time with me. It won’t last forever— it can’t . But let me enjoy being his friend for now, okay?”
“I can’t.”
“Why won’t you let me be happy? What’s so wrong with that?” She swiped hot angry tears from her cheeks. Now her face would be red and blotchy when she arrived at the firehouse. Great.
“Shelb, I want you happy. I want that most in the world. But trust me on this, Joel has a bad background and you don’t want to bring that into a relationship.” Caleb raised both hands to keep her from butting in. “Let’s say that, besides the bike, he’s an upstanding guy now. Even so, he’s a bad match for you because he grew up without parents. He’s never had the opportunity to watch a married couple that loves each other and learn from them. He hasn’t had a man in his life who’s taught him how to treat a woman right or how to be a good father. Because of all that, he’ll never be a good match for any Christian woman.”
How could Caleb hold Joel’s childhood pain against him? Her brother’s words made no sense.
“I can’t believe you of all people would say something like that.”
“Don’t allow your heart to get involved with him. That’s all I’m saying.”
Caleb was used to having the last word in their conversations, but not this time. Not when he was acting so completely thickheaded. “You can’t hold his past against him.”
“You have to if you care about your future.”
“So tell me, are you planning on walking out on Paige someday?”
“I’d never.” He stepped back as if he’d been struck. “Why would you say something like that?”
“I mean, Dad walked out on Mom. So, by your logic, you’ll end up doing the same to your wife.”
“It’s not the same. At all.”
“But it is.”
“Hear me out. I just have this feeling that—”
Enough!
“I’ve listened to you my whole life, and where has that gotten me? Safe in Goose Harbor.” She touched his arm. “I don’t blame you. I can only imagine what you felt and went through when you had to take over as man of the family, and then only years later, lost your first wife in such a violent way.”
She hated bringing up Sarah’s death. No man should lose his young wife. She’d died so senselessly, shot outside the nonprofit she’d started to help inner-city teens in the troubled town of Brookside.
Shelby sucked in a fortifying breath. “But I’m done letting your worry control me. Yes, you’ve gotten better about it. Tons better because Paige keeps you in check. But you need to stop telling me what I can and can’t do anymore, because I’m not listening.”
“Shelby.”
“I’m late. Give me the keys.” She held out her hand.
He placed the keys in her palm.
She closed her fingers around the metal and then swung open the truck’s front door. She and her brother never fought. Not like this. But he was wrong about Joel. Still, she couldn’t leave Caleb thinking she was so angry she wouldn’t speak to him. If the fire all those years ago had taught her one thing, it was that life could change in an instant. If something terrible happened, she’d never want a fight to be their last memory together.
Shelby glanced back. “Have a good night.”
He’d slipped off his baseball cap and bent the bill between his hands. “I love you.”
“I know. You, too.” She sighed. “And I’m not mad at you, but I do think you need to search your heart some, because you’re judging Joel pretty harshly right now.”
Before he could restart the conversation, she hopped into the truck. In a rush now, she didn’t bother adjusting the seat and mirrors. She sat on the edge of the seat so her toes reached the pedals. Good enough.
* * *
Joel checked his watch again.
Shelby hadn’t called to let him know she’d be running late and hadn’t answered any of his calls or texts. If something had happened to her—he’d know, right? The firehouse would have been dispatched to an emergency. Stop thinking
“I can’t.”
“Why won’t you let me be happy? What’s so wrong with that?” She swiped hot angry tears from her cheeks. Now her face would be red and blotchy when she arrived at the firehouse. Great.
“Shelb, I want you happy. I want that most in the world. But trust me on this, Joel has a bad background and you don’t want to bring that into a relationship.” Caleb raised both hands to keep her from butting in. “Let’s say that, besides the bike, he’s an upstanding guy now. Even so, he’s a bad match for you because he grew up without parents. He’s never had the opportunity to watch a married couple that loves each other and learn from them. He hasn’t had a man in his life who’s taught him how to treat a woman right or how to be a good father. Because of all that, he’ll never be a good match for any Christian woman.”
How could Caleb hold Joel’s childhood pain against him? Her brother’s words made no sense.
“I can’t believe you of all people would say something like that.”
“Don’t allow your heart to get involved with him. That’s all I’m saying.”
Caleb was used to having the last word in their conversations, but not this time. Not when he was acting so completely thickheaded. “You can’t hold his past against him.”
“You have to if you care about your future.”
“So tell me, are you planning on walking out on Paige someday?”
“I’d never.” He stepped back as if he’d been struck. “Why would you say something like that?”
“I mean, Dad walked out on Mom. So, by your logic, you’ll end up doing the same to your wife.”
“It’s not the same. At all.”
“But it is.”
“Hear me out. I just have this feeling that—”
Enough!
“I’ve listened to you my whole life, and where has that gotten me? Safe in Goose Harbor.” She touched his arm. “I don’t blame you. I can only imagine what you felt and went through when you had to take over as man of the family, and then only years later, lost your first wife in such a violent way.”
She hated bringing up Sarah’s death. No man should lose his young wife. She’d died so senselessly, shot outside the nonprofit she’d started to help inner-city teens in the troubled town of Brookside.
Shelby sucked in a fortifying breath. “But I’m done letting your worry control me. Yes, you’ve gotten better about it. Tons better because Paige keeps you in check. But you need to stop telling me what I can and can’t do anymore, because I’m not listening.”
“Shelby.”
“I’m late. Give me the keys.” She held out her hand.
He placed the keys in her palm.
She closed her fingers around the metal and then swung open the truck’s front door. She and her brother never fought. Not like this. But he was wrong about Joel. Still, she couldn’t leave Caleb thinking she was so angry she wouldn’t speak to him. If the fire all those years ago had taught her one thing, it was that life could change in an instant. If something terrible happened, she’d never want a fight to be their last memory together.
Shelby glanced back. “Have a good night.”
He’d slipped off his baseball cap and bent the bill between his hands. “I love you.”
“I know. You, too.” She sighed. “And I’m not mad at you, but I do think you need to search your heart some, because you’re judging Joel pretty harshly right now.”
Before he could restart the conversation, she hopped into the truck. In a rush now, she didn’t bother adjusting the seat and mirrors. She sat on the edge of the seat so her toes reached the pedals. Good enough.
* * *
Joel checked his watch again.
Shelby hadn’t called to let him know she’d be running late and hadn’t answered any of his calls or texts. If something had happened to her—he’d know, right? The firehouse would have been dispatched to an emergency. Stop thinking
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