Page 117 of Yours and Mine (Friends with Benefits)

“We’ve been coming here since she was born. It’s peaceful, and it reminded me of you. I always thought this was our special place.”

“I remember every minute. And it was a special place to me as well.”

Mackenzie kept busy searching for flat stones, picking and choosing between them. She’d kept Nick’s in her pocket ever since she found it on the porch.

“How old is she?” Nick asked.

“Five. She was born nine months after you left.”

I turned to the side and watched his face react in slow motion as he probably double-checked the math in his mind. The truth was slowly seeping into his mind. He blinked once, then again, slightly shaking his head.

“Wait, I thought she was Carter’s.”

“She does look a little young for her age.” I shrugged.

I heard him swallow through his throat.

“Dammit, Jo, are you telling me that this beautiful” – His voice broke in between the words, as emotions rolled over him – “this beautiful girl is my daughter?”

“Yes, Nick. She’s yours and mine.”

“How? I mean, I know how… is this really true?” He wiped away the first few tears that fell down his cheeks. I never thought I’d see Nick cry.

“I wouldn’t lie about something like this, but I’m afraid to tell her about you. She’s only known you from a few graduation pictures, and if you leave—”

“— not in this lifetime, Jo. Not ever,” he whispered. “I won’t ever abandon you again. Either one of you.”

Unfortunately the emotional trauma of losing Nick forced me to keep my guard up. I wouldn’t allow Mackenzie to go through that pain.

“You didn’t abandon me. You didn’t know. Nick, I want her to know you, but I’m not sure how to do it. I don’t know how to tell her that the father she thought was dead is here. I don’t know how to protect her if you—”

“—I won’t leave,” he repeated.

As if sensing me, Mackenzie turned around. She leaned her head to the side a little, taking in the scene of Nick and me sitting together. There was a moment of recognition on her face, but it passed — or at least I thought it did. She let go of the stones she’d been holding in her tiny fist. They tumbled to the ground and she ran toward me, nearly tripping. I shot to my feet and moved toward her as fast as I could, stopping her. I crouched down to the ground before she got too close and recognized him on her own, although with that beard, I doubted she could.

“Are you done stone skipping?”

“Mommy, who is that?” she whispered, looking over my shoulder, captivated by Nick and completely ignoring my question.

“Why don’t you come over and say hello?”

She took my hand and, hiding halfway behind my body, walked with me toward him. Nick didn’t get up, which was probably better because his sheer size could have scared her. He was a stranger to Mackenzie, and strangers weren’t frequent in Hope Bay.

What if his beard scares her?

“Hi Mackenzie,” he said.

“Hi.” She stepped out from behind me a little.

“You’re good at stone skipping.”

“Mommy’s better. And my daddy was even better than her. Mommy says I’ve got his strong arm. Are you from Hope Bay?”

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t I see you here before?”

“I’ve been away for a while and just moved back.”

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