Sweet Carolina Morning Read Online Free Page A

at all she had to learn. She scribbled another note to herself.
    Mary Catherine nodded. “Let’s order so we can talk. I’ve got the first installation of my what-not-to-do list right here.” She tapped the side of her red Coach briefcase.
    After they ordered, Mary Catherine slid the briefcase onto the table and opened it. Among the manila files, Linny spotted a National Enquirer , a pair of fake glasses with eyeballs that fell out on springs, a small hacksaw, and a bright yellow sports bra. As she rummaged, Mary Catherine must have seen her bemused expression and offered, “I’m trying to work out at lunch.”
    As if that explained it all. Linny’s mouth quirked up. Classic Mary Catherine.
    Triumphantly, her friend pulled out a legal pad with handwritten notes on it, slapped it on the table, and peered at it. “Number one: You call Neal a ‘preexisting child’ when you talk to me about him. You need to stop that.”
    Linny flushed as she made a note, murmuring, “Yikes.”
    Mary Catherine went on. “Two: Don’t expect too much too soon. It takes time for blended families to bond.” She gave her a level look. “Sometimes they don’t bond at all, no matter what they say in those la-la self-help books you like to read.”
    Linny grimaced and searched her friend’s face. “Really?”
    â€œReally,” Mary Catherine said drily. “But I see it more in couples who nurse grudges about the failed marriage or use the kids to wage war on their exes.” She gazed at her and said firmly, “You and Jack will make it work.”
    â€œCareful. These are hot.” The apple-cheeked waitress with the perky smile slid their plates onto the table.
    Mary Catherine tucked into her scrambled eggs and glanced down at her notepad. “Three: Don’t forget who you are. You’re a try-hard girl, but don’t let yourself get all caught up in trying to be the perfect stepparent.” She chewed her bacon and looked thoughtful. “Mike’s got a teacher friend from school who’s just married a mom, and he’s trying way too hard to be father of the year. He’s taking the kids hiking, trying to have meaningful talks with them, tossing the football around . . .” She shook her head. “He’s driving everybody crazy, including his new wife.”
    So much for the heart-to-heart talks with Neal she’d pictured. Linny scribbled furiously, then paused to take a bite of creamy, cheesy omelet. She paused to sigh blissfully. “Yum.”
    â€œYum is right,” Mary Catherine said as she chewed a bite of jam-covered biscuit.
    As the waitress stopped by to warm up their coffee, Linny pointed at her friend with a triangle of wheat toast. “Any other tips?”
    Mary Catherine patted her mouth with a napkin. “That’s all for now. I don’t want to overwhelm you.”
    Linny gave a wry smile and lifted her shoulder. “Too late for that, but it’s not your doing.”
    Mary Catherine popped a bite of bacon in her mouth, her eyes dancing with mischief. “On a different note, I’ve got something else for you. I almost forgot.” Forking in a last mouthful of hash browns, she opened the briefcase, grabbed a bundle of coupons from an envelope, and fanned them out on the table like a card dealer in Vegas. “Ta-da.”
    Linny peered at them. “What are these?”
    Mary Catherine gave a gleeful smile. “Ten adventure coupons. I won the door prize at the Bar Association holiday party. I told you about it.”
    Vaguely remembering, Linny tilted her head and read out loud, “Skeet shooting, paintball party, NASCAR Driving Experience, rock climbing, five-K mud obstacle challenge . . .” She gave a low whistle. “Man. I’ll bet there were some attorneys there who wanted to wrestle you to the ground for these.”
    â€œThere were,” Mary Catherine