Honeysuckle Summer (The Sweet Magnolias #7)(24)

“Sounds good to me,” Mandy said eagerly. “Nobody bakes at our house. Carrie used to, but then she discovered that cookies have…” She lowered her voice to an exaggerated whisper and added, “Calories!”

Carter nodded sadly. “It’s true. That was the day our source of home-baked cookies died.”

Raylene watched Carrie’s expression. Even though her brother and sister were obviously teasing, the barbs clearly hit home. Carrie looked as if she might cry. Again, Raylene felt an unexpected connection to her.

“Well, consider me your new source for cookies,” Raylene told them. “I bake two or three times a week. Travis grabs a handful every time he passes through the kitchen, which he seems to find excuses to do a dozen times while he’s here every day. He’s like some kind of bottomless pit when it comes to sweets. I can’t tell you how much Sarah and I envy him.”

Interest flickered in Carrie’s eyes. “Are you talking about Travis McDonald, the guy on the radio?”

Raylene nodded.

“He lives here?” Carrie said, clearly excited by the possibility that she’d stumbled into the home of a local celebrity.

“No, but Sarah does. They’re engaged, so he’s over here a lot.”

“Then you see him all the time?” Carrie persisted.

“Quite a bit,” Raylene confirmed.

“Oh, my gosh! He is so sexy on the air. That voice…” She made an elaborate show of fanning herself.

Raylene grinned. “Yeah, he has that effect on me, too.”

Carter appeared fascinated by that news. “Okay, I’m a guy. You’re going to have to explain it to me. What does Travis McDonald have that, say, I don’t?”

Carrie rolled her eyes at the question, but Raylene met his gaze. “Sorry. It’s the voice. Not that the package is anything to sneer at, but that deep, slow, sexy drawl is something else.”

“Does Sarah know her fiancé gets you all charged up?” he asked.

To Raylene’s regret he sounded more curious than jealous. “It took a while, but I think she’s gotten used to women swooning every time he opens his mouth,” she said.

“Do you think we could meet him sometime?” Mandy asked.

Carter regarded her as if she was a traitor. “Not you, too?”

“Hey, I’m a girl, too,” Mandy said, then regarded Raylene hopefully. “Is he coming by today?”

Raylene nodded. “He and Sarah should be back soon. They take the kids out for pizza after they play T-ball, but they usually get Tommy and Libby back here for their naps.”

Carrie regarded Carter hopefully. “Can we stay?” She turned to Raylene. “Would you mind?”

“It’s fine with me,” Raylene told her as she took glasses from the cupboard and poured lemonade for everyone. She opened a tin of freshly baked cookies and put them on a plate. Mandy and Carter reached for them eagerly, but Carrie ignored them and went to the back door to look out at the garden. After a minute, she turned, an expression of shock on her face. “Carter, you did that? You planted all those flowers?”

He winked at Raylene. “I had a lot of guidance.”

“Can we go check it out?” Mandy asked, joining her sister at the door.

“You may,” Carter said, subtly correcting her.

Mandy stuck out her tongue. “May we?”

“You may, if you’ll get the hose and water everything while you’re out there,” Carter said. He turned to Raylene. “It needs it, right?”

“It does, and I would appreciate it,” Raylene said, then almost regretted giving permission when she was left alone with Carter, who was studying her with what was becoming an increasingly unnerving look of fascination.

“Thanks for not slamming the door in my face,” he said.

She bit back a smile. “Unlike you, I remembered the manners I was taught. And I’m sure you knew I’d never slam the door if you turned up here with your sisters, especially with all my lovely flowers out there drooping from the heat.”

“I was hoping,” he admitted with an unrepentant grin.

“They’re lovely girls.”

“You can say that even after Carrie walked in here with an attitude?”

“She’s sixteen, right? It comes with the territory. Believe me, I remember that stage all too well.”

“She’ll be sixteen in a few months, but I get what you’re saying. Does that mean Mandy’s sunny disposition will vanish and she’ll be transformed into an impossible little diva in another year or so?” He looked shaken by the thought.

“More than likely,” Raylene confirmed.

“Gee, something to look forward to.”

“They’re at a tough age to have lost their parents,” Raylene said sympathetically. “It’s an especially hard time for a girl not to have a mother.”

“And, believe me, I’m a poor substitute. I encourage them to talk to me about anything, but sometimes they have questions I don’t have any idea how to answer.”

Raylene hesitated, then thought of the lost, lonely and scared look she thought she’d seen in Carrie’s eyes. “Bring them by here anytime,” she told Carter. “I’d be happy to listen, at least. And I won’t offer advice on anything important without talking it over with you.”