Willow Brook Road(69)
“I’ll get started on all this tonight,” Carrie said. “By the time I see you day after tomorrow, I’ll have a full report on what I’ve accomplished.”
Julie gave a little nod of satisfaction. “Of course you will.”
As Carrie was leaving her office, Julie called her back. “I’m proud of you. You’ve caught on quickly. You’ve never once blinked no matter what I’ve asked of you. And you’re great with the kids.”
Touched by the praise from a woman she’d come to respect, Carrie blinked back tears. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet. There are going to be days in the months and years to come when you’ll probably hate me for encouraging you to take this on.”
Carrie couldn’t imagine such a day, but she nodded. Julie hadn’t been wrong about anything else. She was probably right about this, too. But it didn’t really matter. She’d never been more excited about anything she’d ever tackled before. And O’Briens were made of tough stuff. Difficulties didn’t deter them one little bit.
Sam was on his way to the pizza shop with Bobby for a celebration of the first day of school when he spotted Carrie heading toward O’Brien’s. He changed direction and intercepted her. A smile spread across her face when she saw them.
“A first day of school celebration?” she guessed right away.
Bobby nodded enthusiastically. “We’re having pizza!”
“Not exactly a rare treat,” she commented, her gaze on Sam.
He caught the glimmer of amusement in her eyes. “I’m reformed, but not obsessed about it,” he told her. “Besides, this is Bobby’s celebration, so it’s his choice. Want to join us?”
“Yes!” Bobby said eagerly. “Please, Carrie.”
“Well, I can hardly turn down the chance to have dinner with two handsome guys. It will have to be a quick one, though. I have a ton of work to do tonight.”
Sam cast a cautious glance toward Bobby, who was already running ahead to the pizza shop. “Day-care plans?”
She nodded, a brilliant smile lighting up her face. “I’m moving forward with Julie’s stamp of approval,” she confirmed. “Only my mom and stepfather know, though, so please keep it to yourself a little longer. I’m going to see Susie tomorrow about locating a property, so I suspect everyone in the family will know after that.”
Sam winced at the mention of Susie.
“What?” Carrie asked, obviously catching his guilty expression.
“I’ve been meaning to call her ever since I got to town about looking at houses. Time keeps getting away from me. Mack’s even mentioned to me twice now that Susie’s wondering if I’m just going to go on living at the inn.”
“It is a pretty comfortable place,” Carrie said.
“But it’s not a home. And it’s above my budget long-term, even with the deep discount Jess has been giving me.” He waved off the topic. “I’ll get to Susie sometime this week. Right now I want to hear all about your plans.”
“Hurry up!” Bobby’s urgent command interrupted them.
Sam sighed. “But I suppose now’s not the time.”
“Probably not.”
“I don’t suppose you’ve changed your mind about dating?” he asked hopefully. “We could have a quiet, adults-only dinner this weekend.”
“Didn’t you tell me that Bobby’s still uneasy about being at a new school?”
“Yes, but today seemed to go okay.”
“That’s one day, Sam. Give it a week and then we’ll talk about it. I need some space to pull all this paperwork together, anyway. And you need to spend your spare time house-hunting.”
Sam conceded defeat reluctantly. “I’m calling you first thing on Monday and asking you out,” he informed her. “And make no mistake, I’m not taking no for an answer.”
“Then I’ll practice saying yes,” she told him with a grin. “Who knows? I might be very good at it.”
The next morning, determined to turn her dream into reality, she was in the real estate office five minutes after it opened, sitting across from Susie.
“I need a house,” she told her second cousin.
Susie regarded her blankly. “You have a house.”
“But it’s not zoned for what I have in mind.”
“And that would be?”
“I’m planning to get licensed and open a small day-care center.”
Rather than applauding her decision, as Carrie had expected, Susie frowned.
“I know you love having the kids over for visits every day, but an actual day care, Carrie? Have you really thought this through?”