Not Quite Dead (A Lowcountry Mystery)

Chapter Twenty

The coffee shop is packed, as usual. Leo's nowhere to be seen outside, which disappoints me. I kind of wanted to see how he's doing, and ask about getting together before Amelia goes back to Charleston. She'll be delighted at us starting a friendship now, after all those years pretending to battle 24-7.

The sight of the two of them at a table in front of the windows ruins the surprise but gives me pleasure all the same.

"Hey."

They look up, Amelia's green eyes sparkling and Leo breaking into a smile.

"Hey, Graciela. Why didn't you tell me your beautiful and much-more-charming cousin was visiting?"

"I've been a little busy, Leo."

I don't mean it to come off rude, but his expression sobers in the blink of an eye. "I'm sorry about your Gramps. It was a great funeral. Exactly the way I'd want to go out, with a bunch of people talking about how much better I made their lives."

"Thanks." It's amazing that even though it's only been a week I can already accept those kinds of condolences without choking up. "I'm going to get a sandwich. Be right back."

The line moves quickly since the staff has plenty of practice catering to the crush of hungry people on their lunch breaks, and I'm back at the table with chicken salad on a croissant in fewer than ten minutes. I set down my raspberry iced tea and slide into the seat between Amelia and Leo, digging in while the sound of their catching up blends in with the twenty-three other conversations bouncing off the walls.

Leo stands up before my sandwich is half gone, offering an apologetic smile. "I've got to get back to work, I'm afraid, and then bring Marcella to story time. But let's get dinner before you leave, Amelia."

"Maybe we can join Grace on one of her dates with the mayor."

The pause grows uncomfortable, and Millie shoots me a glance that says she has no idea what she said wrong. I don't, either, but it's been clear since the first day I saw Leo and Beau interact that there's some sort of weirdness between them.

"Maybe just the three of us," he amends finally, a small smile trying to undo the avoidance in his response.

He exits after gathering up assenting nods from Amelia and me, then she makes an awkward face in my direction. "What was that about?"

"I don't know. They don't like each other or something, but I keep forgetting to ask about it."

"Probably because you're too busy doing other things." Her teasing tone makes me snort, mostly because she sounds as though we're back in high school.

"It's not like that, at least not right now. I don't really know what he wants from me at the moment."

"I can tell you what he wants." She waggles her eyebrows and takes a bite of coleslaw. "Things have been awkward because of Gramps being sick and then passing. Mayor Drayton's had to play the supportive friend part, but the guy wants the starring role. I'm positive."

"I don't know."

Beau likes me, and he's attracted to me—I haven't been out of the game long enough to argue against either of those statements. But whether or not I'm the kind of girl he could ever take public remains to be seen.

"I saw him pick you up on the street this morning. Why don't you let him get you at the house instead of sneaking around?"

It's the second time today someone's accused me of sneaking around. Sheesh. "I'm not asking him for rides. He kind of keeps appearing out of thin air."