Charlotte felt her eyes widen. It seemed that since she'd decided to confide in Bonnie about her once-in-a-lifetime fling, all her friend wanted to do was talk about men and sex.

She'd obviously opened up a big can of worms.

"Think about it." Bonnie took a sip from her thermos cup as she watched the kids on the monkey bars. 'The Internet lets you meet people anonymously and be totally upfront before appearance has any impact on anything! How freeing! It's got to be better than bars."

Charlotte raised an eyebrow. "I don't go to bars, Bon."

"My point exactly."

"I don't need a man right now," she lied.

Bonnie tilted her head and studied Charlotte carefully, and the scrutiny made her uncomfortable. "What?"

"Maybe you feel that way now, but someday you're going to be ready for a man to come into your life again."

"Maybe."

"Mama! Can we go to the duck pond?"

Charlotte squinted in the sun, seeing a gaggle of kids running toward the old ice-skating pond on the other side of the park. Matt and Hank stayed behind, waiting for her okay. She smiled

"Go for it!" she said.

"Is it the kids, honey? Is that what's holding you back from dating again?"

Charlotte bunched her lips together and wondered exactly how to answer her friend. Her children's welfare had been her primary concern, of course, and she just couldn't picture the awkward moment when she had to introduce Hank and Mattto a boyfriend. She didn't want to do anything that would confuse them or threaten their fragile sense of safety. And okay-she had a few issues herself.

"I'm just not ready" was all she could manage to say.