‘What are you doing here, anyway?’ Ray asked Nate.
Nate frowned. ‘I might ask you the same question.’
‘I came to help with the amber jewellery.’
Nate looked at him askance. ‘Oh, really,’ he said sarcastically, aware that it was a ruse. Ray found any excuse he could to see Sarah.
Ray raised his eyebrows, catching the sarcasm in his son’s voice. ‘Well, I don’t think you’re here to help either.’ He eyed the flowers and glanced over at Lili.
Lili felt her face flush when she realised that they must be for her. She had felt that this could be a fresh start, a new beginning, when Nate had convinced her to stay for the rest of the summer. But the reality of her situation and the untruths she’d let remain soon resurfaced and burst that bubble.He was still under the impression that she was a single parent, like him.
Then there was the other thing. Lili fingered the ring she wore on a chain around her neck. It was the only item, apart from the clothes she’d been wearing, that had been in her possession back when she was found alone on the beach in Corfu. It was Maisie who had spotted that Joseph had a ring just like it. Lili wanted to discover why Joseph had the same ring. Was it just a coincidence? Were they ten a penny? Had Joseph holidayed on Corfu once, and had the rings been something you could buy from any street vendor? Lili’s ring had an inscription on the inside of the band. Did Joseph’s have one too? Lili had yet to speak to him and find out.
Nate walked up to Lili and held out the bunch of flowers. Her face turned crimson; this was not what she had expected when she’d agreed to stay.
She was just reaching for the flowers when the door opened again, and Mabel and Marjorie walked in. Lili had to restrain herself from rolling her eyes and sighing heavily. Of all the people to see her taking flowers from Nate, it had to be the resident gossip girls.
The widowed sisters who ran the charity shop in the yard were in their early eighties, and they adored a bit of scandal. Lili could see their eyes home in on the flowers that Nate was passing to her. Their timing couldn’t have been better. She saw them exchange a glance, smiling at one another. She knew everyone would hear about this and think that she and Nate were an item.
Sarah looked at the flowers and joked, ‘I hope you bought those in The Potting Shed, Nate.’
He rolled his eyes at his mother. ‘Yes, I purchased them in your shop. I still have the receipt if you want to check.’
‘That won’t be necessary.’
Ray took his place on a stool behind the counter at the back of the shop and picked up a necklace. He looked at the flowers, then at his son. ‘So, what’s all this in aid of?’
Lili cringed. Wasn’t that just like Ray? Direct and to the point. She saw Mabel and Marjorie exchange another glance before Marjorie said, ‘We’d like to stick around and help out making the amber necklaces.’
Lili glanced at them. She knew that wasn’t the only reason they wanted to stay. She caught them looking at Nate as they walked over to the counter.