down. If we could set up a Skype with her, that would be great, but even if we canât, we could possibly help her get a free gown.â
âTheyâre giving them away? Thereâs got to be a catch,â Grant said, because nothing was ever really free.
âItâs a national program and Caroline signed up for it, and we happen to be planning Christaâs wedding at the right time. Can you manufacture some time that day? Iâll contact Christa about Skyping with us and see what time would work best for her, and maybe we could plan around that.â
âYes, of course.â A sudden thought made him hesitate. âThis isnât like a poverty program, is it, Emily? Because weâre on a budget, but weâre not broke.â
âItâs nothing of the kind,â she promised. âPeople across the country are contributing to show their thanks. Carolineâs Bridal wanted to be part of the national appreciation effort. Pretty cool, right?â
âIâll say. Okay, you email Christa and Iâll open up whatever time we need that day. Do they have evening hours in case we get a storm and Iâm tied up?â
âOpen until eight, so sure, we could use that as backup, but thatâs the middle of the night for Christa. Soââ
She was going to end the call. It was now or never. âEmily, wait. Donât hang up.â
âNo?â
He breathed deep. âNot yet.â
âOkay. Whatâs up?â
âDolly.â He paused, then waded in. âIâve been thinking about what you said when we first met, about challenging her more.â
âYou mean when you got huffy with me and almost walked out? That conversation?â
âThat would be the one.â
âSo, whatâs to discuss?â She sounded matter-of-fact, like the skilled businesswoman she was. âPeople make decisions about children all the time, and Iâm not an expert, Grant. And youâre not exactly open to suggestion, so maybe we should leave it at that. There are plenty of well-written books out there about raising developmentally delayed kids. That way you donât get mad at me, a plan I favor highly since weâll be working together for the next two months.â
âIf I promise not to get mad, act like a jerk or get defensive, do you think we could get together and talk about it?â
âCan you do that?â she asked, which made him laugh because she was kind of right.
âI can try,â he said. âBut can we do it at my house? I feel terrible leaving them so often.â
âLesson one,â she murmured. âExcise guilt factor.â
âYou get points for recognizing thatâI think itâs intrinsic to single parents.â
âMy sister-in-law Corinne would agree. So would Drew. Itâs hard to be the bad guy all of the time.â
âExactly. But I donât want to raise a couple of angry, bratty kids, and if Dolly keeps demanding more and more attention, how will Timmy feel?â Something he said must have tipped her into saying yes.
âWhat about tomorrow? Rachelâs coming over around noon, but maybe later? Or we could meet Sunday after church. That might be better. Itâs earlier in the day, before nap time.â
âWhat time do you go to church?â
âNine. And Iâm home by ten thirty, so I could be at your place by eleven or so. Unless that interrupts your morning?â
âElevenâs good. Iâll grab some stuff for lunch, okay?â
âNo cold cuts.â
Grant paused. âYou donât eat cold cuts?â
âNot as a rule.â
âAre you a vegetarian? Or one of those vegans?â
âNo, I eat lots of things, but I donât do cold cuts. Although I do like sliced ham. Sliced ham doesnât count.â
âIâm confused. Is it a certain type you donât like or just cold cuts in general? Because that might be
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