Drew grinned. “Yep. They can barely look at each other now without shooting daggers. He was horrified when she threw her bag out the window of the bus and his mouse escaped. She had to go home and explain why her new bag was missing. I’m sure to this day Dad and Gigi think she made it up.”
“Do you know what happened to Lara Cooper?”
“Yes. That’s a sad case. She was pursuing a degree in horticulture and her father got cancer. By the time I knew about it, he was in palliative care and died here on the island. She came home to take over the nursery with her sister running the business side of it. Most days you can find her out on a lawnmower keeping everyone’s gardens looking trim.”
“Oh no. What a shame. She was very clever and so into her plants from what I remember.” April picked up a sugar packet and ran it through her fingers. “Is she going to continue her studies or is she home for good?”
“I don’t really know. I did hear that she’s being doing some work with some of the local farmers. Something to do with the types of seeds they use, that kind of thing. She’s a hit at the farmer’s markets with their plant seedling stall.”
“The island seems to have some very clever people.” She didn’t count herself among them. Not after all the mistakes she’d made.
“It does. Must be something in the air. Who else did you want to hear about?” Drew put his cup down and leaned back in his chair. A shaft of sun hit his hair, the different colors of gold glinting in the light.
“I don’t remember them all. They’ll all come to me eventually. Gail said she’d organize a catch up with some of the gang that came back.” They lingered over lunch, catching up on old friends.
“Sounds like Gail had a good idea. I don’t get out enough so it would be a good excuse to make the effort myself.”
“Great. I’ll call you when she gets back to me. Now I really should get back to work. Thanks for the coffee.” April stood up and waved to Roberto who was standing at his coffee machine. “Thanks, Roberto.”
Drew stood up and put his hand on the small of her back, guided her out to the pavement and together they walked back to work.
Chapter 8
The little boy’s feet slapping on the steps and his cries broke the quiet Sunday morning calm. “Drew, Drew, Gram and Pop are making Mom cry.” His face crumbled. “You have to come and help her.”
Atticus dropped his toast and stood up. “Let’s go. Leo, stay here with Gigi.”
Together they ran up the hill to the gingerbread house where April stood on her front porch. Her stricken face paled even further when she saw them arrive.
An old woman stood on the pathway and threw obscenities at her. “You ain’t good enough to raise them grandkids of mine. Women like you oughta be banned from having anything to do with children.”
“You’re a hussy, is what you are.” The unruly man with her joined in hurling his own tirade of abuse.
“Now, listen here folks. That’s enough of the shouting.” Atticus stood in front of them while Drew ran up to April.
“Who are they?”
“Rob’s parents.”
“Get out of our way. This is nothing to do with you.” The man pushed past Atticus and headed up the steps, but Atticus grabbed his arm, pulling him back onto the sidewalk.
“If you don’t leave right now, I’m calling the police in to remove you.”
Tilly hovered in the doorway, fear on her face. Drew put an arm around April’s shoulders and turned to the girl. “Go down to our house and stay with Gigi. I’ll be there in a minute, okay?”
She nodded her head, gaze still on the elderly couple. “Yes, Drew.” Then she ran down the path, avoided her grandparents, and disappeared from sight.
“You don’t know what you’re dealing with here.” The woman spat the words out. “Viscous creature she is, killed our boy and now she’s poisoning our grandchildren against us. She ought to be in jail.”
“Ma’am, I think its best you leave now.” Atticus tried to be patient and defuse the situation, but even Drew could see that wasn’t going to work.
“What you gonna do about it? This ain’t none of your business.” The man poked Atticus in the chest.
Drew jumped down the steps onto the path, wedged himself in front of his father, forcing the man back. “That was a mistake you’ll regret.” He pushed the angry couple down onto the road, step by step until there was a large gap between them, his father, and April. “Stay right there or I will make sure you regret it.”
Drew pulled out his phone and made a call, keeping his gaze on them. “Hey, Ben, Drew. Can you call up to the gingerbread house and convince a couple of abusive characters to leave April alone please?” He listened a moment. “Sure, thanks.” He slipped the phone in his pocket. “The police’ll be here in two minutes. That’s all the time you have to get out of here.”
“We’re not leaving until we get what we came for.” April’s mother-in-law grabbed her husband’s arm and pulled him away from Drew back up toward the house, but he kept between them and April.
April spoke to him. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea, Drew. They’ll make more of a fuss.” She held a hand around her stomach, the other up to her mouth as she watched them.
Atticus walked up the steps and stood beside her, a reassuring hand around her shoulder. “You haven’t seen Ben in action, darlin’. He’s changed a lot since he was school
