Libby frowned, trying to picture what Grace had in mind. “It only comes in certain colors, but I can usually melt them together, creating a wide spectrum.”
“If I draw you a picture of what I’d like, would you be willing to try?”
“Yeah. I’ll give it a go.”
“Ah—before Christmas?” Grace asked.
“Oh, sure. If you give me something to go by, I can have it done by Thanksgiving.”
“Great,” Grace said. “Then consider me your first official customer. Do you have any jewelry ready to display?” she asked, peering into one of the open boxes. “Something from nature?” She shot Libby a lopsided grin. “I have a sister-in-law who practically lives outdoors.”
Libby started pulling out some of the glass pendants, earrings, and bracelets she’d made over the years, and Grace and Elizabeth immediately started oohing and aahing as they sorted through them. Then Grace stopped and held up a necklace, turning it toward the sunlight streaming through the front windows.
“This is beautiful,” she whispered. “The colors are almost alive. It feels heavy to be so delicate, and the raspberries look good enough to eat.”
The necklace was made of bright red, bulbous berries interspersed with green raspberry leaves. The glass she’d used was transparent, not opaque, and the sunlight glittering through it cast a colorful prism on Grace’s hands.
“It’s more rugged than it looks,” she told Grace as she dug through the box, looking for the matching bracelet. “I even make key chains out of some of the beads.” She gave Grace a crooked smile. “Although the thin leaves might chip if it’s dropped.”
Grace was only absently paying attention. She was busy clasping the necklace around her neck and looking for something to see herself in. “Oh, I love this,” she said, taking the mirror Libby handed her, fingering the raspberries as she admired the necklace in the mirror. “Every August, we spend a whole day picking wild raspberries. They grow wild and abundant around here. What do you think, Elizabeth?” she asked, holding her very pregnant belly while she leaned over for her daughter to see. “Does this look good on Mommy?”
Elizabeth nodded, more interested in her own necklace. “I like my bird,” she said, holding it up.
“Then it’s yours,” Libby told her. She looked at Grace.
“If that’s okay? I forgot about your other daughters. And it might be small enough for Elizabeth to choke on,” she added, looking at the young girl.
“Thank you,” Grace said, nodding. “And don’t worry. It won’t be left around like a toy.”
She turned Elizabeth to face her and lifted her daughter’s chin. “You’ll keep it in my jewelry box and only wear it when you’re dressing up to go out, right?”
Elizabeth quickly nodded agreement.
“Then say thank you to Libby.”
“Thank you, Libby,” Elizabeth dutifully repeated, all signs of her previous shyness gone. “I can wear it to my birthday party. And you can come if you want. It’s… it’s… ”
She looked at her mother. “What day, Mama?”
“December twenty-first this year, sweetie,” Grace confirmed for Libby. “And since I expect to be quite busy that day,” she said with a laugh, patting her belly, “I think we’ll have the party a few days early. And you are certainly invited.”
Libby was about to thank her and accept when a shadow darkened the interior of the store. All three of them turned just as a large man walked in with two cute, wide-eyed toddlers in his arms.
“Oh, my God,” Grace said, rushing up to him. “Don’t you dare set them down. They’ll be worse than two bulls in a china shop.”
“Bird,” one of the toddlers said, pointing at her sister.
“Down,” the other toddler demanded, wiggling to get free.
“You stay right where you are, Chelsea,” Grace said, adjusting the child’s blaze orange wool hat. She turned to Libby with a proud smile. “Let me introduce you to some more of my family. This is Chelsea, who’s almost four, and her twin sister, Megan. And if you haven’t guessed by now, this is my husband, Greylen. Grey, this is Libby Hart.”
“Miss Hart,” he said with a nod, his smile no less imposing than his size. “It’s nice to finally meet you.” He took a quick look around her shop, settled his gaze on his wife’s neck, and let out a totally male resigned sigh. “You haven’t even finished unpacking, and already you have a customer. Two,” he clarified with a chuckle, looking at the blue jay Elizabeth was wearing.
Libby was speechless. Was there something in the water around here that made all the men so big? She’d met Michael, Ian, Callum, and now Grey. They were all giants… all Scots… all overwhelming.
This one, though, had his hands full. Six girls and one more on the way. The man would have seven daughters to deal with by Christmas. Libby realized they were all staring at her while she stood there like an idiot, gawking.
“Er, it’s nice to meet you, too,” she finally managed to say. She even managed to smile.
“And you can’t expect a woman—no matter her age—to walk into a jewelry shop and not try something on.”
A gleam came into his clear green eyes. “I’m quickly learning the minds of females.” He affectionately squeezed his two daughters in his arms, looking from one to the other and then at his wife. “Have you told her your news yet, or have you been too busy shopping?”
“Oh, Lord, I did forget,” Grace said, turning apologetic blue eyes on Libby. “Katherine Hart and James Kessler checked into our hotel late last night. And they asked the desk clerk if he knew you, and where you might be staying.”
Libby felt a crushing weight land on her shoulders. Her feet were bolted to the floor, her head felt twice its size, and her heart started pounding against her ribs so violently she couldn’t breathe.
James was in Pine Creek?
“Wh-what did the clerk tell them?” she whispered, grabbing hold of the desk for support.
Grace stepped closer, her eyes filled with concern. “It’s a small town, Libby. He told them he thought the name was familiar, but he didn’t know where you lived.”
“Where are they now?”
Grace shot a worried look at her husband, then looked back at Libby and shrugged. “I don’t know. I assume they’re in town somewhere, looking for you. They’ll probably check with the post office, don’t you think? Have you signed up for mail delivery yet?”
Grace must have thought Libby was either going to fall over or throw up, because she guided her to the chair behind the desk and made her sit down. She took hold of Libby’s shoulder for support.
Dammit. All she had wanted was a little time to get settled before she had to face the scene that would inevitably take place. She wasn’t surprised her mother had come, since Katherine had sounded more curious than worried the last time they’d talked on the phone. But honest to God, she had never expected James to track her down and actually come here. And how had he found her, anyway? Libby knew for certain her mom hadn’t told him.
But they were both here. Now. In Pine Creek.
“You don’t have to see them, Libby,” Grace said softly, squeezing her shoulder. “If you’
re not ready, you can come to Gu Bràth and stay with us until they give up and go back to California. No one has to know where you are.”
Libby looked up into Grace’s concerned eyes and patted Grace’s hand on her shoulder.
“Thank you,” she told her hoarsely. She shook her head. “You’re a good friend, and I thank you for that. I knew my mom would probably come looking for me, but I thought I’d have more time.”
“But not this James person?” Grace asked, lifting one curious brow.
“No, not James,” Libby confirmed. “I didn’t think he would bother.”
“Do you fear him?” Grey asked, stepping closer, his eyes narrowed with a different sort of concern.