A Family for Thanksgiving. Patricia Davids

but she couldn’t help it. “Since I can’t have children, that’s been something of a date killer when the subject comes up.”

      “I’m sure there’s a man out there willing to adopt a child once you’re married.”

      “I’ll keep looking for him. In the mean time, thanks again for watching Kasey. Let me buy you lunch next week as payment.”

      Glenis rose and bent to place a kiss on Kasey’s head. “I don’t need payment to watch this little doll.”

      Nicki smiled. “She is that.”

      After gathering up her purse and slipping into her dark blue wool coat, Glenis headed to the door. Nicki followed her, leaving Kasey happily pulling a half-dozen toys from a large red plastic bin at the end of the sofa until she found her favorite stuffed animal. A small pink bear given to her in the hospital by Layla Logan.

      In the entryway, Glenis paused. “Are you working at the Old Town Hall tonight?”

      “Yes. What about you?”

      “Not tonight, I have a meeting of the library committee.”

      Giving her mother a quick hug, Nicki said, “You don’t need to worry about me. I’m doing fine. I love my job. I love the kids I work with. I have a great life.”

      Glenis returned the hug. “Worrying is a mother’s job.”

      “Then at least take a vacation day. I’m not throwing myself at Clay Logan’s feet simply because he’s back for a visit.”

      Glenis pulled open the door letting in a gust of cold wind. “I’m sorry if I upset you by talking about him.”

      “You didn’t upset me,” Nicki answered truthfully. Clay had done that without any help.

      Where was he now? Had he gone out to the ranch? How long was he staying? Would she see him again?

      Nicki crossed her arms against the chill as she closed the door behind her mother. All questions and no answers, that certainly summed up her relationship with Clay in the past.

      Theirs had been a friendship she valued deeply. If only they had kept things friendly and not let their teenage emotions take over. What she felt back then hadn’t been love. It had been a high school crush and nothing more.

      In a way, it had been good for her to see Clay again. Perhaps now she truly could get over him the way she always claimed she had.