Mommy in Training

Well, that brought him up short. He wasn’t in the family-planning way. At all. “Don’t get carried away.”

“Oh, one day you’ll find the right woman,” Mrs. Wy said with a smile. “You’ll fill up this house with love and laughter again and life will be right as rain. Right now, it’s too quiet. When the night drags on, my mind drifts to how things used to be.”

He couldn’t help smiling. “Kids running everywhere?” The Wyzeckis had always taken in foster kids.

“Yep. Kids and dogs and mountains of laundry. Sometimes I was sure that I had more schedules to keep track of than any big-city CEO.”

“You did a fine job managing it all.”

“You did okay, too, Matthew.”

Barely. “I don’t know about that.”

“I do.”

The way she looked at him made Matt almost believe she was right. Almost. To most of the town, he’d had everything—good looks, good grades, athletic ability. Only people who knew him well realized that inside he was a mess. Unsure of other people, eager to please, and more than a little resentful of things he didn’t have—like a family.

Sliding off the stool, she said, “Well, I’ll go show you to your room and let you get settled.”

They walked up the stairs, Matt following Mrs. Wy with two duffels in his hands. Instead of heading for his old bedroom, he followed her into the “special” guest room. He raised a brow. “I’m staying here?”

“You’re pretty darn special, Matthew.” She motioned to the window. “Plus, this room has a better view than your old one.”

Obligingly, Matt looked out the window. Everything appeared to be the same except that the trees were taller and the houses seemed smaller than he remembered.

Mrs. Wyzecki pointed to a cute little white house with black shutters, a covered front porch and a cherry-red front door. “You’ll never guess who lives there now.” After the slightest pause, she announced the answer, just like she was the new host on The Price is Right. “Minnie Clark!”

The name sounded familiar, though he couldn’t quite place her. “Who?”

“Minnie is Paige’s little sister.” Tapping on the window, she said, “Let’s see. When you were seniors, Minnie was a freshman.”

Paige. They’d been a couple, off and on for a good nine months right before graduation. Paige had been vivacious, pretty in that Barbie doll kind of way, and a cheerleader. He’d truly enjoyed dating her. Well, until he’d found her making out with one of the guys on his football team. That little encounter had managed to ruin two relationships and empty a bottle of tequila in one fell swoop.

Mrs. Wyzecki pointed toward the neatly arranged flower beds that surrounded the house like a bright ribbon. “That Minnie’s such a sweetie. She owns a card shop now, you know. It’s got a real catchy name, too. Carried Away Cards.”

Turning his attention from the neatly trimmed boxwoods, he eyed his favorite woman in the world. “Why are you telling me all this?”

“I don’t know. Thought you might enjoy reacquainting yourself with an old friend. Especially since she took in Paige’s child just last year.”

Matt had heard about Paige from his buddy Lane, one of the few people besides Mrs. Wy he’d kept in touch with. “Paige died in a car accident, right?”

“She did, though neither Minnie nor her parents talk much about it.” With a frown, she added, “From what I understand, Paige and her husband met up with a semi on the highway in Arizona. In their wills, they left Minnie full custody of Kimber.”

Still gazing at Minnie’s house, Wanda murmured, “It was surely the saddest day you ever saw when Minnie came home with that little girl. They both looked like they were barely holding each other up.”

“Are they doing okay now?”

“I suppose. Minnie’s not one to complain.” With a steady look in Matt’s direction, she added softly, “Never was.”

Now what was that supposed to mean?

“Do her parents live nearby?”

“Two towns over. Anson and JoAnn help when they can, but sometimes I think Minnie does better without them around. Anson and Jo can’t last more than a minute or two without mentioning Paige and dissolving into tears.”

“Which would be hard for Kimber.”

“Uh-huh. But that’s okay. Me and that little thing have become pretty close. I get a kick out of watching Minnie deal with Kimber. Oh, but she’s getting a run for her money!”

She padded to the tiny linen closet and pulled out two towels. “After you get settled, come downstairs and we’ll make plans.”

When he was alone, Matt sat on the crocheted bedspread and took a deep breath. At the moment, it didn’t matter that he’d lost most of his Texas accent around the time he’d been doing his best to climb up the corporate ladder at SavNGo Discounters. It didn’t matter that most of the time he lived out of a suitcase, spending very little time in one place—his job of facilitating grand openings of stores kept him on the road.

For one brief moment, Matt felt vulnerable and full of hope. Like he did years ago. Just after he’d buried his dad and realized he had nowhere to go. Well, nowhere until Mr. and Mrs. Wyzecki offered their home and asked him to help with the dishes.

Once again, he felt accepted and wanted. And that—well, that felt good.

Picking up his cell phone, he called Jackie, his personal assistant. “I’m in,” he said, not bothering with small talk. “Anything you need from me right away?”

“Grab a pen, Matt,” she replied with a husky laugh. “I always need something from you.”

Chapter Two

Oh, it was him. Matt Madigan. Spiky brown hair. Eyes as blue as the sky. Perfect jaw. Flawless smile. Shoulders broad and solid. Matt Madigan was standing in her card shop.

Minnie Clark pulled the invoices she’d been reading a little closer to her face. One foot tapped in a nervous rhythm, keeping pace with her pounding heart. Funny how some things never changed.

She still was drawn to Matt like a child with a shiny new penny. Memories of ninth grade came flooding back. He used to wear frayed button-downs and old Levi’s. Scuffed boots and his hair a little too long.

She’d worn a perpetual, lovesick expression whenever he was within ten feet.

Of course, he’d rarely said a word to her—he’d been a senior and Paige had been his on-again, off-again girlfriend.

Minnie had just been a mousy replica. Oh, but how she’d dreamed things were different.

Now, years later, here he was, standing three feet away and looking at a row of cards right in her very own store.

As Minnie noticed that those worn jeans still fit his backside real fine, slowly Matt turned. Walked toward her. Down went the invoices. On the counter went a card.

“So, is that everything, Matt?”

Blue eyes blinked. “I’m sorry…do we know each other?”

She held out her hand. “Minnie Clark.” He shook it.

“Hi.” He smiled. Her eyes focused on those lips. Those cheekbones.

“Now I remember. Mrs. Wy said you owned this shop. It’s real nice.”