Page 54 of The Spotted Cottage By the Sea
“Wait! Should we delete the S? Maybe sign it ‘Lottie’s Old Friend?’”
“Too late.” Eliza put her hands up. “It’s gone! Off into the world!”
Her mom puffed out her cheeks. “All right. I guess that’s that. We’ll see what they say. I’m betting they won’t even respond.”
“Then what are we going to do?”
She frowned. “I don’t know yet. Anyway. Should I get Granny up here?”
“Yes!” Eliza closed the burner email and pulled up the tea shop’s new website. She couldn’t wait to show off all the work she’d done. “We can debut the website first because she’ll be less impressed with that, even though it tookwaylonger to do. Then we can show her the actual tea shop.”
As if on cue, Granny appeared in the doorway. “Who are those men outside?”
Eliza made a face of mock horror. “The Funland people must’ve tracked us down!”
“You assured me we’d be safe!” Her mom walked to the window and peered through the curtains. “Their truck says Lucky Island Contracting.”
Granny threw the window open and stuck her head out. “Excuse me! Excuse me!”
It took a moment for the man who’d just stepped out of the truck to realize where the yelling was coming from. When he spotted Granny in the window, he smiled and waved. “Hello, ma’am. Are you the homeowner?”
“Yes, I am. Who are you?”
“I’m with Lucky Island Contracting.” He glanced down at his clipboard. “We’re here to redo the paint, siding, and roofs on both existing structures.”
“I didn’t call anyone,” Granny yelled. “If you think you can scam an old lady –”
“Your neighbor hired us. Russell Westwood.”
Granny turned around and lowered her voice. “Sheila, did you know about this?”
She shook her head. “He never mentioned it.”
Granny turned back to the window. “Well, you can go back to Russell Westwood’s house!”
“Sorry, ma’am. I’ve already been paid, and I’m an honest man. I have to do the work now.”
“The nerve of these contractors,” she said under her breath.
He went on. “I was warned you’d yell at me. Also, I believe I’m entitled to cookies?”
Granny let out huff. “For heaven’s sake. How did Russell know I’m making cookies?”
“Because you’re always making cookies,” Eliza said. “It’s a safe bet.” She stuck her head out the window. “Thanks for coming! Please carry on!”
“Eliza!” her mom scolded. “We can’t let Russell pay for this. It’s inappropriate.”
“Hey, if my new stepdad wants to keep me from climbing up a ladder and painting the side of the house, then I say let him.” Eliza paused, waiting for her mom to scold her again, but she was silent.
Instead, her eyes were focused on the laptop screen. “Why don’t you show Granny what you’ve been working on?”
Oh. Touchy subject. Eliza bit her lip. She hadn’t meant to cause trouble. It seemed like a funny joke after her mom had gone out to dinner with a celebrity.
“Yes, I can’t wait to see!” Granny said, leaning in.
Eliza forced a smile. “Okay. So, Granny, I know most of your business is during the summer when there are tourists on the island. I’m hoping to change that.” She clicked over to the page that listed each of their 103 teas – the white teas, the black teas, the green and oolong teas. The herbals and pu-erhs. “What I’ve done is make an online shop where you can sell tea and maybe do some cooking classes for our fans all over the world.”
“Do we have fans all over the world?” Granny asked, eyes wide.
