That
’
s how we met, actually. He was breaking into my pentho
use to steal my bird.”

Tessa looked confused. “
You hired him to work for you after he broke into your house?”

“
Well, yes, but not until after he
’
d saved my daughter
’
s life.”

Tessa
’
s eyes widened. “
He... what?”

Babs sighed. Time to stop dancing and get to t
he heart of things.

“
He
’
s a good man, Finn. It
’
s a shame he doesn
’
t know it, but what are you gonna do, right? But the truth is, I
’
d trust him with my life and every belonging I have.”
She took another bite of her pie. “
This pie really is delicious. My com
pliments to Charlie.”

Tessa leaned forward a bit more. “
So... I don
’
t understand. What exactly is it that you two do?”

Babs smiled. If she had a nickel for every time she had to explain this...

“
It
’
s all a little complicated. I
’
m a widow, which is boring b
eyond the telling of it. There are only so many benefit luncheons one can organize before one wants to stick one
’
s head in one
’
s oven. So, I started doing favors for various people in my circle, who tend to be the eccentric wealthy, and in turn they donat
e
large sums to the charities of my choice. When the favor requires any skills I don
’
t possess or breaking any laws I don
’
t wish to break, I call Finn in, give him a cut, and he helps me.”

Tessa sat back. “
So, he... breaks the law? For charity?”

Babs reache
d over and patted Tessa
’
s hand. “
Oh, it
’
s not as bad as it sounds. For instance, one girlfriend of mine received a truly hideous diamond brooch from her husband for Christmas. Oh, it was awful. All shaped like ... I don
’
t even know what. Looked like a sma
l
l intestine. Anyway, she asked us to break in and steal it, make it look like a burglary, so she wouldn
’
t have to wear it when he took her to the opera. That sort of thing.”

Tessa blinked. “
Oh.”

“
Yes, it sounds odd, doesn
’
t it? But it
’
s what we do, and it
really can be a lot of fun. And it
’
s all for the greater good, you know. Have you ever heard of St. Jude
’
s?”

“
The children
’
s hospital?”

“
Yes. Last year, Finn was responsible for over half a million dollars in donations to St. Jude
’
s.”

A small smile spread
over Tessa
’
s face. “
Really?”

“
Yes.”
Babs grinned. “
Really.”

Tessa went quiet, and Babs didn
’
t have to ask to know what the girl was thinking. It was clear on her face. She was proud of Finn. As well she should be; Babs meant it when she said Finn was a g
ood man. Under all his smart talk and bluster was a genuine goodness, whether he cared to accept it or not. And Babs could tell that Tessa knew it, too. That smile wasn
’
t just pride; it also held a hint of vindication. And, if Babs wasn
’
t mistaken, which
s
he rarely was about these things, there was a dose of genuine affection in the mix as well.

Babs thought for a moment about how she could get Tessa and Finn back together. The two of them obviously weren
’
t going to get the job done on their own, what with
Finn all racked with stupid guilt and Tessa...

Hmm. She didn
’
t know what Tessa
’
s problem was, but she made a mental wager with herself that she
’
d be able to uncover it in a few days
’
time. If there was one area in which she was eminently skilled, it was ge
tting to the heart of things.

“
So, tell me, Tessa,”
she began, but then her cell phone rang. “
Pardon me,”
she said, fumbling around in her bag. “
I know it
’
s supposed to be rude to talk on the phone in a restaurant, but honestly, what
’
s the difference betwe
en talking to your companion and chatting on the... Hello?”

“
Is Tessa there?”

Finn. Of course. Babs swore the boy would never learn proper phone etiquette. “
Yes. And hello to you, too. How are you?”

“
Tell her she needs to come home. Now.”

Babs put her fing
ers over the mouthpiece. “
It
’
s Finn He says come home, now.”

Tessa
’
s eyes widened. “
What? Why? Is it Izzy? Is she okay?”

Babs removed her fingers from the phone. “
What? Why? Is it Izzy? Is she okay?”

“
She
’
s fine.”

“
She
’
s fine?”
Babs smiled at Tessa. “
Now t
hat wasn
’
t nice. You scared poor Tessa half to death. She
’
s got her hand on her chest and she looks like death.”
She nudged her untouched water glass to Tessa. “
Drink some water, dear.”

Finn huffed on the other end of the line. “
Just tell her she needs to
get here as soon as possible.”

Click.
No good-bye. Honestly. For such a funny, smart, and handsome young man, he really was beyond hope sometimes. Babs tucked the phone back into her bag.

“
He needs you at your house.”

Tessa finished a gulp of water and put
the glass down. “
What
’
s he doing at my house?”

Babs shrugged. “
Either causing some measure of trouble or stopping it, I imagine. It
’
s usually one or the other.”
Tessa ran her fingers through her hair. “
Oh, crap.”
She looked at her watch. “
Dinner starts in
an hour. I can
’
t just leave Max to handle it by himself.”

Babs stood up. “
Well, then you won
’
t. Point me to a uniform and an apron, and I
’
ll take your shift.”

Tessa blinked. “
You don
’
t work here.”

“
I do now,”
Babs said, excited at the prospect of an eveni
ng spent taking orders at a greasy spoon. “
Do you know I
’
ve never worked in a diner before?”
She took Tessa
’
s arm and pulled her up. “
We
’
ll just go speak briefly with Max and I
’
m sure it
’
ll all be just fine.”

A man raised one finger at them as they passed.
Babs smiled at him.

“
Just one minute, dear,”
Babs said. “
We
’
ve got a minor personal crisis at the moment, but I will be with you in just a moment, and when I get back, that coffee
’
s gonna be free.”

She winked at him. He smiled and nodded. “
You bet. Thanks
.”

“
See, I
’
m a natural already,”
Babs said, her chest swelling with excitement at the opportunity to try something new.

“
Babs, there
’
s no way Max is going to let you
—”

They pushed through the kitchen door. Max stood at the range, spatula in his hand. He tu
rned and Babs could see a flash of recognition and slight interest in his eyes when he saw her. She
’
d been around the block too many times to pretend she didn
’
t know interest when she saw it. She smiled.

“
Hello, Max. I
’
m Babs. We met briefly earlier today.
”

Max nodded, looked to Tessa, then back to Babs. “
Yes. How are you?”

Now, see,
there
was a man with manners.

“
Just beyond lovely. And yourself?”

Max again looked to Tessa. Tessa sighed.

“
Look, Max, something
’
s come up with Izzy and
—”

“
Get out of here,”
Max said.

“
Pammy can
’
t cover, but maybe you could call Joe
—”

“
I
’
ll be fine. Go on, get out.”

Babs smiled at the way Max put Tessa and Izzy ahead of his own needs. It was an intriguing side of the man to see, considering that everything she
’
d heard from Fi
nn had been less than flattering.

This was going to be an interesting job indeed.

Tessa pulled at her apron strings and crossed the room to the coatrack. “
Babs, you can come with me.”

Babs waved her hand at Tessa. “
Thank you so much for the invitation. I
’
l
l be there the moment my shift ends.”
She grinned at Max, who stared at her blankly. “
I
’
ll require a uniform. Do you have a size eight?”

“
You ever worked in a diner before?”
Max asked. His face was unsmiling, but his eyes... now that was a different story.

“
No, but I used to run a winery.”

“‘
Used to run a winery
’
is not a resume,”
Max said.

He was gruff. Babs smiled. She liked gruff men. They were honest, and honesty was a virtue she could get behind.

“
There
’
s much more on my resume than that, you can be su
re.”

He smiled. It was a small smile, but it was there. A few days, the man would be putty in her hands.

Well, here
’
s hoping, anyway.

“
Babs
—”
Tessa said, shrugging into her coat.