Carolyn nudged her knee. “I see the way you’re lookin’ at that fine gentleman over there makin’ ice cream.”
Rubi nudged her back but didn’t comment.
Carolyn laughed. “Come on; he’s cute—admit it!”
“He’s cute, all right, but I can’t. I’m going out of town for a while.”
“So what?”
“So—this is what happens when I meet a cute guy. We date while I’m in town and then I’m on set and things fall apart. It’s my life.”
“It doesn’t have to be.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, you get a choice in this.” Carolyn watched two girls swirl their bubble wands in the pan. They were running out of bubble mix. “Remember when I came to see you in California a couple years ago?”
“That was great.” They’d done a whole bunch of touristy things and hit a few spots only the Hollywood elite could get into. It was the first time they’d connected as adults and friends. Putting Carolyn on the plane to get home was the hardest goodbye she’d had to say to her baby sister.
“Yeah, but I kept looking around your place wondering why it was so empty. I’d never pictured you living alone, secluded from the world. You are so full of life and love. That’s why the camera loves you—it picks up on all that. You command the stage and then toss your goodness out there for everyone to have. It’s breathtaking.”
“What are you sayin’?”
“I don’t rightly know.” She cleared her throat. “I think I thought this—” She waved her arm around. “—would be what visiting you would be like.”
Rubi brushed her hair off her face. “This was Mom’s dream for you. She was so happy when you were—” Rubi stopped talking before she stepped in a pile of darn tears.
Carolyn tucked her hair behind her ear. The movement was purposeful, as if she didn’t want to hide what she was about to say. “I was thinkin’ of goin’ back to school. I—I want to be a teacher. Kindergarteners.”
“Really?” Now that the idea was put up in words, it made perfect sense.
“Really.”
“I think that suits you just fine.”
Carolyn scanned the gathering. She licked her lips. “I think Cash suits you.”
“We just met.” She was just getting started on the list of excuses she’d compiled. “You’ve known him almost as long as I have.”
“And yet you’ve met his parents, his nana, and all his cousins. It took Trent six months to introduce me to his brother—and that was a chance meetin’ at the Piggly Wiggly.”
“We’ll get you that divorce if I have to drag him to the courthouse by his ear. Then you can put that son of a gun behind you and become an amazing kindergarten teacher.”
Carolyn squared her shoulders. “I plan on it. Oops. Looks like the bubbles are gone.”
“Now what?” This was the first party she’d been to that didn’t have an event planner with a headset directing guests to the next activity or meal. Everyone just sort of relaxed, knowing it would all get taken care of at some point.
“I think they said something about ice cream ” Carolyn twisted in her seat to look at the deck.
The kids heard her comment and ran screaming towards the side of the house where Cash had paper bowls and spoons.
His niece grabbed on to his leg. “I want peach.”
“I want to hear those princess words.” Cash held the bowl out of her reach.
She screwed her face into a look of disapproval that had Rubi laughing from clear across the lawn.
“Uncle Cash, may I please have peach ice cream?” she cooed.
