It was cooler inside. Darker too. The blinds stayed closed these days. Liza J said it was so no one could snoop on her business. But I knew the truth and I didn’t blame her for it.
“Quit your hollerin’，” a voice came from the direction of the kitchen. “What’s the matter with you? Your mama raise you in a barn?”
“No, but our grandma did,” Nash called back.
Elizabeth Jane Persimmon, all five feet one inch of her, clomped out to greet us. She wore her hair cut short around her face as she had for as long as I could remember. Never missed a trim. Her rubber gardening clogs squeaked on the floor. She was in her typical uniform of cargo pants and a blue t-shirt. She wore the same thing nearly every day. If it was hot, she wore the pants with the zippered legs. If it was cold, she added a sweatshirt in the same color as the tee.
“Shoulda drowned you in the creek when I had the chance,” she said, stopping in front of us and crossing her arms expectantly.
“Liza J.” Nash dutifully pressed a kiss to her cheek.
I repeated the greeting.
She nodded her satisfaction. Warm and fuzzy time was over. “So, what the hell kind of mess did you bring me?” Her gaze slid to Naomi and Waylay, who were being skeptically sniffed by the dogs.
Kitty broke first and headbutted Naomi in the legs in a bid for affection. Waylon, not to be left out, muscled his way in, knocking her off balance. I reached out, but Nash got there first and steadied her.
“Put the disaster dogs out. Let ’em run off the devil for a bit,” Liza J ordered.
Nash let go of Naomi and opened the front door. Three streaks of fur took off.
“Liza J, this is Naomi and her niece, Waylay,” I said. “They’ll be staying at the cottage.”
“They will, will they?”
She didn’t like being told what to do any more than I did. Neither one of us ever understood why Nash had gone all law and order. “Unless of course you want to throw them out on the street,” I added.
“I remembered where I know you from,” my grandmother announced, peering at Waylay through her bifocals. “Been buggin’ me since I dropped off the bikes. You fixed my iPad at the library.”
“You did?” Naomi asked the girl.
Waylay shrugged, looking embarrassed. “I go in there sometimes. And sometimes old folks have me fix stuff.”
“And you look like that one’s trouble-making mother.” Liza J pointed at Naomi.
“That would be my sister,” she said, smiling weakly.
“Twins,” I interjected.
Naomi held out the bouquet. “We brought you flowers and cookies to thank you for inviting us to dinner.”
“Flowers, cookies, and two bleeding men,” Liza J observed. “Might as well come on back. Dinner’s about done.”
“About done” in Liza J’s house meant she hadn’t started it yet.
We trooped into the kitchen, where all the fixings for sloppy joes and salad awaited.
“Meat,” I called.
“Salad,” Nash conceded.
“Not before you both clean yourselves up,” Liza J said, pointing to the kitchen sink.
Nash did as he was told and turned on the water. I headed to the fridge and cracked open a beer first.
“Got some treats from the bakery today,” Liza J said. She looked at Waylay, who was eyeing the salad ingredients with suspicion. “Why don’t you put ’em on a plate with whatever cookies my grandsons didn’t eat and maybe taste a couple to make sure they’re fit for eatin’。”
“Cool,” Waylay said, making a beeline for the bakery box on the counter.
I peered over the kid’s shoulder and helped myself to a lemon cookie. My favorite.
“I’ll get the wine,” Liza J said. “You look like you know your way around a wine opener.”
She was addressing Naomi, who looked like she couldn’t decide if it was a compliment or a judgment.
“Go on,” I told her when Liza J headed out of the room.
She took a step closer, and I caught the scent of lavender. “Do not under any circumstances start another fight in front of my niece,” she hissed.
“Can’t promise anything.”
If eyes could shoot actual fire, I would have had a need to regrow my eyebrows.
“Chief, I trust you can keep the order for a few minutes,” she said.
Nash flashed her one of his stupid charming grins. “You can count on me.”
“Kiss-ass,” I coughed into my fist.
Waylay snickered.