The others looked from one of them to the other, trying to follow the garbled exchange.
“Are you saying you met before the picnic at the lake?” Virginia clarified.
Shannon shrugged. “Not exactly a meeting. We exchanged a few words at the fair last fall when James caught Jack after he got away from me.”
Tilting her head in James’s direction, she asked, “Were Ron and Haley there with you? They thought I looked familiar, too.”
He nodded. “They were.”
“And there was another woman,” she recalled.
He shrugged. “Was there?” he murmured with a smile he knew didn’t fool her in the least. “If so, I’ve completely forgotten.”
“Uh-huh.” She seemed to be amused by the obvious prevarication.
Finally figuring out the sequence of events, Virginia clasped her hands together. “You mean you met last year when James rescued another of my grandchildren?”
He cleared his throat. “I didn’t really rescue—”
“It was obviously karma,” Virginia continued, ignoring his attempt to correct her. “The two of you were fated to connect.”
“Okay, let’s not get carried away here, Mom.” Shannon looked just a little uncomfortable now despite her indulgent tone. “We just happened to cross paths a couple of times. Just a coincidence.”
Virginia waved a hand dismissively, refusing to be dissuaded from her fanciful speculation. “You were meant to know each other. That’s so romantic.”
“You know, it’s getting a little late,” Shannon said with a quick look at her watch. “I’ll help you clear away the dishes and games, Mom, and then James and I have to go. We both have to work tomorrow and his day starts early.”
“We have to be going, too,” Karen agreed. “Got to get the kids into bed.”
“When do you leave for Seattle, James?” Virginia asked while the others tidied up.
“A week from Friday. I start my rotation the first Monday of October.”
“I’ve heard Seattle is a beautiful city.”
“Yes, ma’am, so I’ve heard.”
“Shannon’s never been there, you know.”
“Yes, she told me.”
“Maybe while you’re there—”
“I can’t go to Seattle next month, Mom,” Shannon interrupted, overhearing. “I have to work.”
“Your boss at the toy store would probably let you take off a couple of days.”
“Even if he would, I have my party business to run. I have several parties scheduled for October.”
Virginia waved a hand again. “Devin could probably handle those for you. All she’d have to do is supervise the kids, right?”
For the first time, James saw a spark of temper in Shannon’s eyes when she looked at her mother. “Kid Capers isn’t Devin’s business, Mom. It’s mine. And there’s a little more to it than babysitting.”
“Shannon,” Hollis murmured in warning while Virginia pouted. “Your mother didn’t mean to insult you.”
Shannon rounded toward her dad. “She wouldn’t have suggested that Stu just drop everything at work to take off on an impulsive vacation.”
“Hey, leave me out of this,” her brother protested.