Page 125 of One Small Spark
Leo sobers infinitesimally, but they both turn their focus on me.
Right. What I came here for.
The thing is, this isn’t easy for me. I would go to bat for my family in a heartbeat. Same with Hope, my oldest and truest friend. But outside of that tiny circle, I don’t have any other ride-or-dies. I’ll have to lay a lot of personal cards on the table to get through this big request. That’s not the type of risk I usually take.
But for Shepherd, I’ll do anything.
“You know about the trails expansion he’s working on, right?”
They both nod. At least they know some things. I don’t have to start from scratch.
“He has to give a big presentation at a town hall meeting to try to get the project approved.” I don’t want to say anything about his panic attacks yet. I have no idea if that’s common knowledge and won’t be the one to reveal it. “It’s a thirty-minute speech in front of at least a hundred people.”
From the surprise on Charlie’s face and Leo’s low whistle, they already know about Shepherd’s anxiety.
“Why hasn’t he told us about it?” Charlie asks.
“Because it’s this Friday.” Their stunned expressions are morbidly satisfying. This isn’t their fault, but I’m still inclined to blame them that he felt he couldn’t speak up. He needs to know his family supports him, even when their goals don’t perfectly align.
“He knows you guys are committed to your gala.” I stop for a second to really admire everything I didn’t pay attention to lastweek. It’s a gorgeous space. I can almost see all the wedding cakes Tess will deliver here. “But this presentation is really important to him. The trails could do a lot for Sunshine’s tourism and businesses, not just his. It’s a multi-million-dollar project that’s resting on his shoulders.”
I played it cool when he went over the money side of it in the presentation the other night, but I had no idea bike trails were that expensive. “It’s going to be a massive undertaking, all becauseShepherdhad the vision to make it happen. I think you know it’s hard for him to be in the spotlight like this, but he’s going to anyway because it’s that important to him.”
But it’s not a selfish endeavor. I’m pretty sure he’d do something similar even if he wouldn’t stand to gain anything from it, simply because he wanted to help out.
"Shepherd thinks he has to be some kind of lone wolf, but that’s not who he really is. He stands up for other people and defends them and supports them. He’s there for everybody else. He’s a pack animal.” I pause to take a breath. “And it would mean a lot to have the people who love him be there for him, too. If his sister and best friend?—”
“And parents.”
I spin around to see Emily and Nick Callahan in the open doorway. Somebody went a little crazy with the WD-40 because that thing is silent.
My heart races into my throat, but I can’t stop now. “And parents. If all of you could be there, it would let him know how much he means to you, too. And maybe it would steady him when it’s hard for him to speak in front of a crowd.”
“I can’t believe he offered to do that,” Leo says.
“I don’t think offered is the right word. But he’s following through because people are counting on him. I know you’ve got an important event here Friday. But I want to make sure you remember how important Shepherd is, too.”
Emily and Nick join us in the middle of the barn.
“And Shepherd is important to you, too?” Emily’s got too knowing a look in her eye to accept anything close to a denial.
And why would I want to deny it? Shepherd Callahan is steady and loyal, funny and smart. He can be a pain in my butt, too, but I wouldn’t want him any other way. So what if I’m not used to sharing my love life with people? I never had anyone worth sharing before.
I nod. “He’s the most important.”
TEXT THREAD
Isabel: Roxy’s has two-step dancing on Thursday and Friday nights
Isabel: Let’s pick a night in December we can all go
Barb: Not all of us
Nora: You won’t at least come to watch?
Nora: You can point out everything we’re doing wrong
Barb: Who has time for that?
