Willow Brook Road(56)
Carrie sighed. “I really need to reevaluate whether I can stand to live in Chesapeake Shores.”
Though the comment had come out impulsively, she couldn’t have chosen her threat more carefully. All three women immediately looked alarmed.
“We’ll cut it out—I promise,” Shanna said at once.
“Absolutely,” Bree chimed in. “I don’t want my sister on my case for chasing off her daughter. Abby’s upset enough that Caitlyn’s still living in Baltimore, even though Noah and their baby are here.”
“Then let that be a lesson to you,” Carrie scolded, to take advantage of their momentary chagrin. “My roots here are not firmly planted in the ground quite yet.”
“You bought a house,” Heather said tentatively. “You want to stay. You know you do.”
“A house doesn’t make a life,” Carrie reminded them. “All O’Briens eventually want to have a home here to come back to, even for short visits. It was a smart investment.”
“And an indication of how you’re leaning. All the other pieces will fall into place,” Bree said with certainty. “I didn’t know I wanted to stay when I first moved back from Chicago after that disastrous experience I had at the regional theater. But then I opened Flowers on Main, Jake and I got back together and I opened the theater. This is what my life was meant to be.”
“It worked a lot like that for all of us. Living in Chesapeake Shores was the first step into our futures,” Shanna said, then added with confidence, “That’s what it is for you, too, Carrie.”
“And now we’re officially dropping the subject,” Bree said.
The other two nodded, though Heather gave Carrie a hopeful look. “Unless there’s something you wanted to tell us about you and Sam.”
“Incorrigible!” Carrie decreed, laughing. “All of you.”
“Only because we love you and want you to be happy,” Shanna insisted. “We’re not just nosy, honestly.”
“And now you sound like Grandpa Mick,” Carrie said with an exaggerated shudder.
The three women exchanged looks, then shuddered themselves.
“That’s it. Message received,” Bree declared. “Let’s move on to Susie. Have any of you seen her?”
“Not since the adoption fiasco,” Heather said. “I know she’s working again, but she’s obviously avoiding us.”
“I’ve called,” Shanna said. “I even poked my head in the office on Monday, but she picked up the phone and waved me off.”
“Not unusual,” Bree said. “She’s pretty focused when it comes to work.”
“Ah, but that’s the thing,” Shanna said. “The phone hadn’t rung.”
“Oh, dear,” Carrie said. “She’s shutting everyone out. That can’t be good.”
“I have one thought,” Shanna said. “We’re due for a book-club meeting and it’s her turn to host it. I can remind her of that and see how she feels about it. Maybe if I approach her and the conversation’s not about her and how she’s feeling, she’ll relax and let us back in.”
“It’s worth a shot,” Bree said. “Somebody needs to do something. Gram was beside herself when Susie and Mack skipped Sunday dinner again this week. I don’t like seeing her upset.”
“Me, either,” Shanna said. “Though I’ve never known Nell to sit on the sidelines for long. She’ll be on Susie’s doorstep any day now, if she hasn’t been already.”
“No doubt about it,” Carrie said. “I’ll try to get Gram to hold off another week, if you’ll see if you can get this book-club meeting organized.”
“Done,” the others agreed, practically in unison.
“Okay, then, if we’re all in agreement, I’d better head to the flower shop,” Bree said. “Jake’s bringing my order in early.” She grinned wickedly. “If I’m lucky, we can make out in the back room for a couple of minutes.”
Heather laughed. “We may be the luckiest women in the world.”
“How so?” Carrie asked, curious because it did seem to her that they were. She couldn’t help wondering what their secret was.
“We’re all married to men we still think are hot,” Heather replied. “Better yet, they can’t keep their hands off us, either.”
Carrie slapped her hands over her ears. “Too much information!” she protested even though she was the one who’d asked for the insight.
“Not so,” Bree said. “We’re setting a good example for you. When you find the guy who makes you feel like that you’ll know he’s the right one.”