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can take it down to Jess. She’s going to reupholster it for me.”
    â€œAnd did you?”
    I nodded, reaching for my wineglass.
    â€œGood,” Liz said. “Then there’s no reason to get up with the chickens tomorrow morning.”
    â€œExcept I have to pick up five dozen rolls for the hot-lunch program at the school first thing in the morning.” I held up a finger. “Remind Avery that I’m picking her up early, too. She’s going to help atthe school, since she doesn’t have any classes herself tomorrow.”
    â€œI’ll remind her,” Liz said. “When you consider what tuition costs at that private school of hers, you’d think they’d be in classes a little more often.”
    I didn’t say anything. I just looked at her across the table.
    She set her cup down. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to make a speech about how in my day I walked four miles to school barefoot through six feet of snow, uphill both ways.”
    â€œI thought it was five miles,” I said, raising an eyebrow at her.
    Liz grinned. “Maybe if I’m lucky Avery won’t have time to make me one of those hideous green-juice concoctions for my breakfast.” Her blue eyes narrowed, she tipped her head to one side and looked thoughtfully at me.
    I shook my head. “Don’t even think about sending that child out to my car with some kind of organic kale smoothie,” I warned, “or Rose won’t be the only one you’ll have to watch around your pillows!”
    Liz laughed. She had a great laugh, smoky and husky, and it made me glad all over again that I’d decided to come back to North Harbor after my radio career had gotten derailed.
    We finished the meal talking about my grandmother and John and the house-building project they were working on in New Orleans. We both passed on dessert.
    â€œWhere are you parked?” I asked when we stepped out on to the sidewalk in front of The Black Bear.
    Liz pointed down the street.
    â€œI’ll walk you down,” I said, hooking my arm through hers.
    She stuck out her foot in a black leather ankle boot with a two-inch spike heel. “Are you suggesting I can’t walk in these? Or are you afraid I’m too decrepit to make it on my own?” she teased.
    â€œMaybe I’m afraid I’m too decrepit to make it to the corner,” I countered.
    As we came level with Lily’s Bakery, I caught sight of Lily inside, wiping down the top of a small round table by the front window. And she caught sight of us.
Don’t come out,
I thought. But she dropped the cloth on the table and headed for the front door. I let out a breath, and Liz patted my arm with a gloved hand.
    â€œIt’s all right, Sarah,” she said softly.
    Lily stepped in front of us on the sidewalk, blocking our way. Her dark-brown eyes flashed with anger, and the color was high in her cheeks.
    â€œYou had no right to try to do an end run around me by going to my mother,” she said to Liz, her normally soft voice laced with anger. Her long brown hair was pulled up in a high ponytail. She didn’t have a jacket on, only a white-and-blue-plaid shirt over a thermal tee and jeans, but she didn’t seem to notice the cold.
    â€œYou’re right,” Liz said in a calm, steady voice. “And I’m sorry.”
    â€œThat doesn’t change anything,” Lily said. Her hands were clenched into fists at her sides. “I’m not selling. Stop pressuring me. Stop hassling me. And stay the hell out of my business!” She turned and disappeared back into the bakery.
    I felt a tremor go through Liz’s arm and I didn’t think it was due to the cold.
    â€œI’ve never seen Lily that angry,” I said.
    Liz swallowed and looked back over her shoulder at the little shop as we started walking toward the car again. “Neither have I,” she said. “I should have known Caroline