“Carrie, are you going to play with us?” Sean asked, his blue eyes regarding her hopefully. Sean was the surprise blessing who’d come into her uncle Thomas’s life after he and the younger Connie had married.
“Not right now, but I’ve brought along someone who would love to join you,” Carrie told him. “This is Bobby.” She knelt down and put her arm around Bobby’s waist, then pointed out each of the children. “This is Sean, and that’s Emily Rose. You already know Davey and Johnny. And this little guy here is my brother, Patrick. He doesn’t run as fast as the others yet, so maybe you can look out for him.”
Bobby’s chest swelled just a little at being asked to be the younger boy’s protector. “I can do that.”
“Come on, then,” Sean encouraged. “Henry’s it and we’re supposed to be hiding from him. I can show you the best spots.”
Bobby glanced up at her. “Is it okay?”
“Of course. I’ll be waiting for you right here on the porch.” She lowered herself to the top step and watched as Bobby joined in, hesitantly at first, and then with the exuberance of a typical six-year-old.
“He’s having fun.”
She heard the surprise in Sam’s voice and glanced up. “Sometimes the chance to just be a kid can help with all the grown-up emotions a little boy doesn’t know how to handle.”
Sam dropped down beside her. “I’ve tried so hard not to let him see how sad and scared I am.”
“I’m sure you’re doing fine.”
“I wish I could believe that.” He glanced sideways at her, his eyes shadowed. “It’s pretty overwhelming sometimes. I can’t believe Laurel and Robert are gone or that they left Bobby in my care. What were they thinking?”
“That you’d do a great job with him,” Carrie said. “You are, you know. Despite all the adjustments you’re having to make, you’re managing.”
He looked startled. “That’s high praise coming from you.”
“You’ve earned it.” She nodded in the direction of the house. “How’d it go in there?”
Sam turned to face her and grinned. “I had the oddest sensation that once again I was being interrogated as potential husband material. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”
Carrie could feel a blush staining her cheeks. “Grandpa Mick is an inveterate matchmaker. I warned you about that. Pay no attention to him.”
He nudged her with an elbow. “Tell the truth, Carrie. Did you invite me here today to give him the idea that we’re dating?”
She sighed. “Maybe, just a little. He stopped by the house the other day and got on my case about finding a man. I told him I had lots of prospects, when the truth is there are none. Since I didn’t want him to decide to fill that particular void in my life, I decided to invite you here today. All the stuff about Bobby making new friends was true, too. It seemed like a win-win.” She gave him an imploring look. “Can you play along, just for the afternoon?”
To her relief, Sam looked more amused than distressed, “Gee, pretend to be interested in a beautiful woman for a couple of hours? Especially when I’ve had no luck up till now getting her to go out with me? Hmm, I don’t know.” He held her gaze. “That’s asking a lot.”
She nudged him back. “Are you up to the task?”
“Just how serious does your grandfather get about his matchmaking? Will he be booking the church for a wedding next week? Should I avoid signing the final papers for the house just in case I need to make a hasty getaway?”
Carrie laughed. “I think I can hold him off on that. We’ve all had a lot of experience at keeping Grandpa Mick from getting ahead of himself. It’s just that it’s easier to play along and let him think there’s someone special in our lives. I’m catching enough grief over my career choice these days. I don’t need him bugging me about men, too.”
“How is the day-care location hunt coming along? We haven’t had much of a chance to talk about it since you started looking at property.”
Carrie beamed at him. “Not quite as crazy fast as your house hunt, but I think I’ve found the perfect spot for it just off of Main Street. The kids would be able to play on the town green in good weather. It has a big yard, too. Julie and her daughter are going to come over next weekend to take a look. If they think it’s as perfect as I do, I’ll put in an offer. They’ve promised to walk me through any necessary renovations. I have a hunch once I can get my grandfather involved in that project, he’ll back off on his search for the perfect man for me. The truth is he revels in being involved in our lives and a project like that will be totally absorbing, even if it’s a thousand times smaller than what he used to do when he designed and supervised the building of whole towns the way he did with Chesapeake Shores.”
“How long are those renovations likely to take?” Sam inquired.
“Probably not long enough to keep us safe from his meddling for more than a month. Brace yourself.”
She realized Sam was studying her curiously. “What?” she asked.
“I’m surprised, that’s all. Not that long ago you were making a pro-con list and now you’re obviously all in.”
She laughed. “I am, and you’re not the first to comment on my sudden enthusiasm. My whole family seems torn between relief that I’ve found a new direction and shock that it’s something like day care.” She shrugged. “What can I say? Working at Julie’s place has reinforced what I already knew about myself.”
“Which is?”
“I love being around kids, especially little ones. They’re endlessly curious and sweetly innocent.”
“And you’re sure this is what you want to do with your life? No lingering longing to run off to Europe or New York?”
“I’m more sure of this than I have been about anything in a long time,” she said with confidence, then smiled as Patrick wandered over and snuggled against her. “My little brother,” she told Sam. “Mom got a late start on a second family. We’re a family that’s just full of surprises.”
“I can see that,” Sam said, his warm gaze filled with appreciation.
“What about your family?”
“There’s just Bobby and me now,” he said, grief once again darkening his eyes. “My folks died a couple of years ago, just months apart. And you already know about the accident that took my sister.”
“No other siblings?”
He shook his head.
“I can’t imagine growing up without a huge family,” she said. “I was so lucky to be part of this one.”
Sam gazed around at the children, who’d now been joined by several of the adults in an increasingly rambunctious game of tag. His expression turned wistful. “I can understand that.”
Something in his voice, though, suggested otherwise. “Even so, you find it a little overwhelming, don’t you?”
He shrugged. “To be honest, yes. I’ve always been a bit of a loner. Now that there’s Bobby to consider, I’m going to have to change my ways. No more all-nighters for work. No more forgetting to eat or even to buy groceries. Bobby and I hit the store to stock up yesterday and the amount of food in my grocery cart was probably more than I bought in six months in the past. I might even have to figure out how to use the washing machine and, heaven forbid, an iron.” He shuddered dramatically.
“Kids do need food,” she said. “And attention, and sleep, and a routine. It probably doesn’t matter so much if their clothes aren’t ironed.”
“All stuff I’m not very good at,” Sam said.
“You’ll learn,” she said confidently. “And you already have the one thing Bobby needs the most right now.”
“What’s that?”
“You love him.”
She could see it in his eyes as he watched his nephew. Sam might be terrified at being thrust into this new role of being responsible for another person, but he loved that little boy. Seeing that made her fall just a little bit in love with both of them. And that definitely wasn’t meant to be part of today’s hastily devised scheme to get her gran
dfather off her back.
* * *
Sam was surprisingly content sitting on the porch step next to Carrie as kids raced around the yard, shouting exuberantly. While it was a far cry from the quiet, carefree existence he’d lived up till now, there was something alluring about the friendly competitiveness and the laughter that echoed through the air.
“I thought I’d heard that the two of you were out here,” a voice said from above them.
Sam looked around to see Nell on the porch, hands on her hips. Despite the scolding note in her voice, there was a twinkle in her eyes.
“Hi, Gram,” Carrie said, flushing. “Did you need something?”
“I need a little help from two people who missed their cooking lesson again yesterday with a bunch of flimsy excuses. I imagine you could both use some experience with getting pot roast for this crowd onto the table.”
Sam readily jumped to his feet. “What can we do to help?”
“Come with me,” Nell commanded. When Carrie stayed put, she frowned. “You, too.”
“Somebody needs to keep an eye on Bobby,” Carrie protested.
“There are at least ten responsible adults in the yard,” Nell countered. “Including Kevin. Tell your uncle to keep an eye on Bobby along with his own kids.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Carrie said dutifully.
In the meantime Sam followed Nell into the kitchen. She already had the bulk of the meal well under way, but she assigned him the task of making gravy.
“But I’ve never made gravy in my life,” Sam protested.
Nell chuckled. “Exactly why I’m here to teach you, young man.”
“Oh, gravy!” Carrie said when she joined them. “Gram’s gravy is the best.”
“It might be wise to avoid it today,” Sam said, a grim expression on his face as he stirred what looked to him like a glutinous mess.
Nell glanced over his shoulder. “Did you measure the cornstarch or just dump in half the box?”
“It didn’t look as if it was thickening at first,” Sam admitted. “So I added a little more.”
“Cooking is like a lot of things in life. It can’t be rushed,” Nell admonished. “It requires patience.”
“Something in short supply in this family,” Carrie commented.
“Unfortunately true,” Gram replied. “Let’s see if you’re any better at this than he was.”
She gestured toward another pan of drippings from the roast, then coached her through the steps and ingredients needed to make her smooth, rich gravy.
“Better,” she said approvingly. “You get a little red star.”
“Not gold?” Carrie asked.
“Is it perfect?” Nell asked.
“No,” Carrie admitted with a chagrined expression.
“Then you don’t get gold, do you?”
“How about Sam?” Carrie asked, proving that competitiveness existed everywhere with O’Briens.
“He gets to do it again at my house next Saturday till he gets it right. I’d make him try again right now, but we need to get this food on the table. Start dishing it up, Carrie. Sam, you can put it on the dining-room table.”
“Is she always this bossy?” he asked in an undertone that he meant to be overheard.
Carrie laughed. “Even Grandpa Mick and his brothers cower when she speaks,” she said.
“Now that I’d like to see,” Sam said.
“Stick around,” Nell told him, smiling. “My sons usually give me some reason or another to take them to task before the day is out.”
Somehow Sam found the thought of this wonderful, diminutive woman being able to handle the all-powerful Mick O’Brien very reassuring. Maybe he could follow her example and learn to hold his own with Mick—and even Carrie—when he had to.
* * *
“Have you watched her?” Susie was saying to Jess just as Carrie was about to walk onto the porch after lunch. Her cousin’s voice carried inside and something made Carrie come to a stop long enough to listen.
“The way she’s latched on to Sam is so obvious. All this talk about opening a day care doesn’t mean a thing,” Susie continued. “What she’s really interested in is finding a man and a ready-made family.”
Carrie knew there was little question that Susie was talking about her. She waited for her aunt Jess’s response.
“I’m not seeing that,” Jess responded quietly. “Sure, Carrie’s been pitching in to help out, but anyone in this family would do the same. You’ve certainly done your share to get Sam and Bobby into a new house with a minimum of fuss. And you’ve been scouring attics for furniture they could use. Does that mean you’re after Sam?”
“Of course not,” Susie said. “That’s entirely different.”
“How?”
“I’m just helping. Carrie obviously has an ulterior motive.”
Carrie froze in place at the horrible accusation. Before she could work up a full head of steam and confront Susie herself, Jess did it for her.
“That’s a pretty terrible thing to accuse your cousin of doing,” Jess said. “Since I know you’re not interested in Sam yourself because you’re happily married to Mack, something tells me this is really about Bobby. Am I right? Did you want to be the one who helped that little boy adapt to being in a new town?”
Silence fell, and for a moment, Carrie thought Susie might not answer.
“Maybe,” she finally admitted in a small voice. She regarded Jess miserably. “It’s so obvious that Sam’s not qualified to be anyone’s father. Even Carrie saw that for herself. He left that child in a car all alone, for one thing. Who knows how many mistakes he’s going to make and what could happen to Bobby because Sam’s so careless? And Carrie, of all people, is going to jump in and save the day? One minute she’s living it up in Europe. The next she’s opening a day care. Come on. What does that tell you about her stability?”
Carrie felt as if she’d been slapped. Rather than going outside to defend herself, she whirled around to go through the house and leave for home.
“Don’t you dare run away,” her mother said gently, standing in her path. She’d obviously overheard most of Susie’s remarks, as well. “You know she’s wrong. Susie is just upset with her own situation. She’s lashing out at anyone and everyone right now. The situation with Sam and Bobby has stirred up all those unrequited maternal instincts she has and she’s made you the enemy.”
“I get that,” Carrie conceded. “But no one in this family has ever said such spiteful things about me or anyone else before.” She regarded her mom with real dismay twisting in her gut. “You don’t think I’m that frivolous, do you? And you don’t think I’m trying to latch on to Sam, just so I can have a family? I would never do that. If anything, I’ve been ignoring the spark of attraction between us because I don’t think it would be smart to start something up with Sam when there’s a scared little boy in the mix who could get hurt.”
“Try reserving some of that compassion for Susie,” her mother said. “She’s hurting right now. She doesn’t know what she’s saying. Try to remember how much pain she must be in to feel the need to attack you. Don’t think I’m suggesting for a minute that she doesn’t owe you an apology, but consider the circumstances and try to cut her a little slack. Once she has her feet back under her, she’ll see how wrong she’s been.”
“Well, it’s pretty unlikely that’s going to happen today. I should leave before we get into it and ruin the day for everyone.”
“Didn’t you ride over with Sam?”
“Yes, but you can tell him something came up and I had to leave. I can walk home.” She gave her mom a pleading look. “Please.”
Abby looked as if she didn’t agree, but eventually she nodded. “I’ll tell him.” She gave Carrie a fierce hug. “Try to put this whole incident out of your head and please don’t let it spoil all of your excitement about opening a day-care center.”
“I’ll try,” she promised.
But Susie’s cruel comments, no matter the pai
n that was underlying them, weren’t something she was likely to be able to get out of her head anytime soon.
15
“I’m worried about Susie,” Mack confided to Jake and Will, his two best friends. It was after Sunday dinner at Mick’s and the three lifelong friends—all of them married to O’Briens—had retreated to the Adirondack chairs overlooking the bay, where they had some privacy amid the raucous games being played by the younger generation.
“Why is that?” Will asked. A psychologist, he had insights they all relied on from time to time. As the husband of Mick’s youngest daughter, Jess, the owner of the Inn at Eagle Point, Will understood the family dynamics as well as any of them.
“The whole adoption process is taking a lot longer than either of us imagined,” Mack said, his own frustration evident. Around Susie, he did his best to be upbeat and encouraging, but the situation was getting to him, too. “Having this private adoption fall through at the last minute was devastating for her. Susie insists she’s through trying, but I can see the longing in her eyes every time we’re around the other kids in the family. She almost balked at coming today. When I asked why, she came up with some lame excuse, but I know it’s because she wants her own baby so badly. I got her here by warning her that Nell would start asking questions if she missed another Sunday dinner.”
“Still, I can understand her desire to avoid these family meals,” Will said. “Everywhere she turns, there’s either a new baby or one on the way. That’s bound to hurt.”
“Exactly,” Mack said. “It’s killing her. It’s turning her into someone I hardly recognize anymore.”
“Bree’s worried about her, too,” Jake admitted. “Susie was coming around the house pretty regularly to spend time with Emily Rose, but she suddenly stopped. Bree can’t decide whether to talk to her about it or to let it go. And she mentioned that Susie’s been avoiding the women in the family who gather at the café in the mornings, too. Sounds as if she’s withdrawing from everyone.”
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