Mommy in Training. Shelley Galloway

brought the supercenter to town as a way of trying to do good. Of trying to show everyone that he was worth something. He’d contracted friends of his and local businesses, in an effort to spark the local economy and fire up hope in everyone.

      Now he would have to tell Lane that he was going to have to rebid, and most likely wouldn’t have near the money he’d planned to have in the bank. His journey into the community’s good graces was about to get bumpy.

      In fact, the only saving grace seemed to be Kimber, who came over to visit Wanda a lot, and therefore him. Little Kimber who liked him but was so fragile, her moods were mercurial and ever changing.

      Kind of like his, come to think of it. More often than not, Matt found himself rethinking every decision these days. He wanted to do the right thing for SavNGo. He wanted to do the right thing for Wanda.

      But he also wanted to show everybody that he was just as successful and worthy as they thought he was. Even though inside he didn’t feel worthy at all…just a fake.

      And then there was the whole Minnie thing. He found her attractive. He found himself thinking about her at odd times, in the middle of the night. Or in the morning, when he had a cup of coffee outside by Wanda’s pool.

      He wondered about his attraction to Paige’s little sister. Was it because she reminded him of Paige?

      Or because she was a link to the past?

      Or because he felt bad that the store he’d pushed into Crescent View was going to put her business in jeopardy?

      Or was it none of those things? Was he merely attracted to her because she touched something in him that made him feel valued and good inside, and worth more than his dad had ever guessed? He wanted her to need him. He wanted to be her protector.

      Minnie Clark, the darling of the neighborhood, her family and the town, still seemed so alone.

      Was he the only one who thought that was strange?