“Farrah is engaged,” Mercy said, patting her friend’s hand when she sat at the table with them. “Her fiancé is a captain with New Orleans PD.”

Irina sighed. “More police officers. I am surrounded by them—three of my eight children are police officers. The fiancé, he is a good man?”

“A very good man,” Mercy assured her. “He’s been my friend for years. I introduced them.”

Farrah rolled her eyes. “Only because we were at a party and Mercy wanted to escape. She’d promised me that she’d stay for a while, but figured she could get out if I was distracted by a tall hunk of gorgeous man.”

Irina winked at her. “Was she right?”

“Yes, I was,” Mercy said. “They couldn’t take their eyes off each other. And I only agreed to go to the party to get Farrah to go because I knew André would be there,” she added smugly. “I knew they’d be perfect for each other and they are.”

Irina put a loaf of bread in the oven, then put on a kettle to heat. “It was that way with Gideon and Daisy. I knew they’d be perfect together and they are, but they stubbornly resisted being introduced by me. Gideon actually denied himself my cooking for several months because Daisy attended our Sunday dinners.”

Farrah glanced at Mercy, whose smile had disappeared at the mention of Gideon. “How did they finally meet, then, if they rebuffed your matchmaking attempts?” Farrah asked.

“I introduced them,” Rafe said. “I’d known Daisy since she was a little girl and she’d recently come back to town, but she was attacked and nearly abducted.”

“Oh.” Farrah’s gaze settled on Mercy, who’d grown a little pale. “The same one who took you, Merce?”

Mercy nodded soberly. “The same. Daisy pulled a necklace from her attacker’s throat when she was fighting for her life. A locket. Rafe had seen the design before, because Gideon used to have a nearly identical tattoo. Rafe called Gideon for help on the case.”

“And then Gideon and Daisy realized I was right all along,” Irina finished, then cocked her head as a car door slammed outside. “And here they are, just in time for dinner.”

Beside him, Mercy tensed.

Beside her, Farrah soothed. “It’ll be okay, Merce.”

“I know.” But she sounded uncertain. Trembling, she stood as the front door was flung open and footsteps thundered across the foyer floor. She looked like she was facing a firing squad, and Rafe didn’t know how to help her.

“Rafe?” Gideon called out. “Where is she?”

“In here, Gideon,” Irina called. “In the kitchen.”

Hesitantly, Rafe stood and offered his hand, genuinely surprised when Mercy took it, squeezing hard. “He loves you so much,” he murmured into her ear. “It will be okay.”

Her nod was shaky, her grip becoming punishing as Gideon appeared in the doorway.

Her brother came to an abrupt halt, staring at her from haggard eyes. “Mercy,” he whispered hoarsely. “You came back.”