“No,” Dana Sue said wearily, then corrected herself. “Yes.”
Maddie smiled. “Which is it?”
“I don’t know, dammit. It’s hard holding on to it, especially when he’s being so sweet, but letting go is scary.”
“Living is scary,” Maddie reminded her. “The only time it’s not is when you stop taking risks.” She leaned forward. “I certainly can’t guarantee you that Ronnie will never hurt you again. I doubt he could guarantee you that, either. But is the bland, safe existence you’ve had since he left a good trade-off for the excitement and unpredictability of being with him?”
“My life isn’t bland or safe,” Dana Sue protested. “I started my restaurant. I’ve made new friends. We opened the health club. Life’s been pretty darn good with him gone.”
“That’s right,” Helen chimed in. “A woman doesn’t have to have a man around to lead a satisfying life.”
“Of course not,” Maddie agreed. “But I’m here to tell you that all those achievements are a thousand times better if there’s someone to share them with, someone who’ll rub your back late at night or listen to you when things are going wrong.” She gave Dana Sue a penetrating look. “Can you honestly tell me that it hasn’t been easier to cope with what happened to Annie because Ronnie’s here to help and to share the anguish and worry?”
“He’s been incredibly supportive,” Dana Sue conceded grudgingly. “And yes, it’s been nice to know I’m not in this alone.”
“But you’re still afraid to start counting on him,” Maddie guessed.
Dana Sue nodded.
“Then don’t,” Maddie advised. “Take it one day at a time. It’s not as if he’s asked you to marry him again. All he’s asking for is another chance to prove that things can be different. Can’t you give him that much?”
It sounded so reasonable when Maddie said it. One day at a time. No big deal. But there was a flaw in that. A big one. Dana Sue was still in love with him. Every day she let Ronnie back into her life, every second she spent with him, took her closer to the point of no return.
And if Ronnie let her down yet again, this time she wasn’t sure she’d bounce back.
Besides, she thought, there was Annie to consider. If Dana Sue and Ronnie tried to make it work and failed, their daughter would be devastated a second time.
“I can’t take the chance,” Dana Sue said miserably. “It’s not just about me and what I want. Annie almost died because of what happened between me and her dad. I don’t think she would survive if Ronnie and I got back together and things didn’t work out.”
Not even the eternally optimistic Maddie seemed able to come up with a response to that. And because she couldn’t, Dana Sue knew she was making the right decision. No matter how much she might want things to be different, she couldn’t let Ronnie back into her life. Unfortunately, that didn’t mean she could keep him out of Annie’s. Which meant Dana Sue was going to have to find some way to build a wall around her heart.
* * *
The annual fall festival had been moved from the town square to the park since Ronnie had gone away. Once, it had been as much a boon to the local businesses as it was to the artists, produce vendors and food booths. But with the changing times the city fathers deemed it pointless to keep the event downtown, with only Wharton’s left to benefit. And, Annie had told Ronnie, there was a lot more room in the park for the increasing number of people who came to town for the festivities.
“Dad, there’s Sarah. Can I spend some time walking around with her and Raylene?” Annie begged just as soon as they arrived.
Ronnie cast a glance at Dana Sue, trying to gauge her reaction. She’d obviously come along grudgingly this morning, and he anticipated that any minute she was going to start making excuses to head for Sullivan’s. If Annie left the two of them alone, it was going to make it that much easier for Dana Sue to take off. Still, he refused to use Annie to keep Dana Sue around.
“It’s up to your mom,” he said at last.
Dana Sue looked surprised, but nodded. “Go,” she told Annie. “But you have to find your dad and me before lunch. We’re all going to eat together.”
Annie groaned. “You’re going to watch me today, too?”
“You know the rules,” Ronnie said. “But you can have Sarah and Raylene join us, if you want.”
Annie’s sullen expression faded. “Cool! Okay, I’ll meet you at noon by the gazebo—that’s where all the food booths are.”
After she’d run off, he glanced at Dana Sue and saw her studying him with a thoughtful expression. “You handled that very well.”
“By reminding her of the rules?” he asked.
“No, by including her friends for lunch. I wish I’d thought of that.”
He grinned. “You were probably too distracted by the prospect of spending a couple of hours all alone with me. You afraid I’ll do something outrageous right out here in public, sugar?”
Dana Sue shrugged. “I wouldn’t put it past you.”
“Sorry, darlin’, I intend to be on my best behavior. I don’t want to give you any excuses for bolting.”
“Actually, I wanted to talk to you,” she said, her face turning somber.
Ronnie knew that expression. It meant he wasn’t going to like whatever it was she had to say. The only way around that would be to keep her from saying it.
“Not till we’ve looked at all the art,” he said, reaching for her hand and drawing her toward the first booth.
“Ronnie,” she said, a protest obviously on the tip of
