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It seemed her daughter wasn’t shy about holding back information from a near-stranger. Granted, that stranger was driving them home and would now know where they lived, but still...Carly was surprising her more and more.
“Ah, friendships as a kid can be tricky,” Wyatt said. “I take that back. Friendships as an adult aren’t all that much easier. You never know who you’ll connect with or who will actually have your back.”
“Your grandpa told me there are friends for a reason and friends for a season,” Carly said.
Wyatt glanced in the rearview mirror again. “Sounds like something he’d say. I’d have to agree. Choosing your friends wisely is perhaps the most, well, wise thing you can do in life.”
“Yeah, I guess I’m learning it the hard way.”
“Not that I know you or your mom all that well, Carly,” Wyatt said, turning at the next corner, “but you seem like a great kid. Anyone would be lucky to have you as a friend. Those other girls just lost something good, but maybe it will be better for you in the long run.”
This was totally a lecture, but by the look on Carly’s face, she was soaking it all in.
“Yeah, that’s basically what my mom said too.”
Wyatt glanced over at Anita with a smile, and she ignored the growing warmth in her chest.
“Then your mom’s a smart lady.”
“I guess so.”
Anita laughed. “I can only speak from experience, and I loved what your grandfather said. He’s full of great wisdom and has been a good friend to both of us already.”
Wyatt nodded. “He talks about both of you during every phone call we have.”
“It’s the one with the blue shutters,” Anita said as he pulled onto their street.
Wyatt slowed the car, then turned into their driveway. He shifted into park. “Thanks for spending time with Gramps. He really appreciates it, and both my sister and I do too. As you’ve probably surmised, I’ve been really swamped with work, and Paula only visits a couple times a month.”
“It’s been fun,” Carly piped up.
“We’ve enjoyed every moment,” Anita added. “He’s a great man and full of interesting stories.”
“Yeah, like Susan,” Carly said. “His lost girlfriend.”
Anita drew in a breath. How would Wyatt react? He hadn’t been happy with all the talk about Susan—who he didn’t even think was real.
“About that...Susan may or may not be a real person,” he said.
“Really? Why not?” Carly sounded surprised.
“Gramps has some memory problems, and I don’t really want to encourage any false memories.”
“Can’t we just ask someone who knew him when he was younger?” Carly suggested. “I mean, he’s not that old and he probably still has some friends around he knew in high school.”
Anita felt Wyatt’s gaze on her, but she wasn’t going to get in the middle of this.
“Your mom suggested digging through old high school yearbooks,” he said. “I don’t know what became of the ones belonging to Gramps, but the library probably has an archive.”
“Can we go with you?” Carly asked, practically bouncing in her seat.
“Oh, we can’t do that,” Anita said immediately.
“I don’t see why not,” Wyatt said. “If I go alone, I might chicken out.”
Anita didn’t know what to say. Well, she should say no. This was becoming too involved, and why would Wyatt want them along on his sleuthing trip?
“What about tomorrow?” he asked.
