She set down the last bite of her sandwich and brushed her hands together to get rid of the crumbs.
“I’m not sure.I haven’t spent much time around any kids, but they seem like a lot of work.I definitely wouldn’t want to have them just to have staff to raise them.”
He leaned against the kitchen counter next to her.“How did you start writing books for middle-grade kids?”
Now a big smile lit up her face.“I learned the love of reading that summer Pops got all the horses.I would ride my bike here after school, help with the horses, then have lunch with Pops and we would sit in his library together.He’d tell me stories about his adventures as a young boy on his first boat.Then how he started his boating business.He invested everything he had into one beautiful sailboat and started with charters and expanded from there.”
“So the main character in your series, that’s Pops?”
She smiled.“Basically, with some creative liberties.”
“You’re lucky you found your calling at such a young age.”
“I guess I am, although I didn’t know it at the time.When I left home for college, I had to waitress for years, because I didn’t want to accept a dime of my father’s money.I had the student loans to prove it.”
“And then your books struck gold for you?”
“Yep, I always knew I could ask Pops for help if I needed it.But I was pretty stubborn about it.I think that might be why he left me everything.He knew I spent time with him because I loved him, I wanted to learn from him.”Her voice pitched as a rush of emotion caught up to her.“I needed to make my own way.”
Wes moved to stand between her knees and pulled her in for a big hug.
“He respected your independence.I’m sorry he’s gone.”
She nodded and buried her face in his neck, wrapping her arms around his neck.
“I can’t stay here, in Sandy Point, in Pops’s house.”
His stomach clenched.“Because of your family?”
“In Atlanta there’s no family feud.I’m not the outcast, or the black sheep, or unwanted.There’s no hostility or town gossip about the girl whose family can’t stand her.I’m just me; I blend in.You know?”
“Or do you mean you can hide?”
She reared back.
“In a big city you’re just one of the many.But here you’re a Shepherd, you’re Pops’s granddaughter, and people recognize your family name.But you’ve never been Shelby the author, or my girlfriend.Maybe you could be a different version of yourself now.The real you.”
“Girlfriend?”
He slowly cupped her jaw in one hand and ran his thumb over her bottom lip.
“I’ve agreed to sneak around and keep it quiet because you wanted me to, but I would much rather just claim you.Who cares what your family thinks?They have no hold on you.”
“But they’ll lump you in with me and go against you for sheriff.”
“So let them—they already don’t support me for sheriff.But honestly I’m not sure I want to be sheriff.I fell into this job after my folks died.”
“What else would you do?”
“I’m not sure.”
“So we’re both at a crossroads, not exactly the best time to start a relationship.”
He laughed.“No we didn’t start off on the best foot, did we?But there is something between us—you have to admit you feel it.”
She nodded.“Of course I feel it.I’m still processing the fact that my high school crush is half naked in my grandparents’ house, and I think he just said he has feelings for me.”
“I do have feelings for you.”
