“I know, I know. I’m not stupid. It’s too soon anyway. I hardly know him.” Still, she liked him a great deal. A great deal. And they were kissing more and more. Things were getting serious and heated.

“Well, just in case, be prepared. People get carried away sometimes. Not that I’d remember,” Alexa chuckled ruefully. She wouldn’t have time anyway. She hardly got time to go to the bathroom or sleep, she was working so hard on the upcoming trial.

They had dinner at a cozy little bistro that night and ate fresh crab. It was a late dinner and they walked back to the hotel arm in arm, feeling closer than ever. They ordered a movie through the hotel, one of their favorites, and after it was over, they went to sleep in the huge comfortable bed, and woke up feeling relaxed and rested in the morning.

After breakfast, they did a little shopping as they had the week before, and then Savannah went to the soccer game and Alexa went to Magnolias, to meet Tom for lunch. He was waiting when she got there, and looked nervous. So was she.

They had a quiet table in the back, and were looking at the menus, when Alexa put hers down and looked at him.

“I’m sorry to say this, but this is weird. I just had to say it out loud. Maybe you feel that way too.”

“Yes, I do.” He had to laugh, she had always had a way with the truth. She put it right out there and refused to hide it or dress it up. It was anything but southern in style, but he had always loved that about her. No subterfuge. No games. She hadn’t changed a bit. And if anything, he thought she was more beautiful now, eleven years later. She had grown into her looks.

“Why do we feel so weird?” Tom asked, as he looked at her. Luisa had no idea he was with her.

“Are you kidding?” Alexa looked at him. “You left me. I’ve spent the last ten years hating you. What am I doing having lunch with you? And our daughter is living with you. That’s all pretty crazy.”

“Maybe not. You had every right to hate me. And you’re very gracious to have lunch with me, but you always were compassionate and forgiving.”

“Don’t count on that yet,” she said honestly, and he laughed again. “So why do you feel weird? Did you hate me too?”

“I had nothing to hate you for,” he said sadly. “I just had regrets, about what happened.”

“It didn’t ‘happen.’ You did it. With Luisa’s help, and your mother’s. They made the decision for you, to get rid of me and go back to her, and you did what they wanted. I guess you wanted it too.” She looked wistful as she said it, and so did he.

He shook his head then. “It wasn’t that simple. I didn’t know what I wanted. I wanted to get my pride back because Luisa had left me, but I was in love with you.”

“Then you did a really stupid thing, Tom.” It helped her to say it, and she felt better after she did.

“Yes, I did. I agree with you. Totally. And if it’s any consolation, I’ve regretted it ever since.” She didn’t want him to go there. She didn’t want to know. They ordered lunch then, and both ordered crab cakes and lobster bisque. It had always been their favorite meal. Some things hadn’t changed. Alexa told herself that the only thing they still had in common was the food.

They talked about other things then. Savannah. Her trial. His bank. Travis and Henry. Alexa mentioned in passing that Savannah had said Henry was gay and liked him a lot. She didn’t think his lifestyle shocking and expected Tom to be reasonable about it, but she saw instantly that he looked pained.

“I’m sorry. Are you upset about it?” It was hard to believe in this day and age, but she also knew how conservative Tom was, and old-fashioned.

“Sometimes. I guess it’s just the way he is. But it’s not a life that I wanted for one of my sons. But in the end, I just want him to be happy. His mother denies it, which makes it harder for Henry.”

“That’s stupid of her,” Alexa said bluntly, and then winced. “Sorry. I just feel sorry for Henry if he can’t be himself with both of you. Is Travis okay with it? He’s as conservative as you are.” She knew them all well, even if she hadn’t seen them for ten years, and left the boys in their teens. It was totally odd to her to be sitting at a lunch table with Tom, talking as though they were old friends, instead of her being the woman who had loved him, and been his wife, and whom he had spurned for another. Life really was strange.

“I think Travis tries to be understanding about it, but you’re right, he’s pretty straitlaced. The boys aren’t as close anymore, now that they’re grown up. They’re very different.”

“They always were,” Alexa said quietly. “That’s too bad if they’re not close,” she said sadly. “They were then.” Tom was embarrassed not to have been more supportive of his son. It was one more thing for him to feel guilty about, like so many others. He had a lot on his list to repent for, and Alexa was at the top of that list.

“I meant what I said before,” he said over coffee and warm peach cobbler for dessert. He took his with vanilla ice cream, she without. Same old habits again. For an instant, she could distinctly remember being his wife, what it had felt like, and how much she had loved it, particularly when Savannah was little. They had been so in love then, and Alexa had stayed in love with him right till the end.

“About what?” Alexa asked as she ate the dessert that melted in her mouth. She’d forgotten what he’d said earlier. They had touched on a lot of subjects, including their daughter, who he acknowledged was wonderful and gave her full credit for, which she deserved.

“I meant it when I said that I’ve regretted leaving you every day since.” He looked sorrowful and depressed as he said it, and her eyes hardened at the words.

“I’m sorry to hear that, Tom. That’s a hard way to live.”

“Yes, it is.” He was feeling sorry for himself. Alexa’s eyes went cold.

“So is getting thrown out by your husband whom you love and trust, for another woman, who abandoned him before, and came back because it was convenient. It would have been nice if you’d seen through that.” He nodded, he could see again how hurt Alexa was, and how unforgiving. Her walls had gone up the minute he brought up the subject.

“I’m not suggesting you take me back,” he explained to her.

“Good, because I wouldn’t. Not in a hundred years.” She wanted that entirely clear, particularly if they were going to attempt to be friends. She wanted clear boundaries with him, and no confusion, for him, or herself. He was still a very attractive man, and she had loved him. She didn’t want this to be dangerous for her. And he would be if she fell for him again. He had already proven to her once in no uncertain terms that he wasn’t a man of his word. She could never trust him again, no matter how much she had loved him, or how handsome and charming he still was.

“I just wanted you to know how sorry I am.”

“So am I. I’ve never trusted another man again, and probably never will.” She blamed it entirely on him.

“That’s awful,” he said sadly, feeling guilty again and looking woebegone.

“Maybe. But it’s real. For me anyway. I could never trust another man not to do the same thing. I thought we were married forever.”

“So did I. And then Luisa came back, and I fucked it all up, for both of us.” Alexa nodded. She didn’t want to rehash their marriage with him over lunch. “Just know that I regret it, and I’ve never had a happy day since. She’s a miserable person.”

“Then why don’t you divorce her? Not for me. For yourself.”

“I just don’t want to go through that again. Our divorce nearly killed me.”

“Funny, me too,” Alexa said bitterly, and then laughed at herself. “Sorry, I guess I’m still pretty pissed. My mother says I have to get over it, but it’s hard to do. I saw a shrink about it for five years, and finally stopped going. I was just as pissed after five years, and just as hurt, and just as bitter. I guess it takes longer than that. For me, anyway. I’m a slow healer. I broke my arm once, and it took six months to heal instead of six weeks.”