Read Online A McKaslin Homecoming (The McKaslin Clan) by Jillian Hart - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jillian Hart
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squinted through the glare on the windshield. There it was, the family’s bookstore. Her brother and younger stepsister worked there; theywere probably watching for Aubrey’s sedan through the long, windowed storefront. Aubrey had made the call from Gran’s kitchen phone to announce they were all coming. So more introductions were ahead. The weight of the past punched at her temples like a professional boxer’s gloves.
“I was so stunned I almost locked my keys in the car. Me!” Aubrey was saying into her cell as she pulled into a parking spot. Mature maples offered shade and relief from the blazing midday sun. “We’re here, so I’ll see you in a few.”
“Lauren, dear,” Gran said from the front passenger seat. “Don’t you worry about this. I hadn’t wanted to spring everyone on you all at once, but I guess the cat’s out of the bag.”
“I guess so, Gran. Don’t worry. I was going to meet them tonight anyway. This just gives me more time with everyone.” She was starting to feel optimistic. It was a new feeling and she liked it.
Lauren unbuckled her seat belt and noticed that Gran seemed to be having a little trouble with her’s. Lauren leaned forward to reach between the front seats andover the console. “Do you need some help with that?”
“No, dear. It’s just that these buckles are all so different.” The older woman’s voice rang sweet and true.
Lauren watched the worry dig into Aubrey’s face and realized there was more going on here—and perhaps more to her grandmother’s invitation. Gran’s words came to mind again. I wanted to meet you while I can remember . Even if she was all right now, time took a toll on everyone. Lauren remembered the fragile feel of her grandmother’s arm in her own when they’d hugged in greeting last night.
I’m so glad I came, Lauren thought. Her own purposes, her own hopes for coming no longer mattered so much. This kind, gentle woman did.
So she hurried out of the car to open her grandmother’s door and offered a hand to help her out of the car.
“Why thank you, Lauren.” Mary sounded surprised, but pleased. “What do you think of our place?”
Lauren considered it while she closed both car doors. The front of the storestretched across a wide expanse of tall windows that invited the eye right in. She saw colorful displays of sun catchers and wind chimes, of books set around a display, the flash of crystal and the curve of an armchair. The Corner Christian Bookstore was written in tasteful black script across the double glazed front doors. The store was embedded in a larger complex of store-fronts. This was where her dad used to work? “It’s wonderful.”
“My Franklin’s parents started the store right before the first World War, and I kept it open when Franklin went off to fight in the Second World War. He made it through Normandy and every battle after and came home to me. Our son was set to take over when we retired, but we lost him in Vietnam. That’s when it went to John and your mother. Then Dorrie came along and she worked so hard. She’s like a daughter to me. Now, they’ve passed it on to their children. A real family tradition.” Mary lit up with pride. “There’s Spence now, dear. Brace yourself, he’s wound pretty tight.”
Lauren caught the hint of a tall, austere looking man on the other side of thewindows, striding swiftly toward the glass doors.
Aubrey closed her car door and over the top of the roof, she sent a huge look of apology. “We’re so sorry for him.”
“What do you mean?” Lauren asked, but there was no time for Aubrey’s answer.
The door swung open to reveal a tall, wide-shouldered man with perfectly groomed brown hair and piercing blue eyes. His scowl would do a villain justice. This was her brother? Her hopes began to sink. He tossed her a dismissive glance, his upper lip might have lifted up in the corner in a sneer, but she could have imagined it, before he turned his back on her and
“I was so stunned I almost locked my keys in the car. Me!” Aubrey was saying into her cell as she pulled into a parking spot. Mature maples offered shade and relief from the blazing midday sun. “We’re here, so I’ll see you in a few.”
“Lauren, dear,” Gran said from the front passenger seat. “Don’t you worry about this. I hadn’t wanted to spring everyone on you all at once, but I guess the cat’s out of the bag.”
“I guess so, Gran. Don’t worry. I was going to meet them tonight anyway. This just gives me more time with everyone.” She was starting to feel optimistic. It was a new feeling and she liked it.
Lauren unbuckled her seat belt and noticed that Gran seemed to be having a little trouble with her’s. Lauren leaned forward to reach between the front seats andover the console. “Do you need some help with that?”
“No, dear. It’s just that these buckles are all so different.” The older woman’s voice rang sweet and true.
Lauren watched the worry dig into Aubrey’s face and realized there was more going on here—and perhaps more to her grandmother’s invitation. Gran’s words came to mind again. I wanted to meet you while I can remember . Even if she was all right now, time took a toll on everyone. Lauren remembered the fragile feel of her grandmother’s arm in her own when they’d hugged in greeting last night.
I’m so glad I came, Lauren thought. Her own purposes, her own hopes for coming no longer mattered so much. This kind, gentle woman did.
So she hurried out of the car to open her grandmother’s door and offered a hand to help her out of the car.
“Why thank you, Lauren.” Mary sounded surprised, but pleased. “What do you think of our place?”
Lauren considered it while she closed both car doors. The front of the storestretched across a wide expanse of tall windows that invited the eye right in. She saw colorful displays of sun catchers and wind chimes, of books set around a display, the flash of crystal and the curve of an armchair. The Corner Christian Bookstore was written in tasteful black script across the double glazed front doors. The store was embedded in a larger complex of store-fronts. This was where her dad used to work? “It’s wonderful.”
“My Franklin’s parents started the store right before the first World War, and I kept it open when Franklin went off to fight in the Second World War. He made it through Normandy and every battle after and came home to me. Our son was set to take over when we retired, but we lost him in Vietnam. That’s when it went to John and your mother. Then Dorrie came along and she worked so hard. She’s like a daughter to me. Now, they’ve passed it on to their children. A real family tradition.” Mary lit up with pride. “There’s Spence now, dear. Brace yourself, he’s wound pretty tight.”
Lauren caught the hint of a tall, austere looking man on the other side of thewindows, striding swiftly toward the glass doors.
Aubrey closed her car door and over the top of the roof, she sent a huge look of apology. “We’re so sorry for him.”
“What do you mean?” Lauren asked, but there was no time for Aubrey’s answer.
The door swung open to reveal a tall, wide-shouldered man with perfectly groomed brown hair and piercing blue eyes. His scowl would do a villain justice. This was her brother? Her hopes began to sink. He tossed her a dismissive glance, his upper lip might have lifted up in the corner in a sneer, but she could have imagined it, before he turned his back on her and
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