Page 72 of A Vintage of Regret
"You don't look fine."
This time she did turn, and he was struck by how genuinely shaken she appeared. Gone was the polished, predatoryconfidence he'd come to expect from his ex-wife. In its place was something that looked almost like fear.
"Just leave it alone," she said, fumbling with her car keys. "Just leave me alone."
Before he could respond, she was in her car and pulling out of the lot with more speed than necessary.
When he returned to the cafe, Riley raised an eyebrow. "Well?"
"She's rattled. More than I've ever seen her. Even more than when I handed her a check and told her to go back to her maiden name." Bryson retook his seat, troubled by the interaction. "Monica's a lot of things, but she's not easily spooked. Whatever they asked her in there really got to her."
Another half hour passed before Elizabeth and Chad emerged from the station. Neither looked pleased. Elizabeth's mouth was a thin, hard line, and Chad's expression was that of a man who'd just been told he wasn't as clever as he thought.
Bryson enjoyed that last part. Chad's arrogance had always grated on him, and the way he treated Erin was inexcusable.
They watched through the window as Elizabeth and Chad had what appeared to be a heated conversation in the parking lot. Then, to everyone's surprise, they both headed toward the cafe.
"Oh, great," Erin muttered. "Here comes the drama."
Elizabeth pushed through the cafe door first, her heels clicking sharply against the tile floor. The entire restaurant seemed to hold its breath as she surveyed the room, her gaze landing on their table with the kind of calculated precision that suggested she'd known exactly where to find them.
She walked straight to Grant, stopping in front of him with a slow, deliberate shake of her head. "I warned you that morning," she said, her voice quivering with the kind of fake emotion thatmight have fooled someone who didn't know her. "I raised you better than this."
Grant stared up at her, something bitter sparking in his eyes, but he didn't respond. He just sat there, holding his mother's gaze without flinching.
Impressive, Bryson thought.
But Kelly, on the other hand, had clenched her fists, looking like she might explode. "You have some nerve, Elizabeth. My mother warned me about you. Told me what kind of woman you are and always reminded me to watch my back. If she didn't think my husband was the kindest, most loving man... well, she would have told me to run."
"Watch your tongue, young lady," Elizabeth said, taking a step back. "Are you threatening me in a room full of witnesses? In front of my lawyer? Tsk, tsk. Not a good idea."
Kelly jumped to her feet, but Grant was already up, curling his fingers around his wife's forearm. "Sweetheart, not the time or place. Ignore her."
Kelly eased back into her seat, holding onto Grant like he was a flotation device, and she was drowning.
Chad had been hanging back near the door, but now he stepped forward. "Elizabeth, maybe you should wait outside. I need to talk to Erin about representation."
"Leave," Erin said, her voice tight with controlled anger. "Your girlfriend is waiting in the car. I'm sure she needs your attention."
Chad's jaw tightened. "I'm here as your lawyer. You should be thanking me for?—"
"For what?" Her voice rose, drawing stares from other tables. "For coming home whenever it's convenient? For pretending to care about your family when you have other priorities? Do you even know where the kids and I spent last night?"
Chad moved toward her, reaching for her arm, but Grant was on his feet again in a flash. "Get your hands off my sister."
Bryson stood too, stepping closer. "Not my sister, but what he said."
"What are you two? Best friends all of a sudden?" With a scowl twisting his features, Chad glanced between them with what looked like fear behind his eyes.
"Maybe we are," Grant said. "Now leave, before we make you."
Harlan cleared his throat. "Gentlemen, perhaps we could lower our voices. We're in a public place."
For a long moment, Chad's gaze darted between Erin and the others, clearly calculating how much more humiliation he was willing to risk. Without another word, he strode toward the door, muttering something under his breath.
Elizabeth followed without so much as a glance over her shoulder.
Erin crumpled, tears streaming down her face. "I can't believe I stood up to him. I can't believe I told him off."
