“Oh yeah, I’m gonna build a bigger house next to Dalton’s and fill it up with a bunch of babies for Gran to spoil.”
Wes almost spit out his sip of sweet tea.“Babies?”
“Well I gotta marry her first, but then lots of babies.”
“Levi Hart, get up off my clean floor and wash up.Our dinner will get cold,” Gran said as she sauntered into the kitchen in furry-lined purple shoes, the kind all the young kids wore.
“It’s cold because Wes is late!”Levi said, getting up on his knees, still holding two beers.
“I like those shoes, Gran,” Wes said, and gave her a big hug.
“Thank you, honey.Missy got them for me.They’re so warm.You know you still have some gifts under the tree.Don’t think you’re going to get off too easily missing Christmas and New Year’s, just because your brother is being a baby and sucking all the attention.”
Missy walked in just in time to find Levi still on his knees.
“Baby, please defend me.Wes is getting all the credit, and I did all the work today.”
Missy’s eyes lit up and she stepped into Levi’s arms for a big hug.“You’re always going to be my hero.And I’ll even let you get first dibs on buying the new pieces I painted today.”
“Finally, someone who appreciates me.”
“Wesley, why don’t you help me make these plates and tell us about how it is that Ms.Shelby Bell Shepherd ended up sleeping in your bed during the blizzard,” Gran said.
Levi whistled low and Missy just tried to hide a grin.
“Gran, I told you, she got her truck stuck in a ditch, the blizzard closed all the roads, the inn was full, and so was the jail cell.So I let her crash on my couch.”
“You did not make that woman sleep on your couch?”Levi said laughing.
“No.”Wes knew it was better if he avoided talking about the sleeping arrangements.
They all sat at the table with heaping plates of collard greens, mashed potatoes, roast, and fresh biscuits.Wes had just taken a big bite of mashed potatoes, savoring the buttery garlic goodness and the first hot meal he’d had all day when Levi started acting up.
“So did you sleep with her?”Levi said.
Before Gran could get to him, Missy jabbed his side with her elbow.
“I’m just asking what everyone is thinking,” Levi said, taking a big bite of his own pile of potatoes.
“Gran, I’m going over to Mr.Shepherd’s tomorrow to fix the railing on his deck and he mentioned how you make the best peach pie he’s ever had.”
“Such a nice man, unlike his children.You can take him over that pie I just made today,” she said pointing to one of the three pies cooling on the kitchen counter.“How is Zeke doing?”
Wes could tell his gran was fishing and she’d probably heard Mr.Shepherd was at the hospital.
“He broke his hand in a fall, and it looks like maybe he’s going to need his granddaughter to find someone to help keep a closer eye on him.”
Gran tsked her lips.“It’s not as if he doesn’t have two children and five grandchildren who could do that.”
“I think that’s why Shelby’s in town.He called her and asked her to come home for a visit.”He set down his fork.“Do you know why she doesn’t get along with her family?It sounds like she left after high school and stayed gone,” Wes said, trying not to sound so interested.
“You should have asked her during pillow talk,” Levi said with a laugh.
Wes just gave him the stare he gave people who tried to test him, right before he had to put them in handcuffs.
“Oh man you’ve got the hots for Shelby Shepherd, the bad girl of Sandy Point, and her dad is like your archnemesis.This is an outstanding development,” Levi said.“You know she always had a crush on you.”
“No, she didn’t,” Wes said, but his heart was in his throat.Was that true?
