There's Always Plan B by Susan Mallery Page B

you punishing her?”
    Carly debated how to handle the situation. Right now she couldn’t face another run-in with her mother on how to raise Tiffany.
    â€œI was going to,” she said carefully. “But then I remembered what you always said—that the punishment should fit the crime. As Tiffany wasn’t trying to skip class and get away with anything, I think the detention is enough.”
    Rhonda considered the answer, then nodded. “I agree. She’s basically a sweet girl. With a little more direction and parenting, she’ll grow up into a fine young woman.”
    Carly clenched her teeth, then did her best to relax. Remember the bigger picture, she told herself. Better to keep things pleasant in the family, at least during all the changes in the B and B.
    Besides, she knew one sure way to make her mother forget all about Tiffany.
    â€œI ran into Steve Everwood while I was at the high school,” she said as she poured them each a glass of lemonade. “I think he’s going to call and ask me out to dinner.”
    Rhonda’s shock was priceless. Carly wasn’t sure if her mother was surprised that a man would be interested or that Carly would talk about it.
    â€œWell, good for you,” Rhonda said as she took a glass. “He’s supposed to be very nice. He has a steady job and everyone says he was good to his late wife. You knew he was a widower, didn’t you? He’s not divorced. I’ve heard he does what he can to get women in bed and then he dumps them, but I doubt you’ll have a problem with that.”
    There was so much information in her mother’s short speech, Carly didn’t know what to respond to first. Was her mother implying she wouldn’t have a problem with Steve’s amorous nature because he wasn’t likely to be interested in her that way, or because she was such a slut that she could easily handle it? And what was up with making a point of him being a widower rather than divorced?
    Well, at least she had the distraction she’d wanted.
    â€œI’m not sure if I want to go out with him,” Carly said. “He was my teacher in high school. That makes the whole thing kind of weird.”
    â€œThat was nearly twenty-five years ago. What does it matter now?”
    Technically not yet twenty-two years, Carly thought.
    â€œBesides, you’ll be forty soon,” her mother added. “You’d better accept any invitations that come your way.”
    â€œBefore I’m too old,” Carly said, not sure if she should laugh or scream.
    â€œExactly. You could do worse than him.”
    â€œGood to know.” How thrilling that she had yet to hit bottom.

CHAPTER 7
    â€œThis is all your fault,” Rhonda complained loudly.
    At least that’s what Carly thought she was saying. She’d never been very good at reading lips and it was impossible to hear actual words over the whine of twenty or thirty remote-control model airplanes swooping and soaring off the cliffs.
    The sound was incredible—part chainsaw, part lawnmower, but at a pitch designed to send onlookers into madness.
    She motioned for her mother to follow her back into the B and B where they could speak in relatively normal tones.
    â€œWhat was that?” she asked when she’d closed the door behind them.
    Her mother glared at her. “I blame you for that. The noise is horrible. How long are they here for?”
    â€œThree nights.” Carly did her best not to look too happy, but in truth, she was giddy with delight. “Three whole nights with the B and B full and local restaurants catering the meals. We get a cut of that, you know. A smooth fifteen percent off the top.”
    â€œI don’t like it. I already have a headache.”
    Carly did, too, but she figured it was a small price to pay for wild success.
    Okay, maybe not wild success, but a really big step in the right direction.
    â€œWe’re lucky to