and everything that was familiar to them.
On the other hand, they’d be closer to her and her sisters. They’d be able to see their first grandchild more often, and their mom would have more support while she was recovering. But whether that was enough to make the decision easier, Shelley didn’t know.
Shelley sat silently in her chair, listening to the conversation going on around her.
Sam was telling everyone about her latest project. It was easy to see how much she enjoyed working at Fletcher Security, even if she was doing fewer hours.
Their dad laughed at something she said, then turned to Elena. The look that passed between them was sweet and gentle, and so much of what life in the Jones family was like.
Bailey carried a tray of hot drinks across to the coffee table. “There’s cream in each of the coffees, but the two closest to me don’t have any sugar.”
Sam wiggled to the edge of her chair and reached for the mug of hot chocolate. “I thought I would miss coffee more than I do.”
Elena lifted a fork of lemon meringue pie up to her mouth. “My taste buds changed when I was pregnant. Even though I did not eat a lot of sweet food, I still added more than a few pounds to my weight.”
Sam rubbed the side of her tummy. “My downfall is Megan’s rich chocolate cake. If I go anywhere near Sweet Treats, I have to buy one.”
Shelley knew that her sister was being careful about what she ate. But even she had to admit that Megan’s cakes were too tempting.
Elena patted Sam’s hand. “If you ever need someone to share the cake with, you can visit your dad and me. We’ve decided to move to Sapphire Bay.”
Bailey jumped out of her chair and hugged her mom and dad. “That’s wonderful. When are you moving here?”
Ted held his wife’s hand. “In the next two weeks.”
“You can stay with Caleb and me for as long as you like,” Sam said happily. “It’s wonderful having you so close.”
Shelley wasn’t sure Caleb would want his parents-in-law staying with them forever. “If you want somewhere to stay that’s closer to town, you could live in the second house we’re remodeling. It won’t be ready for another three or four weeks, but it would be a great option.”
Bailey nodded. “That’s a good idea. It’s really hard to find any accommodation at the moment.”
“That’s really sweet of you,” their mom said. “But we know how important it is for you to rent your houses to people who don’t have a chance of living anywhere else. A couple of weeks ago, your dad spoke to Cassie Devlin. She’s happy to rent Acorn Cottage to us for a few months until we find somewhere to live.”
Shelley had been to Cassie’s cottage a few times. It was a cute, lakeside house that enjoyed all-day sun and the benefit of gorgeous views. Usually, she rented it as a bed-and-breakfast for tourists.
“Are you moving here because of your heart attack?” Sam asked her mom.
“Not entirely,” Elena replied. “We want to be close to you and Shelley and Bailey. My heart attack just made us more determined to move here. Besides, I can’t wait to hold my grandbaby. If we were living in Bozeman, we wouldn’t see you as often as we can from here.”
Sam gave their mom a tender hug. “I’m so glad you’ve decided to live in Sapphire Bay.”
Ted helped himself to a slice of pie. “I’ll go home next weekend and start packing. We won’t be able to bring everything, so we’ll store what we don’t need in my workshop. We’ll rent the house to someone else.”
The triple garage and workshop at their mom and dad’s house was huge. Shelley wouldn’t have been surprised if everything they owned could be packed inside. “If you need someone to help, I can join you.”
“That would be great,” Ted said with a grateful smile. “Your mom’s worried I won’t choose the right things to bring back to Sapphire Bay.”
Shelley looked at her mom. “We can make a list of everything you’d like us to pack.”
“You don’t know what a relief that would be. Your dad has banned me from going anywhere near the house.”
Ted squeezed his wife’s hand. “You have to look after yourself. If you come back to Bozeman with me, you’ll want to help.”
“I can come, too,” Bailey offered. “If you need somewhere to store your things, we could ask our friends if they know