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“Marvy,” Quinn grumbled under his breath.
Paxton resisted the urge to agree. The network executives were the bane of his and his brother’s existence. “I’m heading into town.”
“Now?” Quinn’s eyes widened.
“Owen is helping Jamison out at O’Faredeigh’s. I think a little chat might be in order.”
“Works for me.” Quinn nodded.
His brother had to have lost his mind to have squeezed building an entire home from the ground up into their busy off season schedule. Though he did love the idea of a worthy cause, he didn’t see how this was going to work. “What was my beloved twin thinking?”
“Oh, look! A playground.” Sandra Lynn’s son turned those puppy dog eyes on her. “Can’t we stop and play? Just for a little bit?”
The last thing she needed was another stop. After driving for so long, all she wanted was to get to her mother’s house, unpack what few belongings she’d managed to bring, and relish in the familiarity of her old room. At the least, she did not want to be driving anymore.
David had grown restless with the long ride. She couldn’t blame him, five-year-olds and road trips across three states, including one as big as Texas, were never a good mix. For the last forty miles, he’d been dancing on her last nerve. She loved her boy more than her own life, but she wasn’t going to take a long road trip with him ever again. Well, maybe once he turned thirty-five.
“Pleeeeease,” David blinked at his mother.
Okay, maybe one more quick break would do them both good. She pulled into an open parking space. With most kids in school, they pretty much had the park to themselves. She’d barely come to a stop and David was out the back door and across the grass like a shot. Straight for the monkey bars. The really tall monkey bars.
Closing her eyes, she said a small prayer that her rambunctious son didn’t wind up in the ER with a broken arm. Opening her eyes, she looked around at the playground that hadn’t been here when she left Tucker Bluffs years ago.
So much had changed since she’d run off to marry Ed, but a few things were still as she left them. The café hadn’t changed a bit, though her mom had told her that Abbie the owner had married a Farraday—one of the many cousins she had run around town and the ranch with during the summers when they were kids. And, of course, Sisters boutique. So many towns had lost their Main Street shopping to big-box stores. It made her smile to see that Tuckers Bluff still had a thriving business district. The familiarity pushed away the tension that had become a way of life for her. And there was the Cut n’ Curl. Polly had been kind enough to hire her part time as a shampoo girl. It wasn’t much, but any work would be a blessing. She would have much preferred her homecoming had been a triumphant return rather than slinking home, divorced, with her tail between her legs, but she was home. That was the important thing. She’d finally broken free from Ed Morton.
“Look, Mom, no hands.”
She glanced up and forced a smile. Did Tuckers Bluff even have an ER? “Be careful. I’m going to call and let Grandma know that we’re close.” Pulling out her phone, she pulled up her mother’s number.
“Sandra. Hey. I thought you’d be here by now.”
“We made a few more stops than I’d planned, but that’s a road trip with a restless boy. We’re at a nice small park in town. We won’t stay too long. I think we should be home within the hour. I figure it’s best to let David run off some of the built-up energy.”
“Good idea. That’s what he probably needs. He’s been cramped in your car for hours, and in that tiny apartment for too long.”
Her husband—ex-husband—had insisted on a fancy modern apartment as if they were young swinging singles and not a family with a boy who needed fresh air and space. At least now he would have it. “Thanks, Mom.”
“Love you, baby, and get him good and tired out.” Her mom chuckled. “He’s all boy.”
Why her mother thought she knew anything about raising boys, Sandra had no idea. She’d been an only child herself. Something she hadn’t wanted for her son, but now, it looked like history was doomed to repeat itself. Not that she’d been raised by a single mother. Her dad had been the best. Made her feel like his princess her whole life. It was one of the hardest parts of moving away with Ed. Her dad had begrudgingly thrown them a wedding, but made it clear to Ed that he didn’t approve of him. At the first possible excuse, Ed had dragged her away to Chicago and wouldn’t even let her come home for her father’s funeral. She really should have listened to her father. But, of course, she wouldn’t have David if she had. Glancing over at her son now swinging so high that she wondered if the swing set’s metal legs wouldn’t pull right out of the ground, she smiled. Boys.
Glancing over at Sisters, a list of things she was going to need ran through her head. Thinking on it, she’d drop David off at her mother’s for some grandmother loving and run to Sister’s. Her gaze drifted back to David. Oh, how she loved that boy. “Daddy, I’m sorry you aren’t going to get to see your grandson grow up,” she whispered. She was sorry about a lot of things.
Chapter Two
With David safely at her mother’s, probably eating too many cookies and drinking too much chocolate milk, Sandra was free to shop. Parking in front of Sisters, she wasn’t at all surprised it was still there. The two sisters, one tall, one short, one blonde, one a redhead—at least they were when she’d left town—Sissy and Sister were such a part of the town landscape, things simply wouldn’t be the same without them.
A bell above the door jingled when Sandra pushed it open. The scent of the place brought back memories of shopping with her mom for school clothes, birthday gifts, Christmas gifts, and pretty much everything under the sun short of what they’d buy at the hardware store. So little had changed, those were probably the same clothing racks from her childhood.
“Welcome to Sisters. I’m Sissy. What can I get you?”
Sissy hadn’t changed. She was still tall and slender, and a redhead.
“You look familiar.” Sissy cocked her head. “I don’t forget a face.”
Could she really remember Sandra? Or was this a sales ploy? Of course the woman should remember her, a few years and a few pounds hadn’t changed her that much. When had she become so jaded? Oh, right. She’d run away to marry Prince Charming and wound up with Mr. Hyde. She’s divorced and jaded. “I grew up in Tuckers Bluff. Left when I got married.”
“Sandra Lynn, is that you?” Sister, her blonde beehive hairdo as big as ever, came out from behind the dressing room curtains. “I’d know that face anywhere.”
