Storybook Romance. Lissa Manley

he crowed, his hands in the air.

      “I do, too,” Allison replied with a patient smile. “But we all have to sit crisscross applesauce on the story rug before the story can begin.”

      Rosie tugged on Nicky’s arm. “Sit down, Nicky.” She pointed to her crisscross position on the floor. “See?”

      Sam held his breath, hoping Nicky went against tradition and sat down, preparing himself to swoop in and take control if necessary.

      Nicky jerked his arm away from his sister, defiance clear in the tilt of his chin. “Don’t boss me, Ro-Ro.”

      Uh-oh. Typical conflict between the twins: Rosie trying to boss Nicky and Nicky rebelling. Sam prepared to head their way to break up the skirmish.

      Allison piped in, her voice calm and soothing. “Nicky, I forgot to say that every story listener who sits quietly will get to come up here and help me turn the pages.”

      Nicky’s head swung her way. “Me, too?”

      “If you sit quietly, yes.” She pointed to the spot on the rug next to Rosie. “So, would you please sit down crisscross applesauce, and we’ll start the story about the steam shovel?”

      Sam braced for a meltdown; it could go either way with Nicky. He was a good kid, but not as mature as Rosie, and didn’t always deal well with following directions, especially if they went against what he wanted to do. Pair that with his headstrong personality and the end result was often a messy fit that could be heard three blocks away.

      “Can I help first?” Nicky asked.

      Sam cringed as his son’s impatient side made an appearance. He sneaked a glance at the other moms, embarrassed, but they seemed to be taking the holdup in stride. In fact, one was texting on her cell phone and wasn’t paying any attention at all.

      “Whoever sits still and is quietest gets to help first,” Allison said.

      Nicky instantly plopped down. “I’ll sit.” He rested his chin on his knees.

      Allison gave Nicky an approving smile. “Good choice, Nicky.” She held up the book, facing outward, and turned to the first page. “Let’s begin.”

      She proceeded to read the story about Mike Mulligan and his steam shovel, Mary Anne. Sam had heard the story when he was a kid, so he was familiar with the plot, and how Mike and Mary Anne went to the country and dug the town hall basement in a day but didn’t leave themselves a ramp to get out.

      Even though the story wasn’t new to him, he listened, transfixed, as Allison made the story come alive using uniquely creative voices for each of the characters. She read at just the right pace and knew how to point out relevant things in the illustrations as she narrated the story. She truly had a gift for storytelling.

      All the kids listened intently, including Nicky. Partway through the book, Allison invited Nicky and a little blonde girl with curly hair to help her turn the pages. Nicky jumped up, grinning, and stood still at Allison’s side and took turns turning the pages with the little girl.

      Amazed, Sam watched Nicky follow directions and share responsibility. Willingly. With his heart getting mushy, Sam let his gaze drift to Allison. She had a way with kids, no doubt about it. His kid in particular. She knew exactly how to handle Nicky. He only wished he could be half as patient and able as she was. Guilt shot through him and struck a familiar blow to his conscience; the divorce had been hardest on the kids.

      Relaxing for a few precious moments, he let his gaze wander to Nicky and Rosie, then over to Allison. Inevitably, he thought back to his senior year in high school, when Allison had started to bloom and he’d started noticing her as more than just a friend. She may have considered herself a “gangly teenager,” but Sam now recalled when that had all started to change.

      Lori had discouraged him from dating Allison, afraid it would cost them their friendship if a relationship between him and Allison didn’t work out. Besides, Lori had asked, would he remain committed to her after he went off to college? He hadn’t been sure—what eighteen-year-old guy would be?—so he’d dropped the idea, not ready to settle down. He’d gone off to college, and that had been that.

      He looked at Allison now, noting her patience, kindness, ready smile and fresh, understated beauty.

      And couldn’t help but wonder if he hadn’t made a big mistake ten years ago.

       Chapter Two

      A whisper from behind Sam interrupted the tough questions running through his head. “It’s good to see her back in Bygones, isn’t it?”

      He turned. Mrs. Coraline Connolly, the principal at Bygones High School and his boss, stood there, dressed in blue pants and a red sweater with big gold buttons on the front. Her short gray hair was styled perfectly as always, and her blue eyes sparkled with intelligence behind her wire-rimmed glasses. She was petite, but no pushover, and not a woman to be underestimated.

      “Yes, it is,” he answered in a whisper, rising. He pointed toward the front of the store to indicate they should move so they didn’t interrupt Story Time with their conversation.

      Coraline got the gist and spryly headed away from the Kids’ Korner. Sam followed.

      She turned, smiling, when she reached a far aisle closer to the front of the store. “Looks as if your twins are enjoying Story Time.”

      “Yes, they are. Allison is a great storyteller.”

      “She certainly is. I can’t think of a better person to run this store.” Coraline eyed him speculatively. “I seem to remember your sister was quite close to her while growing up.” Before she was principal of Bygones High School, Coraline had been a teacher, so she knew everyone who’d grown up here better than just about anybody else in town.

      “Uh-huh. Allison and I were just talking about that.”

      Coraline smiled. “Is this the first time you’ve been into Happy Endings?”

      “I’m sorry to say it is. I wish I’d brought the kids in sooner.” Especially now that he’d seen how well Allison handled them. “Story Time might become a regular thing.”

      “Did you know Allison was running the store?” asked Coraline, shifting her purse from one arm to the other.

      “No,” he said sheepishly. “I’ve been pretty busy with teaching, after-school tutoring and coaching.”

      “And your darling twins, of course,” Coraline said with a lift of a brow. “I’m sure they take up most of your spare time.”

      “Well, that goes without saying.” On the nights he had the kids, he stayed up late grading papers after putting them to bed, then fell into an exhausted sleep himself. And when he didn’t have the kids, he still had catch-up classroom work to do in the evenings, along with early mornings. Whether the twins were with him or not, he always seemed to be running on empty.

      “You probably don’t get out much, do you?” Coraline, a widow, had raised four children, so she knew what it was like to be a busy working parent.

      “No, I don’t.”

      “You need some time with other adults.”

      “Yeah, I guess my social life could use some work.” Frankly, though, dealing with the ups and downs of social relationships was just more than he could handle right now.

      “Have you thought about spending some time with any of the wonderful young women here in town?” she asked in her usual no-nonsense way.

      Which was her way of asking if he was ready to date. He shook his head, wishing he hadn’t admitted his social life was dead. “No, I’m not ready for that yet. Besides, when I have the twins with me, I don’t feel right about leaving them.” True enough. He only had them half the time, so he tried to spend as much