The Parent Trap. Lee Mckenzie

I think my mom must have really loved my dad because ever since he died, it’s just been the two of us.”

      Kate shrugged. “Whatever. I just thought it’d be nice if my dad could be happy again. And otherwise occupied.”

      “You want him to start dating so he’ll pay less attention to you?”

      “It wouldn’t be the worst thing that could happen. And I’ll bet if your mom was dating someone, you’d be able to use that to your advantage.”

      “How exactly?” She seemed interested in spite of sounding skeptical.

      “You said you want a dog, right?”

      That got her attention. “More than anything.”

      “Well, if your mom feels guilty because she’s seeing someone and not spending as much time with you, then she’ll want to do whatever it takes to make it up to you.”

      Casey was grinning now. “And that something would be Petey.”

      Kate shrugged. “It’s worth a shot.”

      And then Sarah called to them from the bottom of the stairs. “Casey? Kate’s dad is leaving now but she’s welcome to stay a while longer if she’d like.”

      “Thanks, Mom!” she yelled back. “Do you want to?”

      “I should probably go, too. We haven’t finished unpacking.”

      Casey followed her downstairs and they joined their parents in the foyer.

      Sarah was smiling. “Kate’s dad offered to give you a ride on the first day of school. Isn’t that nice?”

      “Thanks,” Casey said. “But I always go with my friend Henry. He lives across the street.”

      “Henry’s welcome to get a ride, too. The more the merrier. Right, Kate?”

      Dad, don’t be lame. “Sure,” she said. “More is totally merry.”

      She watched her dad exchange a look with Casey’s mom. “Thanks for having us over,” he said.

      “Anytime,” Sarah replied.

      Kate liked the way they were looking at each other. She winked at Casey, Casey winked back, and she gave herself a mental high five. This plan might work, she thought. It just might work.

       CHAPTER FOUR

      SARAH CLOSED THE door after saying good-night to their new neighbors and turned to her daughter.

      “That was okay, don’t you think?”

      “Yeah. Kate’s dad seems pretty cool. Do you like him?”

      That was an odd question, she thought, although Casey probably didn’t intend for it to sound the way it did. “He seems nice. I’m sure they’ll be good neighbors.”

      Casey gave her an odd smile that suggested the question wasn’t so innocent after all. Best to let that go, especially since her conversation with Jonathan had ended on a sour note.

      “How about you and Kate?” she asked. “Did you hit it off?”

      “I think so. She doesn’t like my critters, though.”

      Sarah laughed at that. “She’s not alone. A lot of people aren’t fond of rodents and reptiles.”

      “True. She’s really into clothes and stuff.”

      “She certainly seems to be. That was an expensive outfit she was wearing.”

      Casey climbed two steps and draped herself over the banister. “I think her mom pays for a lot of her things but at least she wasn’t all, ‘oh, look at me and all my fancy stuff’ like some of the girls at school. She’s actually the only kid I’ve ever met...well, aside from Henry...who’s already figured out what she wants to be.”

      “Really? And what’s that?”

      “The editor of a fashion magazine.”

      “Does she? That’s an ambitious goal.” One her father seemed to know nothing about, and given his scathing comments about fashion magazines and the mall, it was no surprise that she hadn’t told him. Poor kid. “Speaking of Henry, have you heard from him?”

      Casey’s enthusiasm waned. “No. I was hoping he’d be home by now. He’s been gone all summer and school starts in a few days.”

      “I’m sure he’ll be home soon.”

      “I sure hope so.”

      Sarah reached up and gave her a hug. “Why don’t you go upstairs and send him a text or an email? I want to clean up the kitchen.”

      “Good idea. I also need to post the rest of the pictures I took at the shelter this morning.”

      “I’ll pop in and say good-night when I’m done.” And there was no doubt she’d hear more about Petey when she did.

      Back in the kitchen, she finished loading the dishwasher and turned it on, tossed paper napkins in the trash, stuffed the empty pizza boxes in the recycling bin, filled the sink with hot water and detergent. She swished the dishcloth in it and wiped every square inch of every surface in the kitchen. Take-out dinners meant she didn’t have to cook, and she loved that they made cleanup so easy. Now everything was spic ’n’ span, just the way she liked it.

      Jonathan had not lived up to her first impression of him, and she found that more disappointing than she had any right to. Yes, he was way better-looking than any man needed to be, but looks weren’t everything, and it bugged her that she found him attractive.

      There was a chance that she wasn’t giving Jonathan the benefit of the doubt. Moving was stressful, changing jobs was stressful, getting divorced was stressful, and he had hinted that Kate’s mother didn’t have much time for her. Casey had been young enough when her father died that the loss hadn’t seemed to have had an adverse effect on her, although there were times when Sarah wondered if losing her dad explained why her daughter didn’t form a lot of close personal attachments.

      She strolled back out onto the deck and leaned on the railing where she and Jonathan had stood a short time ago. He was floundering with single parenthood, and tonight she’d been tempted to offer a little sage advice. Now she was glad she hadn’t. It wasn’t her place to interfere. She didn’t even know these people.

      She felt sorry for Kate, though. In spite of her polished exterior—the girl certainly knew how to put an outfit together—and an outward air of confidence, Sarah thought the girl could use a healthy dose of self-esteem. There was also an underlying sadness to her, which was not a surprise. Between the hormones and impending womanhood, the early teen years were a confusing time for girls, and there was probably never a time when a girl needed her mother more than at this age. All the phone calls and text messages and lavish gifts in the world couldn’t replace a warm hug and a shoulder to lean on.

      Sarah hoped the girls would become friends. She cherished the close bond she had with her daughter, but she also understood the importance of having close friends, and Kate might be as good for Casey as Casey could be for her. That would also provide a chance for Sarah to offer a shoulder once in a while, encourage Kate to pursue her dreams.

      What about Jonathan?

      What about him? Sure, she had concerns about his daughter, starting with his attitude, but she had no intention of interfering.

      She glanced over her shoulder and saw that the lights were still on in his kitchen, but there was no sign of anyone in it. Apparently the man could cook, and that intrigued her. Over dinner tonight, he’d said he would like to reciprocate by having her and Casey over for homemade pizza next Saturday. Paolo’s were good, but his were better. She had accepted, thinking it would be good for the girls, and she was curious about the