Shelby whipped out the tablecloth and let it drop over the picnic table. The July heat was made bearable by a gentle breeze—which also carried the savory scent of grilling burgers. Her stomach gave a hearty rumble. “How’s it going over there?”
Her husband had his hands full with the meat and with Shadow, who danced around his feet, whining pitifully. “Another fifteen minutes or so. Your family on their way?”
“They’ll arrive any minute now.” Smoke rose from the grill, dissipating into the air.
She focused on the man behind the grill. He wore theCaution: Extremely Hotapron she’d given him on Valentine’s Day. The same night he’d surprised her with a heartfelt proposal and a brilliant solitaire diamond. The memory washed over her along with all the love it conjured. She went to him and wrapped her arms around his middle. Pressed her cheek against his back.
He set down the spatula and set his arms over hers. “Well, this is nice.”
“It was the apron.”
“It reminded you I’m hot?”
She chuckled. “It reminded me of your proposal.” That February day had dawned sunny and unseasonably warm. He’d taken her on a picnic to the park where they’d met so many times as teenagers. Shelbycould’ve fainted dead away when he dropped to one knee in the big white gazebo.
Three months later they married in a small church wedding. They’d already waited years to be together and didn’t see the point of wasting any more time. It was an intimate ceremony, just family and close friends. Gray’s dad sent a very nice note of congratulations.
Gray still made the trip once a month to see him, and sometimes Shelby went along too. He was up for parole again next spring and Gray hoped he’d be released—though they all agreed it would be wise for him to settle near his cousins in Chattanooga.
Gray turned from the grill and cradled her face, gazing down at her. There had been something new and fresh about his appearance since that town hall meeting. He was at peace. It was a great look on him. In the town where Gray was once rejected, he’d found acceptance and community. She was proud of her town for recognizing their prejudice and proud of Gray for his spirit of forgiveness.
“No regrets about the simple wedding?” he asked.
“It was a perfect day. I just wanted to be married to you. And here we are.” So content with their new life together. So happy.
After the wedding they’d spent two nights in downtown Charlotte. They were planning to take a longer honeymoon on their first anniversary—Shelby hadn’t felt comfortable leaving the bookshop just yet. It was a topic they’d dreamed about over the winter though.
“Jamaica?” he said as if reading her mind.
“Hmm. Too tropical.”
“Tropical sounded pretty great in February.”
“But now it’s July and tropical sounds miserable.”
“Alaska?”
“Too cold.”
“Anybody home?” Dad came around the side of the house, Ollie in his arms.
Gray greeted his father-in-law as Shelby eased from his arms.
“Hi, Dad.” She offered him a hug, then stole Ollie away. Their sweet baby nephew would turn one next month. He was already a crawling machine. “Where are Caleb and Liddy?”
“They’re in the kitchen warming something up.”
Dad joined Gray at the grill while Shelby carried Ollie down to the shoreline so he could see the ducks. A few minutes later Caleb and Liddy joined them, and they all exchanged hugs on the patio.
It did Shelby’s heart good to see the way Caleb and her dad’s relationship had thrived since he’d moved home. They’d worked on Gram’s old house together over the winter: replacing the furnace and adding a half bath. Gray had pitched in when he could.
And Dad had bought that lakeview painting Caleb had created in his backyard—it was his very first gallery sale at Muse and Masterpiece. The work of art hung right over Dad’s fireplace.
Shelby set Ollie down and he immediately crawled toward the grass. “Good thing you put him in pants,” she said to Liddy.
“Now if we can just keep him off the pier.”
Shadow trotted over to the baby and stopped short, sniffing Ollie’s face.
