Page 18 of Her Secret Daughter

“I’ll think about it, sure.” He wouldn’t think about it. He didn’t know her. He didn’t know the college kids she talked about, either.

Did you know the teacher at the day school before you signed Addie up? No.

That was different. It was a registered school.

His internal voice sighed. Because of course nothing bad could ever happen at a registered school.

“I expect you’re busy now, but I’d like to go over the kitchen layout before everything’s put in place. Placement of the gas lines is pretty clutch in an operation like mine.”

“I’ll have the kitchen designer set up a time with you.”

“Perfect.” She didn’t push about Addie.

Good.

The thought of leaving Addie with anyone bothered him, which meant he needed to look into a nanny wherever they decided to settle. And that meant a house. A yard. Serious commitments for a man who had been married to his work for a long time.

A firm in Texas had contacted him about overseeing a major project bordering Waco. And a major Arizona development corporation had sent out feelers through their chief operating officer because they were contemplating a three-stage, multiyear all-inclusive adult living community with recreational built-ins.

Carrington was slated to begin a new Outer Banks project. That one would win the choice if his parents hadn’t sold their Georgia home and moved to lower Florida. His mother had proclaimed she was ready to be done with winter, but maybe that wasn’t the whole story. Maybe being in the town where she’d raised two children and lost one was just too much.

He walked to his car, wondering what his mother would think of the long, cold winter he’d just experienced here.

She’d hate it, but he hadn’t minded it at all. He’d enjoyed it, actually. So had Addie. They’d gone sledding and ice skating together, and he hadn’t minded that they held each other up on the ice because that’s kind of what they’d been doing all along.

His phone rang.

He’d figure out those two gaping weeks in child care later. Right now there was work to be done, and then he needed to drive to the southeast end of the lake and pick up Addie. If the late-day rain held off, maybe he’d take her for a walk along the public beach at the north end. She’d like that. And as multiple work crews worked long hours to get the Eastern Shore Inn up and running by July 1, he wouldn’t mind a short break himself.

* * *

“Stan’s Frozen Custard doesn’t fix everything, but it fixes most things.” Kimberly bumped cones with Josie while Drew fed the soft, delicious dessert to their toddler son with a spoon. “So you’re moving up in the world, Jo-Jo.” She teased with the childhood nickname. “The dive owner is now part of the major resort hotel chain. Who knows? If they like you enough, we can make you a franchise and folks up and down the coast can enjoy Bayou Barbecue all year round.”

“What are we talking about?” Drew applied a soft napkin to Davy’s cheek before the little fellow could blot chocolate ice cream with a white cotton sleeve.

“The Eastern Shore Inn is letting Josie move the Bayou Barbecue into their first-floor casual restaurant area, the part overlooking the beach. Isn’t that amazing?” Kimberly’s enthusiasm didn’t match the look Drew shot Josie.

“Amazing, all right. What made you think of that, Josie?” He didn’t call her out, but she read the warning in his voice. “Last I knew you were trying to block the sale of your land, and now a few days later, you’re consorting with the enemy?” He lifted his eyes again, and she saw when he made the connection. “You think this is a good idea, Josie? Really?”

How could she answer that in front of Kimberly?

You could try telling Kimberly the truth…

There was no one around right then. They were alone, at the water’s edge, overlooking the strip of public beach bordering the north end of the lake. A beautiful night, quiet and still, before the busy hum of summer and cottage dwellers grew to a roar. “I—”

“Hey! Miss Josie! Hey there!”

Josie swallowed the words when a sweet Southern voice hailed her. She made a quarter turn, and there was Addie, racing up the beach, copper curls flying as she kicked up sand. Jacob followed behind her at a more leisurely pace. “It’s hard to run in sand! Did you know that?”

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