“Well, Doc, if you’re going to tell me I’m getting old, I’ll save you the trouble,” Zeke said, his blue eyes shining with mischief.
“I’ll let you all talk, and I’ll see you out at the house later,” Wes said, hating that he needed to bow out and let them all talk.
But once he exited the hospital, he decided he better drive on out to the Shepherd house now and see if he could help clear some of the walking paths.The plows had cleared the street leading out to the old Shepherd house, which sat on about five acres on the edge of town near the lighthouse.It was along the rocky side of the coastline and on the opposite side of town from Wes’s family land along the beach.He didn’t expect to find the driveway and front path entirely cleared of snow and salted.But when he went around back the deck and stairs were still covered, so he started clearing it and noted how shaky the railing was.
As he waited for Shelby to arrive back with her grandfather, he wondered what her brother meant about her needing to use food stamps and how long she planned to stay in town.She was definitely going to be trouble, but he’d already decided he liked her kind of trouble.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Shelby
Thinking ’Bout Me
After she andDoctor Hart had a serious conversation with her pops about making some changes, she ran to the town market to get some fresh groceries.Then picked up a few sandwiches to go from the diner and headed back to the hospital to take Pops home.He’d been sleeping and she hated to wake him up but needed to get them back to the house so she could start on the laundry.Her grandfather had hardly been keeping up with house chores before he broke his hand, now he was definitely not capable.
“I’m sorry I’ve caused you so much work today, Shelby,” he said as they pulled into his driveway that she’d spent an hour shoveling when she first arrived.
“Pops, helping you out is not work.You know that.Was it work when you taught me to fish, or about literature, or how to sail?”
“Well now you did have a tough time with the concept of tides.”
“I was seven.”
They both laughed.
“Uh-oh, looks like the sheriff is next in line.I wonder if he’s really eager to do my long list of chores, or if there is some other reason he’s here,” Pops said, giving her a sideways glance before he unbuckled his seat belt.
“He got to witness me and Samuel arguing earlier, so he’s probably just worried I’ve rolled into town to cause trouble.”
“Not my Shelby Bell, she’s an angel,” Pops said, and they both exited the truck.
Wes was by the passenger side door before Shelby could worry about her grandfather losing his footing again, but Pops waved him off.
“I’m alright, Sheriff, but you can bring in those groceries my girl picked up.”
Shelby carried their sandwiches and grabbed one of the grocery bags from the back seat of her truck, but Wes was quick to grab the other two.
“I was going to help shovel the front path but found it was already taken care of.”
“I spent the first hour doing that and then discovered Pops was nursing his hand.Samuel showed up right after I got him to admit he’d hurt himself in a recent fall,” she said in a whisper, as they all walked up the flat path to the front door.
“Pops, why don’t you have a seat in your chair, and I’ll bring you some tea and this sandwich on a plate, with some fruit.”
“Careful, Shelby Bell, I won’t let you leave if you spoil me.”
“Deal,” she said over her shoulder as she led Wes into the kitchen.
The sink was full, the trash needed to be taken out and the floors needed a good scrubbing.
“Looks like you could use some help inside too.”
“I doubt the city pays you to clean houses.I appreciate you checking on Pops.”
Wes had set the groceries on the kitchen island and stood now with his legs spread wide and his arms over his chest.
“If you think we’re going to pretend I didn’t hear what your brother said to you, you’re wrong.”
“It’s not really any of your business.”
