Her Surprise Family

“I don’t need to go,” Ely argued.

Rafe exchanged a worried glance with Shelby. She swallowed hard and he could see her fear. “Please, Ely. I’d feel better if you were checked out. I am responsible for your safety, after all.”

The older man smiled. “It wasn’t your fault.”

Shelby wanted to kiss the old man. “I know it wasn’t. It wasn’t anyone’s. But an accident happened.” Oh, Lord, she thought, what if he really was hurt?

“Okay, I’ll go to the doctor as long as this doesn’t mean I can’t work in the garden.”

“If the doctor says it’s okay, you can work here all you want.”

“I’ll get the truck,” Rafe said, and rushed off.

Shelby watched him go, knowing that Rafe Covelli was going to give her a lecture over this one. But right now all she cared about was getting Ely taken care of.

Chapter Three

Shelby sat in the Mayfair Clinic waiting room with Josh. As she anxiously waited for news, she played a few games of hearts and thumbed through every old magazine on the table.

“I promised my dad I’d watch Grandpa. I’m sorry, Miss Harris.”

“Call me, Shelby, Josh. And I’m not blaming you for anything. It was an accident. We just have to watch your grandfather more closely.”

“He isn’t going to lose his job, is he? Ever since he came home two days ago telling us about the new owner of Stewart Manor, all he’s talked about is working in Miss Hannah’s garden again. I haven’t seen him so happy in a long time. If I promise to stay with him, can he still work?”

“Of course. I’d love to have Ely working at the house. His gardening experience is a valuable asset.”

Just then Rafe and Ely came down the hall. Ely had a bandage on his forehead. She and Josh both went to them. “Are you okay, Grandpa?”

Shelby looked at Rafe for verification. “Ely is fine. The doctor said he’s got a few bruises and scratches. He just put a little too much strain on his bad knee.”

“It’s the pits being old,” Ely said. “You feel so dang useless.”

“You aren’t useless, Ely. Your skills are priceless. Just don’t overdo.” She surprised herself and grasped both his hands. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

The older man nodded. “I’ll have Josh do the hard physical work.”

“You just go slower,” Shelby suggested. “And concentrate on the rose garden. I think I can scrape together enough to have some men come in and do the mowing and trimming.”

Ely grinned. “I know a few men who could use a little money, and if I supervise, it’ll get done right.”

Shelby turned to Rafe and found a pleased look on his face. “How about we go to lunch and discuss it?” he asked. “My treat.”

When they all started out the door, Shelby hung back to talk with Rafe. “You don’t need to take us to lunch. I can handle that. I’m paying.”

“Fine. You try and convince my mother to take your money.”

“I will,” she said, determinedly. “And I’m responsible for Ely’s doctor bill, too. How much was it?”

Rafe kept walking. “I’ll just add it to whatever else you owe me.”

“I owe you nothing,” she insisted in a hushed tone.

“The patch job on the roof,” he reminded her.

“I thought we were doing a trade. I was going to teach you how to use a computer.”

Rafe frowned. “Get real, Ms. Harris. I have no desire to learn about computers.”

“You get real, Mr. Covelli. This is the computer age. It’s time you caught up with the times. Don’t you know we’re about to enter the twenty-first century?”

Rafe wanted to give Shelby Harris a piece of his mind, but not right now. He needed to get something into his empty stomach. He’d missed breakfast that morning, and it was nearly one o’clock.

He opened the door to Maria’s and the cool air hit him. After his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he ushered everyone to the table in the corner. He waved to Jill, their waitress.

At first his sister-in-law looked surprised, then a bright smile appeared. She called out to him that she would be right over, then disappeared into the kitchen. He wasn’t surprised when she returned with his mother and his grandmother. All three Covelli women made their way to the table.

His mother was tiny and still beautiful with her sparkling brown eyes and short gray hair. Nonna Vittoria was also small in build, but not quite so lively. Her shoulders were slumped, as if she carried the weight of the world on them. But her seventy-plus years hadn’t put an end to the quickness of her mind.

“Ely, it’s so good to see you,” Maria said cheerfully.

“Hello, Ms. Maria, Ms. Vittoria. Nice to see you again.”

His mother turned to the teenager. “And this must be your grandson, Josh. My, you have grown into a fine-looking young man.”

“Thank you, ma’am. I’ll be a senior this year.”

Finally Maria turned to her son and placed a kiss on his cheek. “You didn’t stop by for breakfast this morning.”

“Sorry, Mom,” he said. “I was running late.”

“You’re forgiven. Just introduce me to your friend.”

“Mom, Nonna, Jill, this is Shelby Harris. She bought the Stewart place, where we’re doing the facade restoration. Ely and Josh are helping her with some landscape work. We decided to come in for lunch and introduce Shelby around.”

Vittoria stepped forward and touched Shelby’s cheek. “So pretty. Are you from around here?”

Shelby shook her head. “No, Louisville.”

“Ah, no family from here. But you look familiar. Your green eyes, so bonita.” Nonna turned to her grandson and smiled. “Isn’t she, Rafaele?”

Rafe bit back a groan. “Yes, Nonna. Now, we’d better eat so I can get back to work.”

“Fine, I’ll bring the lunch special,” Maria said. She and Vittoria bustled back to the kitchen.

“Your family is very nice,” Shelby said.

“You sound surprised. What did you expect?”