Chapter 37
The next morning Shelby blinked at the standing easel Haley had left by the register. The store specials were spelled out
in a curly artistic font. There were chalk-drawn illustrations: a stack of books, Christmas ornaments, a garland draping across
the top. It was whimsical and beautiful!
She carried the sign over to where Gray and the other booksellers stood, including Haley. “Haley, this sign...”
The girl peered up at her. “Is it okay? Did I forget to add something?”
“It’s wonderful! I didn’t know you were so artistic.”
Her cheeks tinged with pink. “I like to draw in my free time.”
“Well, you’re officially in charge of the signs from now on.”
Haley beamed. “Really?”
“I want this easel out front every day. You can switch up the messages.”
“Maybe we could use quotes from books sometimes.”
“I love that idea.” Who knew the girl had such talent behind that quiet facade?
Shelby checked her watch. “All right, everyone. Let’s do this!” She carried the easel down the stairs and out the door. After
propping it at the entrance, she flipped the sign to Open. Let the games begin.
Black Friday was passing in a blur. It seemed everyone Shelby knew came into the store and made purchases.
For once, Haley’s favorite task, straightening the merchandise, was actually full-time work.
Gray stayed mostly in the background, but even so Shelby was supremely aware of his whereabouts at all times.
Caleb and Liddy stopped by with Ollie. Shelby had all of two minutes to admire the baby’s chubby cheeks and adorable grin.
Her dad came in the afternoon and purchased a newly released biography despite the fact that she’d always given books to her
family for free.
She’d have to tell them soon that she and Gray were together again. But she couldn’t think about that right now. She stopped
in the middle of the Fiction section and glanced around the shop. Theresa, Brenda, and Wanda assisted customers. Adele and
Zuri handled checkouts. Happy readers perused the shelves, pulling books, devouring cover copy. In the Children’s section,
kids sat in cozy chairs reading or played with toys on the fluffy rug while parents checked out the merchandise.
They’d always been busy on Black Friday, but not like this. Gray’s advertising had worked wonders. A bubble of hope swelled
inside. She soaked in the moment.
Do you see this, Gram? All these people? All these readers gathered together for the love of books? You did this. I hope you
can see it. It sure is a beautiful sight.
She caught Gray’s eye across the room, watched his handsome face light with a smile. And just like that, everything was right
in the world.
Shelby was on cloud nine after the successful day. And the next day was also a busy one at the shop. On top of their fabulous
in-store sales, the preorders for Phoebe’s upcoming release were flooding in. November was shaping up to be their best month
of the year. The success brought a modicum of relief. A feeling that maybe, just maybe, they could turn this shop around.
But as she pulled up to Dad’s house late in the afternoon, she had a feeling she was about to come crashing back down to planet Earth.
She had to tell her family about Gray and her.
They’d agreed not to sneak around, and she didn’t want her loved ones finding out from someone else.
Gray had wanted to tell them together, but it would go down easier this way.
She hoped. Also, she wanted to spare Gray from any darts they might sling his way.
Dad and Caleb had been very protective of her back when Gray left. They’d seen her at her lowest. When someone devastated
the person you loved, it was difficult to forgive the perpetrator. She got it. But there were extenuating circumstances, and
hopefully they’d see that. Surely they’d give him another chance when they realized how much she cared for him.
She didn’t need their permission; she was a grown adult. But she was close with her family and wanted to keep it that way.
She wanted Gray to have their acceptance. Wanted him to have the sense of belonging he deserved. Maybe that was a pipe dream,
but that was what she hoped would happen—eventually.
As she exited her car she spotted Caleb in the backyard and headed that way. He was hunched over an easel, which depicted
the landscape in front of him. The painting was done in an impressionist style, swaths of color hinting at the image of a
sunset glimmering on the lake’s surface.
It was so unlike his modern city paintings, which were beautiful in their own right. But this one evoked a sense of peace
and also a feeling of playfulness. “Whoa. That’s stunning, Caleb.”
He didn’t even lift his brush. “Thanks.”
“Seriously. It’s amazing. You’ve clearly got your mojo back.”
“Yesterday Liddy suggested I go back to my roots—back to when I first loved painting. Remember all those landscapes I did
in high school? I can feel that fire inside again. I’ve been working on this for two days and I don’t want to stop.”
“I can see why. You know I love your cityscapes. But this is... Wow. You have to put this in a local gallery. It’ll go for a pretty price. Or better yet, can I afford it?”
“I don’t even care about the price right now.” He added a splash of periwinkle to the sky. “It just feels so good to be inspired
again.”
Shelby studied the painting, watched him work a minute. How did he do that? Just add splashes of color, seemingly so random,
and yet it all came together in such a wonderful way?
“I was afraid I’d lost my passion for good. I’m so relieved to feel unblocked again.”
“I’ll bet.” Would he remain unfettered after this piece? When he tried his hand at another cityscape? She didn’t vocalize
the thought. No reason to steal the joy he’d finally recaptured.
“My work has sold so well in the city. I can hardly complain when I’ve been able to make a living as a painter—so many artists
would give anything to be in my shoes. But, Shelby... God’s honest truth? I’m sick to death of painting cement and glass.
I’d rather paint a poker-playing dog on a velvet canvas than eke out one more cityscape.”
She chuckled. “Maybe you won’t have to sink quite that low. Seems like you’ve found another direction.”
“Sure feels like it.”
A minute later he stepped back, studied the canvas. He did his paintings in stages. He’d work awhile, then take a break. Come
back to it with a fresh eye. He put down his brush and began packing up.
“Done for the day?”
“I’m losing light.”
True enough. Once he had his paints and the wet canvas in hand, she grabbed the easel and they headed inside.
Shelby got invited for supper, which Dad and Liddy cooked while Shelby reveled in the pure sweetness that was her nephew.
Caleb seemed more his old self now that his painting was back on track.
Shelby got it. Her worries over the bookstore had been all-consuming.
She felt a similar relief after these past two extraordinary days.
But art was surely even more precarious. It wasn’t a spreadsheet with numbers to add and subtract. Creativity was fickle.
You couldn’t quantify inspiration. You couldn’t manufacture it—and you sure couldn’t buy it.
She was glad Caleb seemed to have it sorted out—at least for the time being. And selfishly, she hoped his good mood would
make her announcement more palatable.
After supper they settled in front of the TV for the last college football game of the regular season between Notre Dame and
USC. Dad was a fan of Notre Dame, but no one else cared who won so the rest of them chatted quietly throughout the game.
Ollie was down for the night and it was getting late. Shelby would tell them at halftime, then go home. The two busy days
at work had worn her out.
When the game clock wound down and the station went to commercial, Shelby braced herself and dove right in. “There’s something
I need to tell you guys.”
Dad, who’d been just about to retrieve another Coke, sank back into the recliner, his dark brows pulling together. “What’s
wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong at all. I just—” She glanced at Liddy, who offered an encouraging smile.
Caleb’s eyes flickered knowingly. “You and Gray are together. Shocker.” His voice was accusatory, though it held less rancor
than she’d expected.
“Caleb’s right. Spending all this time together, I’ve been reminded of who he is and all the things I love about him. I know
he let me down before, and that was hard. But we’ve both grown up and learned a lot. I’m giving him another chance—and I hope
you will too.” Her gaze shifted between Caleb and her dad.
Dad set his glass back on the end table, obviously stalling for time.
Caleb stared back at her wearing an enigmatic expression.
Liddy grabbed Shelby’s hand. “If you’re happy, I’m happy. I don’t know Gray very well, but what I do know I like.”
“It’s not really that simple,” Caleb said. “He’s obviously not welcome in this town.”
“And you’d never leave Grandville.” Dad’s statement held a hint of a question. A trickle of fear.
“I can’t see myself ever leaving Gram’s bookshop. And speaking of that—Gray did give me back ownership of the store without
so much as a fight. And he dropped his whole life to come and help me with the store. I don’t know if I could’ve turned things
around without him. And he did it for nothing. Hopefully you can see his kindness in that. And as for Grandville, it really
isn’t the whole town who’s against Gray. Mostly just the Remingtons and their friends. And their blaming Gray for what his
dad did is wholly unjustified.” Even Caleb and Dad had to give her that.
Her brother weighed in. “He got a reputation of his own though—the fighting, the test scandal.”
Shelby gritted her teeth. “That was years ago—and he didn’t deserve any of that!”
“I think we all realize he was something of a scapegoat, honey,” Dad said. “We never really believed he cheated on that exam.
And though all this may have happened a long time ago, the Remingtons have very long memories.”
“And a lot of friends,” Caleb said. “They’re not the sort of people you want as enemies.”
“I don’t care what they think. Doesn’t the truth matter at all? Once people give Gray a chance, they’ll come to see he’s not
what they’ve made him out to be.” She turned to her dad. “You saw what kind of person he was, Dad. You came to respect him;
I know you did.”
“I don’t deny that, honey. I don’t buy into every rumor that flies around town. I go by a person’s character, and he showed me he had some—until he left you the way he did. You’ve never been a parent, so maybe you can’t understand how hard it was to see him break your heart like that.”
Realization hit Shelby—she wasn’t the only one who’d been triggered by Gray’s abandonment. Dad had been abandoned by his wife.
It must’ve been traumatic to see the same thing happen to his daughter.
And maybe Caleb’s leaving for New York had had the same effect on him. She flagged the thought for later.
“Watching me go through that had to be difficult for you, Dad. Gray knows leaving the way he did was a mistake.” Her eyes
softened on her father as she weighed her words carefully. “But he didn’t run off to Hollywood to become a star, Dad. He went
into the military because the situation here was untenable. And he did try reaching out to me several times. I was the one
who shut him down. I was the one who ended things.”
Dad’s eyes teared up. “I guess that’s a fair point.”
She’d just tromped across sacred ground. But it had to be said. Her mother’s abandonment was still affecting their father,
still affecting all of them. “Gray and I have talked it through. I’ve forgiven him and we’re going forward from here.”
“And what will that look like exactly?” Caleb said. “He must hate it here. How could he not?”
Liddy leaned forward. “I think what Shelby’s saying is, this is happening, and we all need to get on board. She deserves our
support.”
Shelby shot her a grateful look, then turned back to her dad and brother. “I know you feel protective of me, but I’m an adult
and you’ll just have to trust that I can handle this.”
“It’s not you I’m worried about,” Caleb grumbled.
Liddy scowled at him.
Dad’s brows relaxed as a small smile curved his lips. “I won’t say this doesn’t worry me. But if you’re willing to give him another chance, I guess I’ll have to do the same.”
Gray had won him over once before. She had no doubt he could do the same again. “Thanks, Dad. I appreciate it.” She drilled
her brother with a look. “And what about you? Are you going to behave when I bring him around? Because I am going to bring
him around.”
Caleb glanced at his wife. Shelby didn’t even have to glance Liddy’s way to know she was pinning her husband with a fierce
look. “Fine. I’ll give him a chance.”
A while later after Shelby said her good-byes, Dad followed her to the door.
“Are you upset about my announcement, Dad?”
“More than anything I just want you to be happy. I’m worried about how this might play out, but you’re a grown-up. I trust
you can handle whatever happens.” He gazed at her, his expression growing intense. “How did you get to be so smart?”
Ah. The reference she’d made about her mom. About his being triggered by Gray’s sudden departure all those years ago. Her
heart squeezed tight. Maybe Dad still had an issue or two. But he’d raised Caleb and her single-handedly. She’d always felt
loved and cared for. Safe. He wasn’t perfect, but she admired him just the same. “I guess I’m just a chip off the old block.”
He gave a wry grin. “If that’s the case, then why am I just now figuring out why I’ve been so frustrated with your brother
all these years?”
She gave his cheek a soft pat. “Better late than never, Dad.”