Bobby giggled, and Sam’s heart filled with a mix of emotions he couldn’t quite identify. Happiness at the sound, to be sure, and relief, but it was more than that. He felt a tiny bit like a dad who’d faced a monumental hurdle and somehow gotten over it just right.
“Thanks, Shanna,” he said as Bobby scampered off to choose a new book for his collection.
“Not a problem. I’m so glad you thought to bring him here.” She gave him a reassuring look. “You might want to remember that you won’t always have all the answers when it comes to your kids, but knowing when to ask for help and where to go to get it is sometimes just as important.”
“How about bribing him with the promise of lunch at Sally’s? Is that as smart?”
She laughed. “Sometimes you have to wing it and do whatever it takes to get the job done. Just don’t back down once you’re back at the school. Remind him he made a deal with you and hold him to it.”
Sam sighed. “Does it ever get any easier?”
“You’ve been at this for what, a month maybe? I’ve been at this parenting thing for a whole lot of years now. I’ll let you know when I finally start to see easy.” Her expression sobered. “Of course, it helps that I have Kevin right there to pick up the slack. You could always ask Carrie for backup.”
“I’m already relying on her a lot, maybe even too much,” he said. “I don’t want to take advantage of her. I gather she’s still recovering from the last jerk in her life who did just that.”
Shanna looked surprised. “She told you about Marc?”
“Enough that I understand why she’s gun-shy about getting involved with anyone else she perceives could be using her.”
“Recognizing that just proves you’re a thousand times more sensitive than he was. You have my stamp of approval, for whatever that’s worth.” She gave him a long look. “Just don’t ever force me to admit that I was wrong about you. I hate being wrong.”
He laughed. “Most people do. And I’ll do my best not to hurt Carrie. That’s a promise.”
She nodded. “Good enough for me.”
Sam looked around for Bobby and found him absorbed in a book he’d chosen. “Come on, kiddo. Let’s pay for that and grab some lunch.”
Bobby jumped up and headed for the register. Sam paid Shanna for the book. “I owe you a lot more than this for the advice.”
“Nope. That was on the house.” She grinned at Bobby. “Remember what I said about Mrs. Pennington. That’s just between us.”
Sam thought of Carrie’s secret that Bobby had inadvertently blurted out all too recently. “You might not want to count on that,” he warned Shanna.
She shrugged. “I’ll recommend her to Bree for this year’s Christmas production. Amy will be so flattered she’ll thank me for making the comparison.”
“Do you have a positive spin for everything?”
“I do these days,” she replied cheerfully. “That’s what a happy marriage will do for you. You might keep that in mind.”
“So Mick’s not the only meddler in the family,” he said wryly.
“He’s just the tip of the iceberg,” she confirmed.
For some reason that didn’t bother Sam half as much as it probably should.
“Dinner with Trace and me tonight!” Abby declared in a brief, but pointed voice mail.
Carrie listened to her mom’s message and recognized a command when she heard it.
Sighing, she returned the call. “Are you cooking?” she asked when Abby picked up.
Her mom chuckled. “What do you think? I know my food’s never going to lure you over here. Jess is sending over a roasted chicken, red bliss mashed potatoes, veggies and the inn’s chocolate decadence cake.”
“Wow! Is this a big occasion?”
“It is if one of my daughters is coming for dinner after a long absence,” Abby said.
“I just saw you at the inn,” Carrie protested.
“Two weeks ago. And you haven’t seen Trace for even longer, to say nothing of your little brother. We miss you, sweetheart.”
Since she knew she’d been deliberately avoiding them, Carrie could hardly deny that her absence had gone on too long. “What time?”
“Dinner will be at seven, but come whenever you’re ready.” There was a slight pause before her mother added, “Anyone you’d like to bring along?”
There it was, Carrie thought triumphantly. The ulterior motive. “So this isn’t really about catching up with me. It’s about Sam. You want to check him out.”