Finally, A Family. Callie Endicott

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 had its own special appeal.

      Some customers shopped there because they simply enjoyed the beauty of the rocks and crystals. Other folks had mystical beliefs about their powers. Meeting new people and discussing their ideas was one of the things she loved about the shop.

      It was sad that her brothers had preferred visits with their grandparents to be brief. Maybe it was because they had other interests, but they’d never really gotten to know Granddad, and would never have the chance now. She was grateful for the move she’d made to Seattle the previous year. She’d been offered a good job at a department store during a visit and then her grandparents had insisted she move into the other side of the duplex they owned in the small community of Regen Valley. It meant she and Cyndi had spent more time with Granddad before he was gone.

      There was an encouraging stream of customers in the first part of the morning, though some just came for coffee. Eventually she’d learn the names of the regulars and what they liked.

      Shortly before noon, her grandmother bustled through the door. “Hello, dear,” she said. “How is everything going?”

      Penelope Parrish was a lively, beautiful woman of seventy-two. She had a keen intelligence and a generous heart. A few people thought she was flaky, but Jessica figured it was from her involvement with the store and extensive knowledge about the beliefs and legends surrounding rocks and gemstones. Her grandfather had shared the same reputation, even though he had been a published anthropologist before opening the Crystal Connection.

      “Pretty good so far,” Jessica replied.

      “Have you had a lot of customers?”

      “About what you said there’d be.”

      Jessica didn’t care if she got rich, but she hoped to expand the shop’s customer base. Her grandparents hadn’t used social media to promote the business, and they’d never considered selling over the internet. By adding online sales she could save more for her daughter’s future and have a cushion to tide them through slow times.

      Doing well was important to her, just not at the expense of being a good mom. Her own parents had been so intent on making money there’d been little energy left for their children; she didn’t intend to make the same mistake.

      “Remember what I told you,” Penny said. “Whenever you need me to cover for you, just say the word. I plan to stay active so when I get old, I won’t feel it so much. In the meantime, I’ll take my great-granddaughter home so we can have a serious bout with a new jigsaw puzzle.”

      “That’s a terrific idea.” Jigsaw puzzles had been a constant presence during Jessica’s childhood visits with her grandparents. Working on a puzzle together was a great time to talk, or just be in silent accord. She was glad her daughter would have the same experience. Though they’d lived next door since early last summer, she’d rarely accepted her grandmother’s offer of babysitting. It had been clear that Granddad was failing and she’d wanted her grandparents to have as much time together as possible.

      In the early afternoon there was another flurry of customers for coffee. Several were from Moonlight Ventures and she hated feeling intimidated in their presence. For the most part they were startlingly good-looking. Who would have guessed she would someday serve coffee to Nicole George—now Nicole George Masters—or Adam Wilding, two of the hottest models in the past fifteen years? They weren’t just average attractive, they were bigger than life.

      Logan Kensington came back at 2:00 p.m. Of all her customers from that morning, he stood out the most. Maybe it was because she’d taken a better look at his gorgeous calendar; there was a biography on the back, along with a thoroughly intriguing picture of him, the image of a bold adventurer. He was ruggedly handsome and had an unusual background, having grown up not just in the United States but in various countries as a diplomat’s son. It explained the faint hint of an accent in his voice. With a degree from Oxford and a postgrad stint at Harvard, he was as far removed from her realm of experience as a man could be.

      She’d also noticed he was described as “committed to bachelorhood.” The remark