Storybook Romance

He nodded. “Yeah.”

“How’s that going?”

“All right, but I miss them like crazy when they’re with Teresa.”

“That has to be rough,” Allison said. If she ever had kids—which she hoped to someday, in the future, after she had her career cemented in stone—she couldn’t imagine not having them with her full-time. And she definitely hadn’t inherited her parents’ workaholic tendencies; she believed in actually spending time with one’s children.

“Yep. The house just seems too quiet, you know?” He looked at his watch. “Oh, man, we’ve got to run. I still have to drop the kids at Teresa’s before I head to practice.”

Teresa. His ex-wife. Allison had seen her once at the Hometown Grocery store but hadn’t ever spoken to her. She was tall and blonde and very pretty in a classic Southern-belle way. Teresa had left Sam for another man. News like that traveled at lightning speed in a small town like Bygones. Allison wouldn’t dream of bringing it up.

“How’s the team this year?” she asked. Both her sisters played basketball for Bygones High School, so she was interested.

He made a wiggly motion in the air with his hand. “Not bad. One kid in particular is particularly promising, but his academic struggles might keep him from playing.”

“Well, if he has reading and writing problems, he might be interested in the creative-writing workshops I’m starting here next week.”

Sam raised his eyebrows. “I hadn’t heard about that.”

“Coraline Connolly and I came up with the idea as a way to bring in business and serve the community at the same time.” She pointed toward the front of the store. “I’ll go get you a flyer while you round up the kids.”

“Great,” he replied. “I can’t guarantee Rory will be interested, but I’ll pass the info along just the same.”

“I’d appreciate it.” A thought occurred to her. “And if you want to dangle a carrot, let Rory know that there are several high school girls already signed up for the workshop, including my youngest sister, Amy.”

Sam grinned. “That ought to do the trick. If there’s anything that will motivate a teenage boy it’s the chance to be around a teenage girl.”

How she wished that had been true for Sam in regards to her way back when; obviously he’d never seen her in that light, no matter how hard she’d wished it to be true. She wouldn’t be making that misguided mistake again. “I say use any ammunition at our disposal.”

“I agree.” He gave her a pointed look. “I have to say, I really admire how hard you’re working to make this place a success.”

A rosy glow spread through her, warming her from the inside out. “Well, thanks. I want it to be a success for me, but also for the town.” She pressed her lips together. “A lot of people don’t think the SOS Committee’s plan will work, and I want to prove them wrong.” She also wanted to prove it to her parents, who’d been livid when she’d told them she was leaving for Kansas City. They’d assumed she’d stay in Bygones and continue to provide live-in babysitting for her sisters in their absence. They’d made it clear they thought she’d fail when she left, and their doubts had crept into her and taken root. They’d said the same thing when she’d returned to run Happy Endings, and she’d feared they were right. Especially since one job in Kansas City had turned into a succession of four that had never been a good fit. Self-fulfilling prophecy laid down by her parents’ misgivings? Maybe.

Well, she was done with trying to escape her problems by moving on, hoping to find the pie in the sky that would make her happy. She’d returned to Bygones and staked all her financial and emotional resources on Happy Endings. That, along with the faith the SOS Committee had put in her, had solidified her determination to make Happy Endings a success. Hearing praise from Sam simply confirmed all this.

“Seems you have a bit of a stubborn streak,” he replied. “That’s a good thing in my book.”

More glowing warmed her. “I hope so. Sometimes my stubbornness gets me into trouble.” Such as when she’d stubbornly—and foolishly—held on to her adoration for Sam in high school, though he’d never expressed one iota of interest in her. It was time for her to use her stubbornness toward more concrete goals.

Nicky ran up. “Daddy, read with me.”

Sam touched Nicky on the head. “We gotta get going, bud.”

“No!” Nicky said, running back over to his book. “I wanna stay.” He gave Sam a defiant stare, full of three-year-old bravado.

Seeing a conflict on the horizon, Allison piped in, “Would you like to come back to another Story Time?”

Rosie jumped up. “Yes. I do.”

“Me, too,” Nicky called out. “When?”

“Well,” Allison said with a conspiratorial look at Sam, “we have Story Time every Monday and Wednesday afternoon at four o’clock. Today is Monday, so we will have another one day after tomorrow. Will you two come?” She gave Sam a teasing look. “You can come, too, if you want.”

“Oh, is that so?” he said with a glint in his eyes that made Allison’s tummy drop. “You don’t think they should come by themselves?”

Nicky and Rosie rushed over in unison, precluding Allison’s response. “Please, can we, Daddy? Please?” they begged in an excited tangle of words, each hopping around Sam like little monkeys.

Sam laughed. “Okay, okay. We’ll come back on Wednesday, but only if you two cooperate now so I can get to practice.”

Rosie glared at Nicky. “You cooperate, Nicky.” She grabbed his arm. “Daddy says.”

Nicky jerked his arm loose. “Don’t boss me, Ro-ro,” he said, his eyebrows scrunched together. Then he paused and regarded Sam. “I o’operate with you, Daddy.”

“Thank you,” Sam replied, with a gentle rub to Nicky’s dark hair. “Dad likes it when you do that.”

Allison liked everything about this little family. Not that she’d ever be part of it. But she would look forward to seeing the twins every once in a while. Sam, too, but only as an old friend. Nothing more than that.

The four of them walked to the front of the store. Allison grabbed some workshop flyers and gave them to Sam.

He took them, promising to give one to Rory and some of the other basketball-team members, too.

Allison lingered by Sam’s side as they all made their way toward the door, loath to see them go. She couldn’t remember when she’d enjoyed a Story Time more; sharing her love of books with others was gratifying.

“What do you say to Allison?” he asked the twins when they reached the double doors leading out to Main Street.

“Thank you!” the two darlings said in unison.

“You’re very welcome,” Allison replied. “I’ll be sure and pick out really neat stories for you two at the next Story Time, all right?”

“Yay!” they crowed, again together.

“I owe you a big thank-you, too,” Sam said, his chocolate-brown eyes shining with sincerity. “These two don’t usually settle down much, so it was a nice break for me to have them interested in something else.”

“Books are a great way to keep kids occupied,” she replied dutifully.

“I think it was the storyteller who kept them enthralled.” He squeezed her upper arm. “Kudos to you.”

His praise, as well as his touch, had her lighting up like a sparkler again. “I love exposing kids to literature, so it was not a chore, trust me.”

“We’ll count on seeing you on Wednesday.”

She’d also look forward to it. Because of the kids, of course.

Sam opened the door and he and the twins left. When they reached the curb, he turned and waved, his dark hair shining like polished walnuts in the early-autumn sun, his teeth flashing in a smile that almost stopped Allison’s heart.

She stood there for a few moments, unable to drag her gaze away. Sam took a twin’s hand in each of his and walked across the street and her heart twisted. What adorable children—a handful, yes, but that was to be expected at their age. And to think they might have been hers if her dreams of marrying Sam and having his babies had come true.

But that’s just what they were—girlish dreams, not reality. She was older now, and wiser. Of course, she had to keep up her guard; her focus now was her business, not romance.