“Sure. It’s not that big a deal.”
“Do you like your job?” She always thought he’d own a business someday. He’d talked about it a lot, wearing a dogged expression. He’d always had something to prove. To whom, she wasn’t sure. Maybe just himself.
“Love it. The owners, Gavin and Wes, are good people. Run a solid business. I feel like I contribute something worthwhile. And they’ve hinted there’s opportunity for ownership there eventually.”
“And this leave of absence isn’t going to wreck that for you?”
“Nah, I’ve worked there long enough, built up some trust. The respect goes both ways.”
She was so glad for that. Gray deserved respect and trust—something he’d had precious little of here in Grandville. And even though he had little regard for the townspeople, he’d never forgotten her grandmother. She’d thought about that over the years. Mostly when Gram mentioned hearing from him.
“Thank you for keeping in touch with Gram. It meant a lot to her.”
“I think it was more her keeping in touch with me.”
Shelby happened to know he’d written regular letters. How many men his age cared enough to keep in contact with an elderly woman? “She missed your grandma so much.”
“They were quite the pair, those two. Miss Viola always pulling Granny into some crazy activity or event. Forcing her out of her comfort zone.”
“And Miss Dorothy always keeping Gram level. They were a good match. I can’t imagine having a friend for fifty years, through all of life’s ups and downs. What a gift.”
He made some noncommittal noise. Did Gray have a friend back home? He’d always had such high walls. She hoped he wasn’t quite the lone wolf he’d been in high school. Or maybe he wasn’t a lone wolf at all. Maybe it was just a protective mechanism—reject others before they could reject him. She ached at the thought.
Since he’d returned to town he’d met up with Patrick Ballard a few times. That realization soothed the ache. Life was hard enough without good friends to hold you up. To cheer you on. Everyone needed a safe place to land, and Patrick was as loyal and as stable as they came.
Though Shelby still kept in touch with friends from high school, Liddy was her safe place. Shelby had known from the first time Caleb brought her home that she was something special. Those trips Shelby had taken to New York were as much to see Liddy as Caleb—and now sweet little Ollie.
How would Shelby manage those trips now that the store was her responsibility? She had dependable booksellers on staff but no one suitable for management. Janet would be great, but she didn’t want more responsibility. Zuri had potential, but she was only part time. And once she graduated she’d be off to bigger and better things.
“What are you thinking about over there?” The darkness seemed to call attention to Gray’s deep voice.
“The store. Gram made it all look so easy.” But she hadn’t exactly been on top of things, had she?
“You have a big role in the business. It was a shared responsibility.”
And now she was in it alone when even Gram hadn’t been able to make it work. How was Shelby going to manage on her own?
“I can hear you worrying from over here. Have some faith. Businesses go through tough spells. You’re doing all the right things to turn it around.”
“Hope you’re right.”
She’d finally submitted to his training her on Gram’s end of the business. And while inputting inventory and bookkeeping wasn’t really her thing, she was capable of doing it. She just couldn’t perform both their jobs, and she’d been putting off hiring someone since Gray was helping. She should probably resume looking though. He’d only be here for another month and a half.
The thought caught her in the heart.
No, not the heart. She was just worried about managing without him. Even if they were able to get the business back on track, would she be able to keep it steady month after month, year after year? It felt like a daunting task. And a lonely one without Gram around, singing off-key. Shelby’s throat swelled at the thought.
I miss you so much, Gram. I thought you’d be here forever.
“Nobody lasts forever, Sweet Girl. You’ll be just fine on your own.”
The backs of her eyes stung and she blinked back tears. Gram had always believed in her. Why was she having such a hard time believing in herself?
She wasn’t sure how much time had passed when Gray spoke again. “Why don’t you check your phone again?”
The breeze had picked up and she could tell by the lights on the shore that they’d drifted a bit more. She waited for her phone to power up and zeroed in on the upper left corner. “I have a bar!” She tapped on Favorites. Dad put his phone in sleep mode after nine, and it was later than that.
Caleb it is.
