Willow Brook Road(67)

“Ah, so the day care’s where you’ve been going at the crack of dawn,” her mom concluded. “Now it makes sense. I couldn’t believe it when someone said my little night owl was up and out before daybreak.”

Carrie didn’t even bother asking who’d filed that report. It hardly mattered. She looked expectantly from Trace to her mom, trying to gauge their reactions.

“So, what do you think?” she prodded when she couldn’t stand the silence another minute.

“Now that we’ve talked, I can see how it would be exactly right for you,” her mother said. “I’m a little surprised no one suggested it sooner.”

Carrie rolled her eyes. “Who? Grandpa Mick? You know he’s going to have plenty to say about me wasting my potential by babysitting.”

“And I think you’re selling him short,” Abby contradicted. “He wants you close by. This will keep you here. He wants to see you happy. If this achieves that, he’ll have no complaints.”

“And it shouldn’t matter what Mick or anyone else thinks,” Trace emphasized. “If this is what you want, that’s all that counts. Have you spoken to my dad or Laila at the bank about getting a small-business loan for your start-up?”

Carrie held up her hands. “Slow down. I’m not that far along yet. And I still have trust-fund money to underwrite the first-year costs when I am ready.”

Trace shook his head. “Speak to Dad or my sister. Don’t put your trust fund at risk. Part of opening any business is establishing good credit. Let them help with that. It will make Dad’s day. You know he’s always had a soft spot for you and your sister. And anytime an O’Brien succeeds, it’s good for the bank and good for the town. He’s well aware of that.”

“I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to talk to him when the time is right,” Carrie agreed, though she wasn’t enthusiastic about laying out her plans for a man as hardheaded about business as Trace’s dad. He’d spot every single flaw and make no concessions because she was family.

“Seems to me that the end of summer and the start of the school year would be a good time to get things rolling,” Abby suggested casually.

“No way,” Carrie said, horrified. “School starts in a couple of weeks. This isn’t something I can rush into. Even if I wanted to open quickly and on a very small scale, there are too many regulations and licenses to deal with. Plus I have to find a location, do renovations. There are a million things that need to be done before I could even consider opening.”

“Stop by and see Susie about suitable property,” Abby suggested. “She knows every house or retail space around here that’s zoned for something like this.”

Carrie studied her mom. Something was going on here. “Why are you suddenly in such a rush for me to make this happen? It’s not just so I’ll stay close by, is it? I’ve already told you I intend to stay in Chesapeake Shores. That decision definitely isn’t a whim. I want this town to continue to be home.”

Abby glanced across the table at Trace, who nodded. “The thing is,” she began, color blooming in her cheeks, “we’re expecting another baby.”

Carrie stared at her in shock. “A baby? But, Mom, you can’t be. You’re...”

“Old. Go ahead and say it,” Abby said, her expression wry. “Believe me, no one is more shocked than the two of us. I thought I was a lot closer to menopause than I was to becoming a mother again.”

“Who knows? Have you told anyone else?” Carrie asked.

“No. So far, it’s just us,” Trace said, then cautioned, “And we want it to stay that way for another couple of months. But you can see why the idea of a day care right here in town and run by someone we trust could be a lifesaver for us. Trying to keep an eye on Patrick while working at home almost drove me over the brink. With this baby, I want him or her out of the house and in the hands of a professional. Your mom and I are agreed on that. I’m not expecting her to put her career on the back burner, either, so reliable day care is a must.”

Carrie bounced out of her chair and hugged her mom, then Trace. “I am so, so happy for you. Does Caitlyn know?”

“Not yet,” Abby replied. “We wanted to wait a little longer. We’ll fill her in next time she comes home for a weekend.”

“Then I don’t suppose Patrick knows he’s going to be a big brother,” Carrie said.

“Absolutely not,” Trace said. “The pint-size O’Briens are not even remotely trustworthy with secrets of any kind. The leaking of your news is proof enough of that.”