Willow Brook Road

Carrie laughed and thought about what her grandmother had just advised, opening her heart to new experiences, even if she wasn’t quite ready for a new man.

“Well, when you put it that way, it should be fun,” she said. “Maybe I’ll even let you hold the baby, if he wakes up crying. That could be even more entertaining.”

“Hey, I’m barely holding my head above water as it is. One kid at a time, okay?”

“Okay,” she relented. “I’ll go save a table. It’s going to be hopping in there soon.”

Even as she walked away, she heard him trying to persuade Bobby to climb down. The boy promptly refused.

“Don’t make me come up there after you,” Sam warned.

As much as she wanted to turn around and watch the test of wills play out, she kept going to Sally’s. Lunch promised to be one of those interesting adventures that had been in short supply recently.

5 (#ulink_773d960d-0537-5a1e-8482-1aa6155c8581)

“Twice in one day?” Sally commented when Carrie walked into the café. “To what do I owe the honor?”

“I’m meeting a friend. At least I am if he can get his nephew to leave the playground.”

“Ah, you must be talking about Sam,” Sally said, proving how efficient the Chesapeake Shores grapevine could be. “I heard about what happened, that out of the blue, he’s got his nephew to raise.” She shook her head. “Poor little thing. He must be feeling so lost without his mom and dad. And Sam must be feeling completely out of his depth. Your uncle Kevin would know what that was like.”

Carrie immediately sat up a little straighter. “Why didn’t I think of that? Uncle Kevin suddenly found himself a single dad when Georgia was killed. The whole family pitched in with Davey until Kevin got his feet back under him. I should arrange for Sam to meet him.”

Sally gave her a long look. “How did this become your problem?”

“I told you. Sam’s a friend.”

“I thought he was new to town.”

“Okay, we just met, but he obviously needs help. Kevin can give him some encouragement, tell him he won’t feel as if he’s floundering for long,” Carrie said, warming to the idea. “Look at Kevin’s life now. He’s married to Shanna. They have Davey, and an adopted son, Henry, and two kids of their own.”

“You planning to step in and be this man’s Shanna?” Sally asked, a spark of devilment in her eyes.

Carrie’s jaw dropped at the question. “No, of course not. I’m just being neighborly.”

Sally looked doubtful. “Keep telling yourself that. You want your usual to drink—an iced tea?”

Carrie shook her head, determined not to be so predictable. Maybe it was silly, but she viewed it as a first step toward getting more spontaneity back into her life just as Grandma Megan had advised. She’d been right. Playing it safe wasn’t Carrie’s way.

“I think I’ll go crazy and have another cup of coffee,” she announced with a greater sense of triumph than the decision deserved.

Sally nodded and went to greet a group of tourists who’d just taken over two tables in the middle of the room, using half the chairs for all their packages. Clearly their visit had been good for the Chesapeake Shores economy.

Just then Sam came in the door, a firm hand on his nephew’s shoulder. The boy wore a mutinous expression as Sam guided him to the booth where Carrie was waiting.

“Carrie, this is Bobby. Bobby, Carrie is the nice lady who helped me decide on that delicious Irish stew we had for dinner last night.”

Ignoring both her and his uncle, Bobby crawled across the seat and settled in a corner of the booth, arms folded across his chest, his gaze downcast.

“Sorry,” Sam mouthed.

Carrie debated her strategy, then opted to be direct, acting as if Bobby weren’t so determined to punish Sam and pretend she didn’t exist.

“I saw you climb that jungle gym on the playground just now,” she said, her tone cheerful.

Bobby gave her a surprised look, but remained stubbornly silent.

Carrie was undaunted. “You were really high. You must be very brave. How old are you?”

She saw Sam start to answer for him, and shook her head. He sat back and waited.

“I think I was about your age when my twin sister and I climbed up on the railing on the porch at my grandfather’s house and tried to walk it like a tightrope,” she continued as if he’d responded. “It was pretty scary, but fun, too. At least till our mom caught us.”

Bobby finally met her gaze, a faint interest sparking in his eyes. “Was it very high?”

“Not as high as the jungle gym, but pretty high.”

“I like to climb stuff,” he said. “And I never get scared.”

“That’s great, but it’s important to understand that some things have risks. You don’t want to do anything that might be dangerous. A broken arm or leg wouldn’t be much fun.”

Bobby shrugged. “My friend Pete had a cast on his arm. He said it itched. And there were lots of things he couldn’t do for a long time.”

“Something to remember,” Carrie suggested. “I heard you might want a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch. That’s my favorite, too. Sally’s are the best.”

Curiosity finally overcame his bad mood. “Is that the lady who owns this place?”

Carrie nodded. “And here’s another tip. If you’re nice to her, she sometimes has cookies still warm from the oven for her best-behaved customers.”

Bobby’s eyes widened. “Chocolate chip, like we had last night?”

“Even better,” Carrie said, praying Nell would forgive her if she ever heard about that traitorous claim.

“I think you’ve said the magic words,” Sam said. “Bobby and I are both suckers for warm chocolate-chip cookies.”

“I can eat lots and lots of them,” Bobby agreed.

“But only after lunch,” Sam reminded him just as Sally arrived to take their orders for two grilled cheese sandwiches, a burger for Sam and an order of fries for the table.

Clearly more at ease now, Bobby glanced across the table and studied Jackson in his carrier. “Is that your baby?”

“No, Jackson is my nephew. He stays with me sometimes.”

“Like I’m staying with Sam?”

“Not exactly,” Carrie said. “He goes home to his dad at night. His dad’s a doctor here in town and his mom is in school in Baltimore.”

Bobby looked puzzled. “If she’s a mom, isn’t she too old for school?”