* * *
Two hours later, when the early morning commuters and townsfolk had come and gone, and the tourists hadn’t yet arrived, Lizzie took the opportunity to check her phone. There was a text from Gabby saying that Coretta was up and hanging out washing in her yard.
After checking with Yvonne, Lizzie left the almost-empty café, and made her way back to Gabby’s, smiling as she heard the kids shrieking in the backyard. The sun was shining and Gabby’s garden was in full bloom. Bypassing the house, Lizzie marched determinedly up the path and knocked on Coretta’s door. It took quite a while before it opened. Lizzie had to act quickly when Coretta realized who it was and tried to slam it shut again.
“I need to talk to you,” Lizzie said politely.
“I have nothing to say,” Coretta replied through the narrow gap in the door.
“If you won’t speak to me I’m going to ask the sheriff whether it’s legal for you to be taking pictures of my child without my permission.”
“He’s not just your child.”
“I am well aware of that.” Lizzie held on to her patience. “If you want to meet Roman, that’s great. I’ve offered to introduce you to him several times, but you’ve brushed me off. I think it would be good for him to know he has a relative right here in Morgantown.”
“After what you did to poor Ray?” Coretta sniffed. “I don’t believe that for a second.”
“What I did?” Lizzie blew out a calming breath. “Okay, if you want to have a relationship with your great-great-nephew, then come and find me at the coffee shop and we can discuss it. If you don’t want to do that, please stop spying on him. It’s creepy, and wrong, and if you keep it up, I’ll talk to Nate about how to stop you.”
Coretta put all her weight behind the door and finally succeeded in shutting it in Lizzie’s face.
“So much for being nice,” Lizzie muttered. She didn’t get it. If Coretta wanted to get to know Roman, she was all for it. Just because Ray had behaved like a complete jerk didn’t mean that the rest of his family had to be jerks, too.
Except that they all had been jerks to her and worse . . . cutting her off, refusing to give her the chance to talk to them, totally believing whatever bullshit story Ray had cooked up to explain leaving her high and dry. She wasn’t the same person now. Having a child had helped her grow up fast. She would do anything to protect her son from harm.
Aware from the twitch of the faded curtains that Coretta was now spying on her, Lizzie turned around, and went back toward the café. She’d check in with Gabby at the end of the day. If Coretta still didn’t get it, she would speak to Nate. Maybe if the sheriff had a word with the old woman, she’d finally listen.
Lizzie was almost at the door of the café before it occurred to her to wonder why Coretta was taking photos, and if she was sharing them. Did anyone on Ray’s side of the family care about the little boy they’d never bothered to meet, or was Coretta just taking them for herself?
Stifling a sigh, Lizzie went into the kitchen, washed her hands, and went back out to the front of the shop where Yvonne was busy serving a customer. Her boss saw her and smiled.
“That was quick!”
“Thanks for holding the fort for me.” Lizzie tied on her apron. “Has it been busy?”
“Not really. Just Jackson Lymond buying pastries for Daisy.” Yvonne sighed. “They are so in love. . . .”
Lizzie couldn’t help but smile when she thought about the couple who often had lunch at the café, and had no problem airing their grievances in front of an audience. Daisy Miller deserved the best, and Jackson seemed determined to prove she’d found the right man.
Yvonne signed off the cash register and lingered by the glass display cases, straightening up the regimented rows of pastries and cakes with the eagle eye of a French patisserie owner.
“I wanted to ask if you’d take charge this coming Saturday?” Yvonne finally turned to Lizzie.
“If I can get someone to take care of Roman, sure.” Lizzie never minded extra hours. “Are you off somewhere?”
“Well, yes, and no.” Yvonne made a face. “Rio wants to look at some land in Morgan Valley.”