and the current holder of the name, Jeb. Shelly remembered Josh complaining about the high-handed way the Ballingers had stolen their family name. He had grumbled often enough that the name should have belonged to him—and not some shirttail relative of the Ballingers. Shelly had wisely not pointed out that Jeb Delaney was also a “ragtag” relative of theirs.
It had all seemed rather silly to Shelly, and it still did—you didn't
own
a name, and her parents could have named Josh Jeb, if they had wished. Laughing up into Jeb's face just now, she decided that now was as good a time as any to strengthen the easy friendliness that had always been there between them.
In a small town like St. Galen's, it was inevitable that their paths cross frequently, and despite the family estrangement, she and Jeb had made their own peace. He had teased her unmercifully at times during her youth, but he had also made certain that she knew that she could trust him. Probably one of the things she admired most about him was that he didn't give a damn about the family feud. “Hey,” he'd told her once, “the argument was between York and Jeb—the originals—not me and not you. And if that stiff-necked brother of yours were as smart as he's supposed to be, he'd have realized that fact long ago. So, whadda you say that between the pair of us, we just pretend that the rest of the family is plain nuts?” Grinning, Shelly had agreed without hesitation. She'd been fascinated by this tall, handsome cousin, OK second cousin—as much because she'd been told to ignore him by her family, as his own appealing personality. Being warned against him, and all of the Ballingers for that matter, had had the opposite effect—at seventeen she had developed a terrific crush on Jeb and had mooned over him all summer until she had returned to boarding school that fall. He had her undying gratitude by never having acknowledged all her girlish attempts to catch his attention. Better yet, showing great restraint he had never teased her about it—thank God! Josh would have had a fit if he'd known how often that summer she'd thrown herself in Jeb's path. She felt herself blush even now as she remembered the ruses she had concocted to attract his attention. And if Josh had ever learned of it…. She shuddered. Josh had barely tolerated Jeb, and she wondered if there hadn't been something else between them, some other reason than just family legends for their mutual dislike.
They stood there grinning at each other for several seconds, then Jeb's face grew serious. Gently he asked, “Are you OK? Dealing all right with Josh's suicide?”
She nodded, her own face sober. “It's been hard—especially the shock of it…and living in his house—seeing constant reminders of him…. But, yes, I'm dealing with it.” She smiled lopsidedly. “It's getting easier every day—I think.”
He patted her clumsily on the shoulder. “That's my girl! Now tell me how long you're going to be around the valley, so I can figure out how many times I'll be sent out to break up all the wild parties you'll be holding.”
Shelly grimaced. “You would remind me! Come on, Jeb, I was sixteen, and Josh was away for all of Easter week. I was up there by myself, well, except for Maria and her kids. All of my friends were on Easter break, and we were looking for something to do. What teenager wouldn't have thrown a party? And it wasn't that wild! If that old busybody Mrs. Matthews hadn't taken it upon herself to check up on me, no one would have known.”
Jeb laughed. “I'd forgotten how much fun it is to get your goat. You take the bait so quickly.”
“And you are no gentleman to remind me of one of my most embarrassing moments from childhood.” She shook her head, smiling. “I'll never forget opening the door and there you were, looking just like the Terminator.” She laughed. “My God, the panic you caused. Melissa-Jane nearly broke her leg climbing out one of the back
It had all seemed rather silly to Shelly, and it still did—you didn't
own
a name, and her parents could have named Josh Jeb, if they had wished. Laughing up into Jeb's face just now, she decided that now was as good a time as any to strengthen the easy friendliness that had always been there between them.
In a small town like St. Galen's, it was inevitable that their paths cross frequently, and despite the family estrangement, she and Jeb had made their own peace. He had teased her unmercifully at times during her youth, but he had also made certain that she knew that she could trust him. Probably one of the things she admired most about him was that he didn't give a damn about the family feud. “Hey,” he'd told her once, “the argument was between York and Jeb—the originals—not me and not you. And if that stiff-necked brother of yours were as smart as he's supposed to be, he'd have realized that fact long ago. So, whadda you say that between the pair of us, we just pretend that the rest of the family is plain nuts?” Grinning, Shelly had agreed without hesitation. She'd been fascinated by this tall, handsome cousin, OK second cousin—as much because she'd been told to ignore him by her family, as his own appealing personality. Being warned against him, and all of the Ballingers for that matter, had had the opposite effect—at seventeen she had developed a terrific crush on Jeb and had mooned over him all summer until she had returned to boarding school that fall. He had her undying gratitude by never having acknowledged all her girlish attempts to catch his attention. Better yet, showing great restraint he had never teased her about it—thank God! Josh would have had a fit if he'd known how often that summer she'd thrown herself in Jeb's path. She felt herself blush even now as she remembered the ruses she had concocted to attract his attention. And if Josh had ever learned of it…. She shuddered. Josh had barely tolerated Jeb, and she wondered if there hadn't been something else between them, some other reason than just family legends for their mutual dislike.
They stood there grinning at each other for several seconds, then Jeb's face grew serious. Gently he asked, “Are you OK? Dealing all right with Josh's suicide?”
She nodded, her own face sober. “It's been hard—especially the shock of it…and living in his house—seeing constant reminders of him…. But, yes, I'm dealing with it.” She smiled lopsidedly. “It's getting easier every day—I think.”
He patted her clumsily on the shoulder. “That's my girl! Now tell me how long you're going to be around the valley, so I can figure out how many times I'll be sent out to break up all the wild parties you'll be holding.”
Shelly grimaced. “You would remind me! Come on, Jeb, I was sixteen, and Josh was away for all of Easter week. I was up there by myself, well, except for Maria and her kids. All of my friends were on Easter break, and we were looking for something to do. What teenager wouldn't have thrown a party? And it wasn't that wild! If that old busybody Mrs. Matthews hadn't taken it upon herself to check up on me, no one would have known.”
Jeb laughed. “I'd forgotten how much fun it is to get your goat. You take the bait so quickly.”
“And you are no gentleman to remind me of one of my most embarrassing moments from childhood.” She shook her head, smiling. “I'll never forget opening the door and there you were, looking just like the Terminator.” She laughed. “My God, the panic you caused. Melissa-Jane nearly broke her leg climbing out one of the back
Similar Books
