The Parent Trap(47)
While he chopped, sliced and stirred, he thought about Sarah. Hiring a kid to work in her store, not telling her father...why would she do something like this? How would she feel if someone sabotaged her daughter’s academic success with what was little more than frivolous volunteer work? She’d be as furious as he was, and justifiably so.
So what are you are going to do about it?
He slapped the wooden spoon on the counter. He would go over there and talk to her, that’s what he’d do, as soon as his soup was ready.
As soon as your soup is ready? No wonder Kate thought he was lame. He was.
CHAPTER TEN
SARAH CAME DOWNSTAIRS to find Casey and Petey already curled up together on the sofa. The little dog was well trained and well behaved, but he had no understanding of the no-dogs-on-the-furniture rule. After only one day, Sarah had given up and decided to let it go. He was only here for a week. Then she would have the furniture shampooed, or least thoroughly vacuumed.
The dog was asleep and Casey had a book in her hands.
“What are you reading?”
“My science textbook. This week’s lab assignment is all about cell biology so I’m reading up on the parts of a cell.”
“Good idea.”
“Look at this diagram.” Casey angled the book so she could see a labeled drawing of a cell. “Did you know the human body has trillions upon trillions of cells? They’re not all the same, but they’re all this complicated. That’s crazy. We’ll be using microscopes, too. I’ve never used a microscope before, so that’ll be cool.”
As she often did, Sarah gave silent thanks for being blessed with such an awesome kid. “How was your afternoon?”
“Good,” Casey said.
Hmm. Details were usually more forthcoming.
“Just good? Who did you hang out with?”
“Kate and Henry and some other kids from school.”
A sleepy-eyed Petey popped his head up when Sarah sat down. She gave him a scratch behind the ears but kept her gaze on her daughter’s face.
“Do these other kids have names?”
“Alycia was there. She’s on the soccer team and she’s in Kate’s and Henry’s art class. And Brody and Dexter.”
Three girls, three boys, and there was no mistaking the color that bloomed in Casey’s cheeks.
Sarah decided to try a different approach. “What did your friends think of Petey?”
That was all it took to brighten her eyes and dissolve the evasiveness. “Everybody loved him! Henry had his camera with him and he took some awesome pictures of the guys throwing sticks for Petey. He made a video, too, and he’ll post them on Facebook tonight.”
Aha. Sarah would discreetly log in and check those later. She knew Alycia and Brody, but until now Casey had never been particularly good friends with either. Dexter’s name was new to her, and she had a hunch he might be responsible for her daughter’s telltale blush, not to mention the unwillingness to talk about him that actually spoke volumes. For now, this was all the information she needed.
“For dinner tonight, I thought we’d go to Wharfside for fish and chips.” After pizza, it was Casey’s favorite.
“Sure.”
“We could invite Kate and her dad to join us.”
Casey grinned at that.
“What’s so funny?”
“Nothing.”
“Should we invite them or not?”
“Sure. I’ll text Kate and see what she says.” Casey closed her textbook and picked up her phone just as the doorbell rang. She jumped up and Petey followed her. “Maybe that’s her. Oh. Hi, Coach. Come on in,” she said after she opened the door. “Mom, it’s Kate’s dad.”
Sarah stood, smoothed her hair and pressed her palms to her cheeks for a moment before walking into the foyer.
Casey, textbook in one hand, phone in the other, gave her a broad wink. “I’ll be up in my room. Come on, Petey.”
“Hi,” she said after Casey was out of earshot, trying to get her emotions under control.
“Hi.” He looked tense, upset about something.
“I was going to run over to your place and invite you and Kate to join us for dinner. We’re going down to the wharf for fish and chips.”
“Not tonight.”
“Okay. Is something wrong?”
He didn’t respond right away, but she could see he was angry.
“Jonathan? What’s going on?” He was starting to alarm her.
“Did you give my daughter a handbag?”
That’s what this was about? “Yes, I did. She helped me at the store one day and I—”
“Just one day?”
“Well, no. She’s been there on the days the soccer team practices after school.”