Star-Crossed Parents. C.J. Carmichael

sure? Thanks a lot, Kate.” Sam’s voice grew louder as came back along the hallway. “I’ll let you know. You bet.”

      He disconnected the call, just as he reached her. “Good news. My sister has one room left at her inn. You would have passed it on your way here. It’s just a mile from the gas station, on the main highway. Washington Inn…did you notice it?”

      “Yes.” A cream-colored colonial, with light blue shutters and tons of flowers out front. It had seemed well maintained. She hoped the beds were comfortable. She hadn’t realized how tired she was, or how hungry. “Is there a restaurant on the way?”

      “Sorry. This is a small town. They sell sandwiches at the general store across from the school, but on weeknights they close at seven.”

      “You’re kidding. There must be someplace where I can find a bite to eat.” In New York nothing closed at seven. Even her dental clinic stayed open until nine, three days a week. Of course, it was well past nine now.

      For a moment Sam didn’t answer. He just stared at her. She could guess what he was thinking. Something along the lines of spoiled city woman has no idea how things are done in the country.

      Well, she didn’t care what he thought. She was starving. And she’d had a really, really bad day.

      “You’re welcome to join me for dinner if you like.”

      She studied Sam’s face. “Are you serious?”

      “Why not? I have plenty.”

      She didn’t think she’d endeared herself to him tonight. In fact, she’d been a bit of a pain. “That’s very kind of you.”

      “I’m just being practical. You’ve been driving for hours, you’ve admitted you’re starving. I’ve got a Crock-Pot full of stew…more than enough for two.”

      “It smells divine.”

      “So you accept?”

      He was obviously a very polite man. He even managed to sound like he wanted her to stay. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt for us to get to know each other a little better.”

      And, who knew? Maybe she’d be able to change his mind about how to handle Josh and Taylor. They’d be so much more effective if they were working as a team.

       CHAPTER FOUR

      “Y OU MUST HAVE BEEN young when you had Taylor. You don’t look old enough to be her mother.”

      “I was young. Only eighteen.”

      The exact age as her daughter was now. No wonder the sex thing was such an issue for her. Now he’d pressed her hot button again, when all he’d been trying to do was give her a compliment.

      Better change the subject. Fast.

      “Want some more stew?” She’d already had two helpings, just like him, so he wasn’t surprised when she shook her head. He stacked the dirty plates, then pushed them out of the way.

      “I was eighteen,” Leigh repeated. “And, as you may have guessed, the pregnancy wasn’t planned.”

      He’d hoped to bypass this. Should have known better. “Must have been difficult for you.”

      “You have no idea.”

      She was right. He didn’t. He and Susan hadn’t been much older than her when they’d had Josh, but they’d been in love and excited about starting a family. “What happened to the father?”

      “Not in the picture. Never has been. My parents helped me in the beginning. They made it possible for me to go college. I’ll always be grateful to them for that.”

      For that, but not much else, he surmised. “Is Taylor close to her grandparents?”

      “Not really. We don’t see each other very often. They live in Boston. In the same neighborhood as my sister and her family.”

      It sounded like there was a lot more than that to the story. But he sure as hell didn’t want to hear it. “Want some dessert? I’ve got ice cream.”

      “No, thanks.” She glanced at her watch. Sighed. “What the heck. I’ll run it off tomorrow. What flavors do you have?”

      “Maple pecan or chocolate. Are you a runner?” That would explain those great legs.

      “Yes. Maple pecan, please. Do you run, too?”

      Automatically he sucked in his stomach. He’d managed to pick up an extra pound or two every year since he’d quit ball. “I’ve been thinking of starting. We have a lot of great trails around here.”

      He pulled the carton of maple pecan from the freezer and put some into two bowls. As he did this, Leigh rinsed their plates and stacked them into the dishwasher. Rather than returning to the table for their dessert, they both settled on stools at the counter.

      He took his first taste of the ice cream. “Eating this stuff always makes me feel like a kid.”

      She didn’t smile back. “Taylor is not going to make the same mistakes that I did. I won’t let her.”

      Oh, boy.

      “Let me tell you a little about my daughter. Taylor graduated from high school this year with a three-point-nine grade average. She’s going to work at a coffee shop for the summer, saving her money to go to Cornell in the fall. She’s already been accepted.”

      “Good for her.”

      Leigh nodded. “The next four years are going to be the best years of her life. I want her to experience everything—living on campus, the social life—as well as her studies.”

      In other words, everything her mother hadn’t been able to experience when she’d been that age. “And when the four years are over?”

      “An undergraduate degree is just a base these days. Taylor will probably go on to medical school. Or maybe do her masters in psychology.”

      Did she have an idea how pompous she sounded? Sam couldn’t remember meeting anyone who alternately intrigued and annoyed him as much as this woman did.

      “What about your son? What are your plans for him?”

      She revealed a lot about herself with her questions. “Josh has his own plans. He started his business while he was still in high school. You saw the van out front.”

      “But what about his long-term plans?”

      He shrugged.

      “A business degree would probably help him if he’s serious about running a small company.”

      “Really? I hadn’t thought about that.”

      Leigh opened her mouth, then closed it when she realized he was being sarcastic. The truth was, Sam had wanted Josh to go further with his education. His son knew that the financial resources were available if he ever chose that route. But so far he hadn’t.

      Leigh pursed her mouth. She did that a lot. It was too bad that a woman with such sweet, kissable lips had such a disagreeable habit.

      “I don’t care how successful his business is. A college degree would help. It would also provide a safety net for the future. In case his business ever does go sideways.”

      Sam set down his spoon, even though his bowl was still full. He was no longer in the mood for ice cream. “Look. You may have your ideas about what my son should do with his life. It may surprise you to find out that I have a few of my own, too. But the bottom line is this—it’s Josh’s life. He’s the one who decides if he wants to go to college or not.”

      “Well, of course he does. But a parent should have some influence in the matter. Though I suppose if he’s making all sorts of money at his business, college would be a hard sell.”

      Sam wasn’t going to admit