The road to her cottage and on to Fiddler’s Rock was a side road that ran mostly parallel to the main highway and hugged the shoreline of the cove. As such, most of the traffic was local traffic, and Charlie only met maybe a dozen cars on the half-hour walk to Dave’s place, the stroller wheels making gritty noises on the asphalt. Chickadees had taken up residence on the snow-covered branches and alternated their chirpy calls with the throatier “dee dee dee” sounds. Charlie took deep breaths of the crisp air. By the time she reached Dave’s, she was warmed up from the exercise and the sun that had seeped through her winter clothing. The motion and fresh air had lulled Daniel back to sleep. With a soft laugh, she wished he dropped off to sleep this easily at night.
She knocked on his door and waited, but there was no answer. Surprising, because his truck was in the yard. She hopped down the steps and peered around the corner into the backyard. It didn’t take long to find him. The lot sloped down to the beach, and she caught sight of his plaid jacket through the shrubs. He was sitting on a boulder, tossing rocks into the water, the lapping of the gentle waves soothing and rhythmic.
She often found it too cold on her deck, but she understood the allure. In warmer weather she spent a lot of time looking out over the bay, listening to the waves and the gulls, letting the sounds ease her mind.
She took Daniel from the stroller and snuggled him against her shoulder. “Hey, stranger,” she called, announcing her arrival. She sauntered closer, taking her time as she picked her way down the rocky path to the beach. “Is this a bad time? I got my tree up. It was feeling a little empty at my place. I thought a walk in the sun would do us good. And … I wondered how you were getting on with your tree.”
“It’s in the stand.”
“I see.”
They sat for a few minutes in silence.
“Sorry,” he apologized. “I’m in a cranky mood and not the best company, I guess.”
“It’s okay.” She smiled softly. “Everyone’s entitled to a bad day. Anything I can do to help?”
He huffed out a humorless chuckle. “The doctor is in?”
“I figure if you want me to know anything more, you’ll tell me. If not, I’ll mind my own business.”
He sighed. “I was supposed to have Nora next weekend. But Janice called and said her husband’s family has invited them all to Boston for some big holiday event. I feel like an ogre saying no, but I missed my last weekend because she was down with the flu.”
“That’s rough.” Charlie covered his gloved hand with hers, repositioning Daniel on her shoulder. “But Nora knows you’re a good father, and so does Janice.”
“I guess it just bugs me to think that I’m letting my family down. And I know it doesn’t make sense. I’m not the one changing plans. But still.” He met her gaze. “This is the first Christmas I get to spend with her and I feel like I’m missing out.”
There was no reason why Charlie should feel jealous, but she did. She had no claim on Dave, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to have one either. All they’d shared were a few kisses, a lunch, and a first date. But hearing him talk about his family was like a shot to her irrational heart. He already had what she wanted so badly.
“She’s bringing Nora by later this afternoon,” he added, and Charlie swallowed thickly. “Kind of a consolation for me losing my visitation time.”
“I see.” It was the only response she could come up with. She knew she was being petty, but she wondered if Dave wanted to see his ex. If he still had feelings for her. And there was no way on earth Charlie would ask those questions.
“Okay,” she said, taking a breath and scrabbling off the rock. “I’ll get out of your way.” It seemed Daniel had had enough too, because he squirmed against her chest, fussing. She patted his back with her mittened hand.
“You’re not in my way.”
“Are you sure?” He definitely hadn’t invited her in, or to stay, or anything else. She was feeling worse and worse, just when she’d thought maybe she should put her misgivings aside and take a chance on them.
“I get it, Dave. You would rather we weren’t around when your daughter visits.”
He ran his hands over his hair as she turned to go. She’d only taken a few steps when his voice stopped her again.
“Charlie, when Janice and I parted ways…”
She turned back. Faced him head-on.
“… I think both of us were relieved. We’d always been better friends than lovers. We tried for Nora’s sake, but there was no point.”
“You’re telling me this why?”
“Because you seem to think I don’t want you around. It’s not that. It’s just … I only have a few hours. I want to talk to Janice about visitation and it’s probably better if I do that without an audience.”
“It’s fine, really. I should get Daniel home anyway.”
He took his hands out of his pockets again and reached for her, pulling her into a warm hug. Daniel squirmed in the close quarters but they both ignored him, focusing on each other instead.
“Are you jealous?” he whispered.
She smelled the clean, woodsy smell she was getting used to, the softness of the flannel of his quilted jacket. “Of course not,” she lied.
“Charlie?”
“Hmm?” Why was she getting so lost in his eyes? Daniel whimpered, the sound muffled in his plushy snowsuit.