Willow Brook Road(112)
“You would be. Bringing you on board would free up a little of my time.”
A knowing expression passed over Lucy’s face. “So there is a guy? I knew it. I told Mom you were too fantastic not to have a special man hidden away.”
An image of Sam came to mind, of the way his kisses continued to knock her socks off, of how much more she thought there could be between them. “Yeah, there is a man,” she conceded. “Not that making a success of this business isn’t my top priority right now.”
“Of course it is, but I’ve been telling Mom for years that her life shouldn’t be all about me and business. I think when Dad left it took something out of her. I’m hoping living here will give her back that part of herself.”
“Chesapeake Shores does have a way of creating that kind of magic,” Carrie said. “So, except for talking salary and schedule, do we have a deal?”
Lucy nodded eagerly. “We have a deal.”
For the very first time since she’d set her career plan into motion, Carrie was truly filled with confidence that she would succeed. And, in time, with Lucy’s energy, exuberance and experience on board, she’d be able to get the sort of balance into her life that her mom and every other woman in the O’Brien clan worked so hard to achieve.
When Sam walked into Sally’s to grab an iced tea and a sandwich to go, the black Cadillac Escalade with its uniformed driver and handsome, semifamous occupant was the talk of the café. Sam overheard just enough to make his blood run cold.
He nodded toward the gossiping trio of female tourists in the closest booth, then asked Sally, “What’s that about?”
“That designer, the one Carrie used to work for, was in here a few minutes ago looking for her. Obviously those women don’t know the kind of man he is or they wouldn’t be acting like fools over him.”
“Any idea what he wanted, aside from Carrie, that is?” Sam asked, his heart in his throat. Was this it? Had she finally responded to those texts and messages she’d claimed to be ignoring? Was this Carrie’s chance to go back to the life that so obviously suited her? He’d never understood how any sane man could let her go. Had Reynolds finally seen the light and come to claim her? He’d charmed her once. Could he do it again?
“I’m afraid he didn’t fill me in on his plans,” Sally said dryly. “I am, after all, just the owner of a small-town café in the middle of nowhere.”
Sam smiled at her attitude. “A bit of a snob, was he?”
“More like an oily snake charmer,” she corrected. “I recognize the type. Smooth as silk if they think it will get ’em what they want.”
“And did he get what he wanted?” Sam asked.
“You mean did I tell him where to find Carrie?” She shrugged. “If I hadn’t, someone else would have. Of course, I did direct him up to Mick’s place, not to the day care. Let him do a little explaining to Carrie’s grandfather, if he wants to get to her.”
Impulsively, Sam planted a kiss on Sally’s cheek. “You truly are a treasure.”
“No question about it,” she said, laughing. “Now take your lunch and go. If you don’t mind a piece of advice, I suggest you eat it with Carrie at the day care, instead of going back to your own office and stewing all afternoon.”
“You suggesting I should stake my claim?”
“It wouldn’t hurt. I put an extra sandwich in there, just in case you have more sense than pride.”
Sam nodded. “I’ll definitely take that under advisement.”
“See that you do.”
Sam left the café, then drew in a deep breath, filling his lungs with the clean salty air. This fresh, invigorating air was something Carrie wouldn’t get if she jetted off across the globe again. Who was he, though, to try to stand in her way? What could he offer that this Marc Reynolds couldn’t offer a hundred times over?
Reason told him to look around. Chesapeake Shores was what she claimed to want. She seemed to have deep feelings for him, too. And she certainly had feelings for Bobby. Family, she claimed was her top priority, and her new day-care center promised a deep sense of professional fulfillment.
Was that enough? It would be for the woman he thought he’d come to know.
Just in case you have more sense than pride. Sally’s words rang in his head, taunting him. He wanted to believe he did, but he also had a healthy respect for being realistic. This might be Carrie’s chance to grab everything she’d lost. And if that’s what she needed, what she wanted, he wasn’t going to be the one to try to stop her, even though in his opinion Marc Reynolds had already shown himself to be unworthy of a woman with Carrie’s kindness and generosity. If he had the chance, he’d tell her that, too.