Jade fought the urge to cry. This was how it’d always been between her and GG. She knew when her granddaughter needed sage advice. She knew when she needed fun. She also knew when she was being a brat and deserved a kick in the patootie. She’d never forget the time GG had shown up in New York, walked into Jade’s room and announced no granddaughter of hers would ever be a snob or take her parents for granted.
Gravel crunching in the driveway brought her focus back to the here and now. She sidestepped the couch and walked along the edge of the room to the picture window. She lifted the curtain and peeked out.
Two vehicles had pulled in. One was parked out front, but the other was . . . backing up to the barn?
“Jade! You were raised better than to lurk from behind the window,” GG chided. “Do me a favor and grab two extra rolls of toilet paper out of the supply closet upstairs. The bathroom on the main floor is out.”
Five minutes later, Jade paused at the top of the stairs. The Mud Lilies were congregated inside the front entryway and they all looked up at her arrival on the scene.
Talk about being put on display.
GG waited at the bottom of the staircase, beaming. “Jade, honey, come down here and meet my friends.”
Plastering a smile in place, she started down the stairs. Nerves kicked in overtime and she fought the urge to giggle. Or to wave like a beauty queen. Or to throw her leg over the handrail and slide to the bottom.
None of GG’s friends said a word as she made her descent.
But once her foot hit that last stair tread, they were on her.
“Omigoodness, look at you! Aren’t you just the cutest thing ever?” a stylish redhead gushed. “Bernice. Look at her hair! Isn’t it gorgeous?”
A stout woman moved in next to the redhead. “It is pretty. A little more texture than I expected, but the color is exceptional.”
A tiny, birdlike woman floated closer. “Oh, sweetie. I love that you’re petite like I am.”
Jade didn’t point out that she had almost half a foot on her.
“Hush up, Tilda. She’s not that small.” A woman in an honest-to-god beret and olive green camo stepped forward. “Since none of them have bothered with formal introductions, it looks like it falls to me again. The redhead? Vivien. Next to her is Bernice. She’s interested in your hair because she owns a salon. You met Tilda the petite. Behind me is Maybelle. She’s the society reporter for the Muddy Gap Gazette so make sure to clarify that anything you don’t want in the paper is ‘off the record.’”
Jade peered around camo woman to the reporter. Was she wearing a . . . muumuu?
“And I’m Pearl,” camo/beret lady said in a booming voice.
“It’s so great to meet you all finally.”
Silence stretched as they studied her.
It felt like she was facing a firing squad.
“Would you like refreshments? GG made lemonade. If you’ll all have a seat—”
“We’re your granny’s BFFs so there’s no need to fuss over us,” Pearl said.
“Although it is appreciated,” Maybelle said. “But I believe Tilda is helping Garnet out in the kitchen today. That’ll free you up to spend some personal time with us.”
Jade looked to GG for guidance but she’d already disappeared into the kitchen with Tilda.
Vivien slipped her arm through Jade’s. “Garnet tells me you’ve been working in the garden quite a bit.”
“There’s such a variety of flowers and herbs. I could spend all day outside.”
“Let’s take a stroll out there, shall we? And see what you’ve been up to?”
She froze.
They knew about the pot plants. Maybe she’d been right all along; maybe the marijuana belonged to these women and not GG.
And now they knew that she knew about it.
Crap.
Vivien led her down the porch steps with Pearl, Bernice and Maybelle following close behind.
Were they taking her outside and away from GG to warn her to keep her mouth shut?
Maybe she could feign ignorance. Not everyone knew what marijuana plants looked like.
Set the stage now.
Jade faked a laugh. “I’ll admit that being a sheltered city slicker, I didn’t know what ninety-nine percent of the plants were.” There. That sounded plausible.
But Vivien didn’t steer her toward the gardens; they headed to the barn.
“This is making me a little nervous, ladies.”
“The only reason you should be nervous is if you’re feeling guilty about something,” Bernice said.
“No. She might be nervous if she’s got something to hide,” Pearl retorted.
Maybelle opened the barn door and Vivien shifted sideways to step through first.