Page 118 of Yours and Mine (Friends with Benefits)

“Are you my daddy?”

What?!

I looked to Nick, then back to Mackenzie. Nick’s gaze connected with mine, his eyes searching mine for the answer he should give her, but he didn’t even have to. She threw her tiny hands around his neck before either one of us confirmed speculation. “I knew it! I knew you’d be back because I told Tank a secret and he mooed and I knew he told me you’d be back because I wished on every single falling star my whole entire life that you’d come and you did, Daddy!”

My heart split open when I heard her call NickDaddy.

She was squeezing him so tightly, I thought he’d choke. And Nick, well, now he was crying like a baby and so was I. He was actually sobbing. When Mackenzie let him go, she asked, “Why are you crying?”

“These are happy tears, baby. I’m happy that I get to finally meet you.”

She grasped his face between her small hands, then closed in and kissed him on his forehead. “I’m happy that I get to meet you too, but you look like a bushman.” She lowered her hands and tugged on his beard, then looked behind Nick and screamed, “Uncle Carter, Daddy’s here!”

She pulled out of Nick’s embrace and ran to Carter, jumping up into his arms.

I saw a pinch of guilt and jealousy run over Nick’s face.

“It will take time for her to adjust to the idea of another man in her life,” I said, secretly wondering whether I was talking about Mackenzie or myself.

“Will you allow me to spend time with her?”

“Of course. She’s your daughter.”

“My daughter…” Nick appeared dazed, as fatherhood was beginning to hit him. Carter set Mackenzie down, but she held on to his hand.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt, but Mackenzie’s bedtime is soon.”

“Uncle Carter?”

“I earned that title when I delivered her,” Carter said with pride, catching Nick off guard. The moment only confirmed to me how much Nick had missed, and I wondered whether we could truly catch up on the past five years of our lives. The sun dipped beyond the horizon and I got up off the ground.

“We should go,” I said.

“Will Daddy come?” she asked.

“Not today sweetheart, but soon. Maybe Sunday?”

“I love Sundays. Daddy, will you come to our family dinner?”

Nick looked from me to Carter, then back to me, a little confused as to what the appropriate answer should be. Since Mackenzie had taken to him so quickly, I nodded gently. After all, I wanted Nick in her life, didn’t I?

“I would love to.”

“This will be the best dinner ever. Uncle Carter, we have to barbecue. But no Tank meat.”

“She means no beef,” I whispered to Nick. “Mackenzie says it hurts Betsy’s and Tank’s feelings.”

“Anything you wish,” Carter replied.

That was how easily Mackenzie warmed up to Nick. To her, it was as if he had always been part of her life. Never gone and never forgotten. Could I make that leap as easily as she had? I wanted to – I really wanted to – but five years was a long time for relationship dynamics to shift, and my biggest fear was that ours had changed forever.

“Do you girls mind if I have a word with Nick?” Carter asked.

I stepped back, a little surprised at Carter’s tone, but nodded and took Mackenzie back to the car. She showed me the new stones she’d collected, but when I heard Carter and Nick’s voices rise, I asked her to wait for me and went back to the beach. I could hear their argument long before they came into view.

“You don’t know that, Carter. I couldn’t let them think that I was dead forever.”

“All I know is that we were happy. We were finally settling down and could have been a happy family. And now you’re coming back and confusing them both!”

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