Breaking the Greek's Rules by Anne McAllister

out the door eager to tell his grandfather about the fire engine they were going to make.
    But Cal hadn’t followed him. He was eying her curiously as Daisy told him about Alex’s call and his offer of the photography job. She also admitted to her qualms.
    “It’s just … distracting!” She stuck her hands in her hair and tugged.
    “Why do it then? Call him up and tell him no.”
    “He’ll want to know why.”
    “You’re not obliged to tell him.”
    “If I don’t, he’ll get suspicious.”
    “About what? Is he going to think you’re hiding his son from him?”
    “No, of course not. He’ll think—” Daisy hesitated “—that I’m still in love with him. That I don’t trust myself around him.”
    “Possible,” Cal agreed. “Or maybe you don’t trust him.”
    Maybe she didn’t trust either of them. The attraction was still there on a physical level. She hadn’t told Cal about Alex’s kiss. Or her reaction to it. There were some things better left unsaid. Now she just shrugged. “It’ll be all right,” she murmured.
    Cal gave her a long hard look. She tried to remain indifferent under his gaze, but Cal was a photographer, too. He saw things that other people couldn’t see.
    “Is it just hormones?” he said at last. “Or something more?”
    Daisy flushed, giving him yet another telltale sign. “I’m curious about what he’s done with the building. About the sort of work he’s doing.”
    “Uh-huh.” Cal wasn’t having any of it.
    “Really. I wouldn’t jeopardize Charlie’s future. You know that.” She looked at him steadily.
    “Keep it in mind,” Cal warned.
    “No fear. I’m not an airy-fairy fool anymore.”
    Cal looked as if he doubted that. But at last he shrugged. “If you say so.”
    “In fact,” Daisy added, “I think this may be a good thing. I can learn more about his real life, so I’ll be able to tell Charlie about it someday.”
    “Oh, there’s a plus,” Cal muttered.
    “It’ll be fine.” She put a hand on his sleeve. “Really, Cal. Don’t worry.”
    Cal let out a slow breath. “I’m trying not to.” He started toward the door and then turned back. “Charlie hasn’t seen him? He hasn’t seen Charlie?”
    “No!” She smiled her best reassuring smile.
    “Someday …”
    “Someday they’ll meet. Someday when Charlie is older. Grown-up. Settled. And if he has questions in the meantime, I’ll answer them. But I’m not setting him up to be hurt! You know that. We’ve discussed it.” When a man felt about having kids the way Alex did, deliberately introducing him into Charlie’s life wasn’t a risk she wanted to take.
    Besides, he had a perfectly fine father in Cal. And one father was enough—for the moment at least.
    “C’mon, Dad!” Charlie poked his head out of the window of the car.
    “Go on, Dad,” Daisy urged him. “And don’t you worry. I’m doing enough for both of us. And it’s silly, really. I will be fine. I’ll shoot his photos, admire his handsome face and come home. End of story. Trust me. I can take care of myself.”
    The building Alex had restored wasn’t far from Prospect Park. Daisy found it easily. It sat on the corner of a residential street filled with brownstones and trees and a business cross street that was wider, had fewer trees to block the view, and gave her plenty of scope.
    She’d arrived early to scope out the neighborhood, wanted to get herself in work-mode before she ever laid eyes on him.The day was cool and crisp, the trees in their full autumn glory as she walked down the block, studying the building side on.
    At a few minutes before three the sun was low enough that the shadows picked out some of the ornate carved relief on the facing of the top floor, sharpening the detail, showing the building to best advantage. Daisy took out her camera before she was halfway down the block, framed and shot. She took a dozen or more, then crossed the main thoroughfare to study the angles.
    The building was tall