Page 58 of Comeback
“No what?”
“I can’t believe you! You’re asking me to drop everything and chase you around the world. How many times have I told you that Mackenzie has to come first?”
“A lot,” I said, nodding. “And I totally agree with you—she comes first.”
“Then how could you ask me a thing like that?”
“I’ll make sure she gets the best wherever we go. We’ll get her into a great private school. I’ll find her the best child psychologist around. Whatever she needs, you name it, she’ll get it.”
Emma shook her head. “You’re talking about spending money. I’m talking about somethingmorethan that.”
“What?”
“She needs stability more than anything else. I’m not going to put her in a situation where shedoesn’t have stability becauseyou’rerunning away from your past. Don’t you see that? You’re not putting Mackenzie first—you’re putting yourself first, and then acting like the fact that you have money makes up for it, because you can buy Mack anything she wants.”
“Nevermind,” I said. “I get it. You don’t wanna do it. Just forget I asked you.”
“No,” she said, “I want you to understand something. When you told me you were a former pro athlete, I almost didn’t believe you. It made you seem too good to be true. Great guy, great with my daughter, you’re tall and hot …” She trailed off. “Apro athlete, Jack! I want my daughter to look at you and see someone who worked soextremelyhard to become the very best at his passion and made all his dreams come true. I want her to look at you and think of you as a real-life super-hero.”
I frowned. I knew where she was going.
“But now I’m wondering if you’d even talk to her about your career—or if you’d keep it a secret from her. Because if people knew who you were, you might get found out again.”
I grumbled. “Of course I’d tell her …”
“But you wouldn’t want word to get out, would you?”
I didn’t answer. She was right.
“Do you remember why I told you I left Trevor?” she asked.
“Because he was a terrible dad?”
“More than that, because I wanted Mackenzie to have what I wish I had growing up—a good father figure. A man who is kind and gentle and caring … but he’s also strong, and he fights for what he believes in. Someone she can hold up as a model for what amanis supposed to be—so when she’s old enough to settle down with a partner, she knows just what to look for.”
“I’m all those things,” I tried to say, but my throat had grown dry and scratchy.
“Are you? I hate to say it, but I’m having my doubts right now. You’re a nice guy. Maybe even agreatguy. And I’msosorry about what you’ve been through with your friend’s death and your fiancée’s affair—obviously, you’ve been through hell.” She shook her head solemnly. “But I don’t want to teach Mackenzie that it’s okay to run from her problems.”
“Wow,” I muttered.
My chest began to ache. Her devastating words had hit their target.
A long pause grew between us.
“So that’s it, then?” I asked.
She answered with a question of her own. “Do you really have to leave Bayfield so soon?”
“I don’t have a choice,” I said. “But it doesn’t mean we can’t stay in touch … we can keep working on this.”
“I’m sorry, Jack. I can’t do it.” She touched her palm to my whiskered cheek one last time and looked me in the eye. “I really do hope you find the peace you’re looking for.”
She climbed out of the car with her beach bags hanging from both arms. Wanting to help, I jumped out of the car and started to get Mackenzie out of her seat, but Emma stopped me. She told me she could do it by herself. I protested, but it didn’t make a difference. She didn’t want my help anymore.
With a sinking feeling in my heart, I watched Emma carry Mackenzie into that darkened house. I knew I wouldn’t see either of them again.
I sighed, climbed into my car, and drove off.
