"Oh, I forgot to mention, I got an email from Matt the other day."
"Oh. Did Noelle have her baby?"
"Not that I'm aware of, but she must have by now. The kid must be walking by now. It's not like I was on the announcement list."
"So what was it about?"
"Oh, he read the interview of me in More magazine and wanted to congratulate me on it."
He made a little face.
"What's that about?"
"Seriously? You don't see how ridiculous that is?"
"What?"
"Matt Donnally is reading a magazine targeted at successful women over 35?"
"I don't know. Maybe Noelle had it."
"I don't think she's even close to 35 yet."
She shot him a look. "Thanks."
"Why 'thanks?' What does it matter to you how old she is?"
"It doesn't, but I have a strong suspicion you were trying to be mean."
"Nope, just factual."
"OK, Facty Facterson, well then let me just ask for future reference: Do you want to know if he gets in touch again?"
"Oh. Do you plan to keep in touch with him?"
"Of course not, but if he emails something polite like that, I'm going to say thanks."
He was silent.
"Are you sulking?"
He glared at her. "Don't be ridiculous."
"Yes, you are. You're sulking. Well, listen to me, buddy: You are just going to have to buck up and take it if occasionally I have contact with an ex-boyfriend. And that's what he is, an EX. E-X."
"Yes, but he'll be back."
"He won't be back!"
"Trust me, Dani, I know men, and I know that after being with you, you are impossible to forget. He'll be back, trust me. You are his big regret, and you will be for the rest of his life."
She was stunned silent.
"Nico. That is the sweetest, most romantic thing I have ever heard. However, you don't need to worry. He's not going to show up again, he doesn't feel about me that way, and I certainly don't feel that way about him."
"Hmmph."
"Besides, if anyone should feel threatened, it's me. I mean, your exes are all billionaires and superspies and circus performers, and here I am in my fuzzy slippers."
"Circus performers?"
"You know what I mean. Non-suburban divorcees."
He laughed. "You have nothing to worry about."
"And neither do you."
He ventured, "I guess it's possible that I don't like the fact that I know most or all of your serious boyfriends - your husband, Matt, JD, Sam..."
"Sam wasn't serious."
"You know what I mean."
"OHHH. OK, then, using those criteria - actually, using any criteria - JD wasn't serious."
"Oh."
She saw a faint smile flit across his face. (He really was transparent about some things, she thought.)
"So really, if your worst concern was some Baseball Cap I dated, you really don't have anything to worry about."
He smiled at that. "I still don't trust him, but I guess we'll see."
"How does this sound. If he shows up in 20 years at my door, I'll owe you five bucks. If he doesn't , you owe me five bucks."
He smiled. "You've got a deal. But in 20 years, I would hope it was our door, not just yours."
"Our door, then. And thanks for thinking I am impossible to forget. I feel the same way about you."