LITMIR.BIZ

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casual interest in what she had to say. Then, with studied nonchalance, he rose slowly. “I wish you the joy of it then.”

      “And I you,” Daisy said automatically.

      He gave her a sardonic look.

      “No, truly.” She almost put a hand on his arm as he passed. But then she laced her fingers together instead. Still, she looked up at him earnestly. “I mean it, Alex. You deserve a wonderful life. I hope … Caroline is the right woman for you. I hope she gives you what you want.”

      He had stopped and was standing now, quite close. She kept her gaze on the rise and fall of his chest, knew that she could reach out and touch him. Knew she should back away. But she didn’t. She stayed quite still and met his gaze. “Regardless of what you think, marriage is more than you expect. You should … take your time, get to know this … woman you’re considering marrying. Make sure it’s right for both of you.”

      Alex stood staring at her as if he couldn’t believe the words coming out of her mouth.

      Daisy couldn’t believe them, either. It wasn’t any of her business. But she couldn’t seem to stop herself. And maybe she did owe him the benefit of her experience with Cal. Certainly it had taught her something.

      “No matter what you think you want out of marriage,” she finished, “it can surprise you. You shouldn’t take it lightly.”

      Alex’s eyes narrowed further, and she expected he would tell her to mind her own business. But his jaw just tightened again, then he nodded. “I’ll keep it in mind.”

      Their gazes locked—all the electricity flowing through New York City at that moment had nothing on what arced between them.

      Then, carefully, consciously, Daisy swallowed. “Have a good life, Alex.”

      For a long moment he didn’t reply, and she couldn’t read his gaze. Then he said flatly, “I will. Shall I invite you to the wedding?”

      No! It was her gut-level response. But she squelched it. “When you’re sure she’s the right one,” she said slowly, “I would be delighted to come.”

      Alex’s lips pressed together in a thin line. He nodded, then walked past her wordlessly out the door.

      She closed it after him, leaned back against it, knees wobbling. Only after the sound of his footsteps had long faded away, did Daisy breathe again.

      Moving on.

      That’s what her father always used to say when Daisy or her sister got all wrought up about something they could do nothing about. He’d listen to them anguishing for, oh, maybe thirty minutes, and then he’d say, “Can you do anything about it?”

      They’d say, “No.”

      And he’d flash them his sunny grin and say, “So … moving on …”

      He didn’t mean, get over it. He meant, stop dwelling on it. Get past it.

      You might still ache with disappointment. You might remember it forever. But you’d done all you could do. Now it was time to pull up your socks and move on.

      Daisy moved on.

      She still thought about Alex. How could she not? She had loved him once. He was the father of her child, even if he didn’t know it. She owed him for that—for Charlie. And she wished things could have been different.

      But they weren’t.

      Life moved on, and determinedly Daisy moved on with it. She did her work. She introduced a great couple, Debbie whom she’d met at a yoga class and Mark, who played baseball with Cal, and was delighted when they seemed to hit it off. She wasn’t losing her touch with other people at least. Cal bought Charlie a point-and-shoot camera, and she went with the two of them for walks in the park and on the streets and took loads of pictures. It was fun to discover Charlie’s interest, and restful to be with him and Cal.

      Every time her thoughts drifted to Alex and she wondered if he’d proposed yet, she deliberately focused them elsewhere. So she wasn’t even thinking about him the Sunday evening before Thanksgiving when Cal came into the kitchen and asked, “Whatever happened with Alex?”

      Her ex had stopped by that afternoon to take Charlie for a bike ride in the park. When they’d come back, Daisy had invited him to stay for leftovers. After, he’d helped Charlie build a fire station with his Legos. Now Charlie had gone upstairs to get ready for his bath while Daisy put dishes in the dishwasher.

      She felt a moment’s jolt at the sound of his name. But then she just shrugged. “No idea. Haven’t seen him for a while. I believe he’s got a woman in his life. He seems to think she’s ‘the one.’” Daisy couldn’t help adding that.

      Cal looked at her closely. “I’m sorry.”

      “I’m not,” Daisy said, dropping forks in the silverware slots. “He was never the man I thought he was. He still isn’t.”

      “Life sucks,” Cal said with a faint grin.

      “It has some good bits,” Daisy countered, nodding toward the stairs where they could both hear Charlie banging around in the upstairs hall.

      Cal’s grin widened. “You’re right. It does.” He shoved away from the doorjamb and flexed his shoulders. “I’ll be going then. Thanks for letting me take him to the park.”

      “Anytime.” She walked to the front door with him and kissed him on the cheek and he gave her a hug. Then he shrugged on his jacket. “I’ll pick Charlie up Thursday morning. I told my folks we’d be up there by noon.”

      Daisy nodded and forced a smile even as she felt her throat tighten. “He’ll have so much fun.”

      Cal was taking Charlie to his parents’ upstate for Thanksgiving. They wouldn’t be back until Sunday morning. The thought of rattling around by herself for four days was horrible. But it was good for Charlie and for Cal and his family. It was a part of the life they’d made.

      “My folks are really looking forward to it,” Cal said. He looked at her closely. “You can come if you want.” He must have seen some of the hollowness she felt.

      Daisy shook her head. “Thanks, but I can’t. You know that.”

      If she did Cal’s parents might think there was hope of them getting back together. They had been upset when she and Cal divorced. Now they seemed to be coming to terms with the way things were. It wouldn’t do to get their hopes up again.

      “You’re probably right. No, you are right. It’s just—I’m sorry. Especially this year.”

      Daisy shrugged. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. I’m going to Finn and Izzy’s. It will be chaos. I’ll never miss you. What do you have planned?”

      “Going fishing if the weather stays warm enough. Chopping wood otherwise. Getting ready for winter.” He grimaced.

      “You’ll have fun.”

      “Charlie will make it fun. He and Dad are something else when you get them together.” Cal shook his head, grinning. “Like two kids.”

      “I’d guess there were three.” Daisy cocked her head and smiled at him.

      Cal rubbed a hand against the back of his neck. “Well, yeah.”

      Their eyes met, both of them rueful.

      “Moving on,” Daisy said with all the briskness she could muster.

      And Cal nodded resolutely. “Moving on.”

      He went out, and Daisy locked the door after him. Then she went back into the living room, rubbing her hands up and down her arms. Was Alex having Thanksgiving with the woman in his life? Or was he working on one continent while she was on another?

      What did she care? Daisy asked herself irritably.

      She didn’t,

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