Life is Sweet by Elizabeth Bass Page A

think about it.”
    Olivia looked as if she might drop the batter ladle. “You will?”
    Matthew was stunned, too.
    Nicole smiled as if their surprise was coming out of left field. “Let me have a few cups of coffee before I commit to anything, but I don’t see why the idea should be off the table.”
    Maybe because it went against every opinion she’d ever stated on the subject? Matthew wondered what had happened to make her consider changing her mind.
    Showing incredible restraint, Olivia didn’t beg or wheedle. Probably she knew better than to push her luck. “Are you going to be back for Career Day at school?” she asked, already moving on to the next thing.
    â€œWhen is it?” Nicole asked.
    â€œThe Wednesday after my birthday.”
    â€œOh. I should be,” Nicole said. “I think we’ll finish up somewhere around then.”
    That somewhere didn’t escape Matthew.
    â€œCan I sign you up to talk? I could get my class contribution over with for the year.”
    â€œYour what?” Matthew asked.
    â€œEverybody has to either bring a show-and-tell, or give a talk about vacation or a favorite book or something, or bring someone to Fall Career Day or Spring Career Day.”
    Matthew laughed. “So a kid can either bring his pet turtle or his mother and they both count for the same?”
    â€œTurtles are really interesting,” Olivia said. “More interesting than some people’s parents, for sure. I wish I could have one.”
    Nicole lifted her hands. “Please. No reptiles. I’ll be glad to show up myself and do a short presentation.” She spooned some fruit salad onto her plate. “And on the off chance that I can’t make it, Matthew could substitute for me. He might be as entertaining as a turtle.”
    Olivia’s brow crinkled. “Matthew?”
    He took a deep breath. “Don’t worry, Olivia. My talk about writing economic impact studies always knocks ’em cold.”
    He was a little confused as to why he might have to substitute for Nicole, though. If she was going to be back for the birthday party, surely the Career Day afterward wasn’t in question. And why had she opened the door to a birthday party at a stable? When he and Nicole were clearing up the breakfast things, he took advantage of Olivia’s not being within earshot to ask.
    â€œI thought you were dead-set against horses,” he reminded her.
    Nicole sighed. “I really don’t know about Olivia. Why couldn’t she be like every other kid in the world and want a cat or dog?”
    â€œI’m sure she wouldn’t turn one down if you wanted to give her one.”
    â€œWell, I don’t, particularly. At least horses don’t shed all over the house.”
    â€œIt’s not that crazy a wish. Lots of kids want to learn to ride, especially around here. Raising a girl in horse country and telling them they can’t ride is a little like raising a kid by the ocean and telling them they shouldn’t swim.”
    â€œI guess you’re right,” Nicole said. “I was hoping the mania would fade, but it obviously won’t.”
    Was she actually relenting?
    Nicole rinsed a cup in the sink and handed it to him to transfer to the dishwasher. “It’s not just that I’m tired of rehashing the horse argument for the umpty-millionth time. The way things are going out in Oregon, maybe the timing isn’t that bad to give Olivia a treat. Absentee mom guilt is wearing me down.”
    He frowned. “Did something go wrong with the test?”
    Her groan said it all, but she added, “It’s a train wreck. There’s no way I’ll be finished out there in a week, or even probably two weeks. In fact, by the time Olivia’s birthday rolls around, I might be stuck in Hawaii.”
    His brain scrambled to keep up. First, she’d never mentioned the possibility of the test site