Willow Brook Road(46)
He studied her curiously. “Something’s different.”
“I’ve had a very good day,” she said.
“Have you, now? Well, it’s definitely agreed with you. Your face is glowing and your eyes are bright. And there’s a lovely streak of something that looks like blue paint in your hair. What was so special about today?”
Carrie reached for her hair, regretting that she’d simply twisted it into a loose knot again, rather than washing it as she probably should have. “Where?” she asked Luke.
“It’s the strand that’s pulled loose and curled along your neck. If I didn’t know you better, I’d think you were making some sort of rebellious fashion statement, the kind meant to drive your grandfather to distraction.”
“Hardly,” she said, then shrugged. “Oh, well, it’ll wash out.”
Luke stared at her with feigned shock. “Who are you and what’s happened to my perfectly groomed, fashion-forward cousin? You’re not rushing home to deal with it right now?”
“Nope,” she said, grinning. “This is the new me, relaxed and taking life as it comes.”
“Now that’s a fine attitude, if you ask me,” he said. “What brought it on?”
She extracted his promise that on pain of death he’d never reveal a word of their conversation.
“Bartender’s confidentiality,” he intoned seriously. “You’ve got it.”
“I took your advice.”
“What advice is that? I hand out so much of it and I’m not used to anyone taking it seriously.”
“Maybe the rest of it is suspect, but this was right on target. I’m volunteering at a day-care center to see if I like it and to learn everything I can about possibly running my own. I even signed up for two online classes the owner recommended I take.”
“Now, there’s a bit of news worth celebrating,” he said at once, tapping his glass of soda with her glass of wine. “Judging by the way you look, I’m guessing you’re finding that it’s a good fit.”
“It’s the best,” she told him enthusiastically. “The work is hard. There is a huge amount of responsibility, but I’ve never been happier. I actually can’t wait to get back there tomorrow.”
“No difficult children to ruin it for you?”
“Sure, there are problem kids or, I should say, kids who have problems from time to time, but nothing I can’t handle.” She hesitated, then amended, “At least so far.”
“Tell me everything.”
She described how she’d discovered the day care, stopped in and met Julie and Lucy and asked for advice. “I got a whole lot more than I’d ever imagined,” she said. “Julie’s incredible. It’s not just that she has a wealth of information to share, but she cares almost as much as I do about making sure I’m not making a mistake. Not for my sake, of course, since she doesn’t even know me, but for any kids who might be placed in my care. In just one day, I’ve already learned so much. I’m also beginning to see how much I don’t know.”
“And the blue paint?”
She smiled. “Some of the kids are a little aggressive with the finger paints,” she said, then shrugged. “It’ll wash out.”
Luke tapped her glass again. “And that sort of acceptance is what will make you very good at this, if it turns out to be the right career for you.”
“I already know it is,” Carrie said eagerly. “But I’m not rushing into anything. For one thing, Julie won’t teach me the nuts and bolts till she’s satisfied that I’m not going to mess up. For another, this experience is invaluable.”
“When will you tell the rest of the family?”
She sighed heavily at the question. “No idea. Not yet, that’s for sure. Grandpa Mick will think I’m grasping at straws. For someone who’s always been a huge supporter of the schools and education, he’ll view this as glorified babysitting and a waste of my talents. I can hear him now.”
To her regret, Luke nodded. “I can hear him doing just that. Nothing less than lofty ambitions for his family. My side was much the same. Can you tune him out?”
“Today? Probably not,” she conceded with regret. “Once I’m 100 percent certain I’m on the right path, I won’t let him intimidate me.”
“Good for you.” He glanced toward the door. “You might want to brace yourself. I see him outside chatting with someone right now.”
“I don’t suppose you’d let me sneak out through the kitchen?” she asked wistfully.