Finally, A Family. Callie Endicott

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СКАЧАТЬ her the way he’d evaluate a model he needed to photograph. Great skin. A steady gaze and firm jawline that suggested stubborn resolve. The unusual shade of her blue eyes complemented her hair, which was brown with a coppery tone. And while she didn’t have a particularly bold figure, he preferred her slim curves.

      He glanced at her ring finger and was annoyed with himself. It would be dishonest to deny he found her appealing, but he couldn’t let it be an issue. Whether she was married or single, his interest was entirely on behalf of the agency.

      “Do you have your own cup?” Jessica asked.

      “I forgot to bring it,” he said.

      Many of the Crystal Connection customers were ecologically conscious and brought their own cups, getting a discount in return. She was probably continuing the policy.

      “That’s okay.” She filled a tall paper cup and handed it to him. He added cream and fastened a lid on the top, noticing it was different than the ones Penny and Eric had stocked. He appreciated that it was biodegradable, instead of regular plastic.

      Jessica went to the cash register and punched in some information. “I see we have your credit card number on file. Do you want me to continue charging your account once a month?”

      “That would be great.”

      “I just remembered—an advance copy of your calendar arrived a few days ago.” Jessica took out a large envelope from under the counter. “I’m sure you’ve already seen it.”

      “Yeah, but I didn’t know advance copies had been distributed.”

      On the calendar’s thick, glossy cover was a photo of two magnificent stags, charging each other in a battle for supremacy, their breath steaming in the cold air. Logan’s signature was printed at the bottom right in bold silver ink. He hadn’t wanted his name to be so prominent, but the publisher had insisted his reputation was one of the selling points. Logan wasn’t convinced. He wasn’t an Ansel Adams or a Pulitzer Prize–winning photographer; he was best known in fashion circles.

      “The photographs are stunning,” Jessica said, flipping through the pages. “I’ve shown it around and already have a waiting list for copies.”

      “I loooove your pictures,” Cyndi chimed in. “My favorite is the one of the baby mountain lions. It’s splendiferous.”

      The photo had taken patience, dumb luck and a huge dash of imprudence since mountain lions were notoriously protective mothers. Logan didn’t want to confess how close he’d actually gotten to the small family; he was letting everybody assume he’d used a very powerful telephoto lens.

      “Thanks, Cyndi,” he said to the child. “That’s one of my favorites, too. I didn’t know the Crystal Connection was going to carry my calendars.”

      Jessica chuckled. “Grams sent an order as soon as Uncle Kevin told her you had one coming out for next year.”

      “Uncle Kevin? I hadn’t heard you were related.” Logan frowned. Discussions about moving the Crystal Connection would be even more sensitive if Jessica was Kevin McClaskey’s niece.

      “We aren’t, but I’ve known him all my life. Grams and Kevin’s wife were childhood friends. He’s an honorary grandfather, but it was easier to call him ‘uncle.’”

      The explanation wasn’t much comfort. Kevin’s anxious concern for the people he cared about could get irritating, but he was also a tireless advocate for the people in his sphere—he knew what was happening in their lives and actively promoted their interests. Retiring had made no difference in how he behaved. Though Logan still wanted to talk to Kevin about Jessica, he’d have to be careful.

      With a wink at Cyndi, Logan took his coffee and headed for the agency next door. When he settled at his desk, he checked for messages before taking a sip. The coffee was as good, or better, than what he’d gotten in the past. So at least the brew hadn’t changed, though he still didn’t know what other impact there might be from the switch in ownership.

      He picked up the phone, hoping to make an appointment to meet Kevin for lunch. There was only one way he could deal with a problem, and that was straight through.

      * * *

      JESSICA ASSEMBLED A new display cabinet, humming along with the music playing over the speaker system. She’d been planning things to do at the shop ever since Grams had explained that when the estate was settled, Jessica would get the Crystal Connection. Technically Granddad had owned the store, but they’d both wanted her to have it when he was gone.

      It meant she wouldn’t have to work a regular job anywhere else, or keep paying someone for childcare. Either Cyndi would be with her great-grandmother after school, or Jessica would bring her to the store where there was a place in the stockroom to study and play. This week would have been especially hard since the school had closed unexpectedly because of a virulent virus making the rounds. So Cyndi simply came to work with her.

      As deeply as Jessica missed her grandfather, she was grateful for the generous bequest. Not that it meant things would suddenly be easy. Her grandparents had made a living from the Crystal Connection and been able to save for retirement, but it was mostly because they’d lived simply...something their son had hated. Jessica’s father was devoted to making the money needed to support an extravagant lifestyle, a choice her mother appreciated, as well.

      It was fine for them, but Jessica didn’t have fond memories of her childhood. Mostly she’d been lonely except for the summer-long visits with her grandparents, who’d lavished her with love instead of belongings. It hadn’t been unusual for Granddad to burst out in song or to sweep his wife and granddaughter into a dance with the sheer joy of living. He’d had a slight limp, but hadn’t let that stop him.

      The memory was so happy that Jessica danced across the store to fetch a box of Austrian crystals to unpack, feeling as if Granddad was dancing right along with her.

      Cyndi giggled. “I like when you’re silly, Momma. But I don’t like this.” She frowned and held up the picture she’d been drawing. Clearly it was supposed to be Logan Kensington’s mountain lion cubs. Cyndi’s interest in art had started at a young age and she’d taken as many special classes as Jessica could afford.

      Jessica walked over and studied the drawing. “Your perspective is a little off, but who says artists always need the same perspective?”

      “I s’pose. Do you think taking pictures is the same as regular art?”

      “It’s just another type of art, the way sculpting isn’t the same as painting.”

      “Yeah. Mr. Kensington’s pictures are cool.”

      Jessica grinned. She loved when her daughter got enthusiastic about something, even if it meant she wanted to take a class that meant another expense.

      At the display case Jessica experimented with the best way to arrange the new stock, tensing a moment when Cyndi coughed. It was hard not to listen for the wheezing that came with an asthma attack. But nothing followed the cough and Cyndi relaxed into happy activity.

      The shop was fun, carrying a hodgepodge of items from around the world. Though the Crystal Connection’s coffee was popular, they were best known for their crystals, both manufactured and natural stones. Jessica especially loved the intense greenish-blue apatite crystals, but each kind СКАЧАТЬ