“She sure would’ve loved this beautiful October day...”
“What’ll happen to the bookshop? I do hope Shelby keeps it open. What would Grandville be without it?”
Shelby’s eyes caught on Caleb near the entry and she made a beeline for him. Her big brother was handsome in a trendy navy suit. He wore his wavy dark blond hair longer these days, and paired with artsy glasses and a casual scarf, he looked every inch the creative.
Currently, though, he was doing daddy duty with his fussy infant. Oliver was the most beautiful two-month-old on the planet. He had fine dark hair, a button nose, and wide brown eyes just like Caleb’s.
She reached for the baby. “Give me that precious thing.”
“He’s fighting his nap.”
“Aunt Shelby will get him right to sleep.” She snuggled the baby in her arms, bouncing him gently, savoring the sweetness of new life. Just what she needed right now. Plus, she sensed her brother was struggling.
A couple from church arrived, and Caleb and Shelby accepted their condolences before they moved toward the kitchen.
“Where’s your wife?” Shelby asked her brother.
“In the kitchen with the food. Where’s Logan?”
“Something came up at work.” He’d wanted to stay but she encouraged him to go. She needed to support her family today and run interference between Caleb and Dad. Logan’s good intentions sometimes rendered him clingy.
“Have you talked to Dad yet?” she asked.
“Of course.”
Shelby gave him a pointed look. “I mean really talked.”
“Real talks between the two of us don’t go very well, as you might remember.”
“He misses you.”
“Yeah, I could tell by his warm greeting yesterday.”
“Well, you haven’t been home in almost a year, Caleb. And you’re not exactly the best about staying in touch.”
“I’ve been busy with my work.” No more had the words left his mouth than sadness crept into his eyes. His Adam’s apple dipped. He took a long drink from a water bottle, then his gaze locked on Shelby. “Gram wrote me last month. I never wrote back. I meant to—I just hadn’t gotten around to it.”
Shelby’s heart softened at the rough texture of his voice. “Aw, Caleb. She knew you were busy. And she knew you loved her. She was so proud of all your success. She hung that painting you sent for her birthday in the bookshop. It’s right behind the register where everyone can see it.”
He blinked away tears. “I know she was proud of me. I just wish I’d appreciated her more when she was here. I’m a little envious of all the time you had with her.”
Shelby was grateful for all that time with Gram, but it hadn’t been without its frustrations. Her grandmother hadn’t exactly been open to new ideas. She had her own way of doing things, and they didn’t always jibe with Shelby’s. But it was Gram’s bookshop.
Had been.
The thought caught in her throat. “Dad’s on the porch. You should go talk to him. He needs his family right now.”
“I doubt that includes me.”
Shelby rolled her eyes. “Of course it does.”
“I never realized how much of a buffer Gram was for Dad and me. She had a way of bringing us together and keeping things calm. I sure do feel her absence.”
Seven years ago Caleb had dropped out of college and run off to New York to become an artist. The news didn’t sit well with Dad, who thought Caleb would be following in his footsteps into academia—Dad was an English professor at Grandville University. The sudden shift inplans had caught them all off guard. And the switch to the competitive world of art... ? Let’s just say Shelby had her own doubts. Her brother was very talented, but how many artists actually managed to eke out a living with their paintings?
To his credit, Caleb managed to make something of himself. He wasn’t selling million-dollar projects, but he was regularly featured in galleries and selling well enough to support himself and Liddy, who now stayed home with Oliver.
His success had done nothing to soften their dad’s heart, however.
