Moonlight Over Manhattan(30)
She could have talked to Molly, and Molly would have known exactly the right thing to say. But she wasn’t ready to talk about that with anyone yet.
“I’m taking a break from dating.” To change the subject, she looked at her brother’s suit. “You’ve been in court?”
“I have. Custody hearing.”
“I hate that you’re so busy.”
Daniel raised his eyebrows. “This is my livelihood.”
“I know, but whenever I talk to you I get the feeling everyone is in a miserable relationship.”
“Don’t listen to him.” Molly rubbed Valentine’s paws with a towel. “Talking to Daniel is like watching the news. You come away thinking the world is ending. It distorts your view of reality, which is that every day, all over the world, people are doing good things for other people and those things are never made public.”
Daniel finished his beer. “You have an almost ridiculous faith in human nature. How are we even together?”
“Because you can’t care for your dog without my help.”
Harriet bent to stroke Brutus, who she’d fostered for a short while until Daniel had given him a home. “Don’t start or I’ll worry about you both.”
“You don’t need to worry about us.” Molly stood up and kissed Daniel. “Are you going to tell her our news or shall I?”
“Tell her what?”
Molly scowled and Valentine was on his feet in an instant. “See? My dog senses when you make me unhappy. Better watch it, Mr. Heartbreaker, or you will be covered in teeth marks.”
“Promises, promises.”
Knowing that the banter could have gone on forever, Harriet interrupted. “What’s your news?”
“We’ve fixed a date.” Molly looked pleased with herself. “For our wedding. We’re getting married in May, and we’re having the wedding in Central Park because that’s where we met. Cherry blossom. Blue skies—”
“—you in your running shoes with your hair pulled back in a tail.” Daniel grinned at her. “I like it that way. It’s sexy.”
“I’m wearing a long white dress.”
“In the park?” Daniel winced. “Are we leaving the dogs at home?”
“No!”
“Then I don’t recommend a long white dress.”
Harriet interrupted again. “Congratulations. I’m so happy for you.” And she was, she really was. They were perfect together, just as Fliss and Seth were perfect together. Two by two. Everyone was in pairs.
Except for her.
She was one.
Alone.
Molly hugged her. “Will you be my bridesmaid? You and Fliss?”
“Of course. Thank you.”
Daniel sprawled on her sofa, watching her closely. “This place is quiet without Fliss.”
It was horribly quiet.
“I’ve been too busy with work to notice. And fostering animals keeps the place pretty noisy.”
Daniel glanced around. “I don’t see animals.”
Her brother didn’t miss a thing. “I had Teddy until recently. He went to his forever home.” She watched as Valentine lay down on the floor. Brutus joined him. Molly and Daniel had met while walking the dogs and now the two dogs were inseparable. “So are you working on anything exciting right now?”
“The usual. Handling people’s toxic marriages. Why anyone bothers I have no idea, but I guess people’s optimism and fairy-tale belief in the power of Happy Ever After keeps me in business, so who am I to question it?”
Molly gave him a look. “You’re marrying me. You shouldn’t question it.”
“You are my Snow White.”
“I hate apples.”
“My Cinderella?”
“She was great at cleaning, and I’m crap.”
“Rapunzel? No, your hair is the wrong color and too short. Beauty? No, because that would make me the beast.”
“Which is how you’re known in impolite circles.”
Daniel glanced at his watch. “I’m hungry. We thought we could order pizza. Molly?”
Pizza?
She thought of the small mountain of Thai food she’d consumed with Ethan.
And all the questions stacked up in her head, waiting to be answered.
“I’ve eaten, but you go ahead.” In truth it was nice to see her brother, and it felt good to have the apartment filled with noise, laughter and dogs.
Maybe she needed to get a dog of her own.
It was something she’d considered a few times and rejected because she wanted to keep herself free to foster animals from the shelter when necessary. But now she was starting to rethink that plan.
“What did you cook? Any leftovers in the fridge? You’re the best cook on the planet.”
Harriet paused. “I didn’t say I cooked. I said I ate.”
“So you did go on a date?” Molly looked interested.
“It wasn’t a date. I was dealing with some issues settling a dog, it got late, so he offered me something to eat. He’d worked a long day and he was tired. It was no big deal.”
“He? And is ‘he’ a lawyer?”
“He’s a doctor.”
Molly slapped her hand on the arm of the sofa, making the dogs jump. “Perfect! I’ve always said that someone in the medical profession would suit you well. Smart, caring—”