Page 50 of Comeback
“Not really,” she said. “Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.”
We made one last sweep through the boat. Everything looked good to me so we got off. I flipped the switch that powered a hydraulic winch. Mackenzie went “woooow” as the winch slowly lifted the boat out of the water.
“That’s that,” I said, dusting off my hands. “Thanks for your help, Mackenzie.”
“You’re welcome,” she muttered.
“Now that Mackenzie’s helped us,” Emma said, “I think she wants to ask you something, Jack.”
I squatted next to her and poked a finger into her belly. “What’s up, squirt?”
“Um. Jack—um,” she stammered, lowering her bashful gaze to her feet. “Since I helped clean, can we go fishing on the balcony?”
“Sure thing. But only twenty more casts, because your mom needs to take you home soon, okay?”
She nodded. “Okay.”
I grabbed her fishing rod and the three of us went around back to the boat house balcony over the lake. Mackenzie sat in my lap, and with each cast we made into the water, we counted down from twenty. Thankfully, we had luck—we caught a few bluegill, a perch, and a rock bass. And on our last cast into the water, we reeled in a pumpkinseed sunfish.
“A pumpkinseed for my pumpkinseed,” I said.
Mackenzie thanked the fish like I’d taught her, gave it a kiss, and we set it free.
“Okay, that was our last one,” I said.
Thankfully, Mackenzie was a good girl. She didn’t break down.
“Okay,” she said. “Thank you, Daddy.”
She’d uttered that word so naturally she almost didn’t even notice. ButIsure as hell did—I felt like my heart had been smashed into a million pieces and glued back together again, all at once. I glanced at Emma. She’d heard it, too. Her brow grew heavy, like she might cry. She covered her mouth with her hand.
Then Mackenzie turned to me with a goofy smile. She’d realized her error, no doubt thinking it wassilly.
“I called youDaddy,” she said, her shoulders shaking with laughter. “You’re not my daddy.”
“No, sweetheart,” I said, my heart wrenching. “I’m not.”
It was the first time I’d been called Daddy—likethat,anyway—and I couldn’t believe what an effect that word had on me. It carried so much power, so much trust, so muchlove… I couldn’t believe that word scared some men off. I’d do anything to beDaddyfor the rest of my life.
“Okay!” Emma blurted out with a heavy exhale. “Let’s head in.”
We put the rod up, walked back up the stone pathway, and headed inside to cut through the house.
But the second we stepped foot in my house something was obviously wrong.
Someone was at the front door, and they had their hand mashed against the doorbell, ringing it again and again, stopping only to pound their fist against the door.
“Who’s that?” Emma asked. She and Mackenzie both looked frightened.
“I don’t know,” I said, trying not to add to their fear. “I’m sure it’s nothing. Just stay here while I check.”
Chapter 22
Emma
Riiiiiing ring! Ring rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrring!
The shrill ring of the doorbell sliced through my being like a knife. Adrenaline flooded my bloodstream, my stomach flopping with nausea. One look at Mackenzie and I feared all the progress she’d made was about to be obliterated.
