She shrugged. Either way, it wasn’t her concern. His moving back to Larkin Bay would change nothing for her; she had moved on from caring about him years ago. She didn’t love him anymore and probably never really had. She had long ago decided that her high school memories of him and their time together were best left in the past.

Kara was so lost in her thoughts that she almost missed what Jamie said next. “I was hoping you’d be a little more excited that I was moving back here.”

“Why’s that?”

“Well, I’d like to see more of Maeve, and I’d like to see more of you too. I’d like us to see a lot of each other. In fact, I’d like us to be a family.”

“What?” said Kara, her eyes widening as she pulled back from him. “You want us to be a family? You’re kidding me, right?”

“No, I’m serious, very serious,” replied Jamie. Then sliding closer to her and leaning forward, he pressed his lips against hers.

Chapter Seventeen

As Scott walked along Larkin Bay’s beautiful wooden boardwalk, he zipped up his hoodie. The calendar might say it was late spring, but the breeze off the lake was still cool, and he was feeling the chill tonight.

Candy was at his side and had been slowly cuddling closer to him as they walked together. Now one side of her body was pressed firmly up against him, slowing his steps. He looked down but didn’t put his arm around her, and so, after a few minutes, she shifted away.

“Well, I’ve been thinking about you, and I missed you, so when Max told me you were here, I booked a flight and came for a visit,” Candy replied in response to Scott’s question as to why she was there and how she had found him. She batted her eyelashes and giggled as she leaned toward him again.

Walking on the uneven boards in her unpractical but pretty high-heeled shoes that showcased her shapely legs looked to be difficult. Scott shrugged and slowed his pace a bit, realizing that Candy would probably twist an ankle trying to keep up with him if he didn’t. As he looked over at her, he couldn’t help but compare her overly made-up features to Kara’s simple, clear-skinned beauty.

Kara.

Scott’s heart sank. It must’ve been hard on her to have to spend the last few days at the clinic as the staff there taught her how to keep Maeve’s blood sugar levels under control. But Mark had assured Scott that both his niece and sister were doing fine.

Scott had sent a giant stuffed bear and Mylar balloon over to the hospital for Maeve. He hoped they had made her smile. When he had tried to visit in person, he’d been told that they weren’t allowing visitors who were not direct relations into the hospital ward. His texts to Kara had also gone unanswered. Sighing, he looked at his phone and saw no new messages since the last time he’d checked.

“Scottie?”

He looked guiltily over at Candy and saw she was looking up at him questioningly. He realized he hadn’t heard a single thing she had been saying for the last few minutes.

Scrubbing a hand over his face he forced himself to focus on her. “I’m sorry, Candy, what were you saying?” he apologized. “I’m a little distracted tonight.”

Candy smiled up at him brightly before taking his hand in hers. Squeezing it softly, she swung their linked hands between them as they continued walking.

“It doesn’t matter,” she replied. “I’m happy as long as I’m here with you. We can be quiet together.”

“Sure,” he replied, shaking his hand free, but he forced himself to smile back at her as they continued along the boardwalk.

“Excuse me?” said Kara, using both hands to push Jamie away. “You want what?” she sputtered.

Leaning back into the pillows Kara had arranged earlier, Jamie chuckled at her reaction.

Hearing the anger in her mother’s voice, Maeve whimpered from where she had returned to reading on the floor and scrambled to her feet.

“It’s okay, Maeve-pie,” Kara murmured to the little girl. “Nothing is wrong; Mommy was just surprised by what Jamie did—that’s all.”

“What Daddy did,” corrected Jamie. “If you’re ‘Mommy,’ shouldn’t she be calling me Daddy? I am her father, after all.”

“I suppose,” Kara said, nodding slowly as she stood and moved toward Maeve. “If that’s what you want. But you’ve never shown much interest in what she’s called you before, so I’ve just always used your name.”

Jamie frowned.

“But, of course, if you want to be called Daddy by her, that’s fine.”

Jamie came over and touched Maeve on the chin. The little girl stepped back and held her arms in the air so her mother would pick her up.

“Did you hear that, Maeve? You should call me Daddy! Can you say Daddy?”

Kara scooped up her daughter and Maeve blinked over at Jamie for a moment before turning away and silently snuggling her face into her mother’s shoulder.

Jamie scowled at them, but before he could say anything, Kara held up a hand. “She doesn’t know you, Jamie. You just walked in here five minutes ago and announced that you want to be a part of our family again after disappearing for her entire life. That’s a little unsettling for both of us. We need some time to consider all this and get used to the idea.”

“That’s fine,” Jamie said, still scowling at Maeve. Kara backed away and glared at him over the little girl’s head. “I guess it is a bit much for both of you to take in, and it might seem sudden, but I’ve been considering it for a long time,” he added.

“I see,” Kara said.

Jamie looked long and hard at her, then his expression softened as he leaned forward. “I’ve missed you, Kara. We used to have so much fun together, and I’ve discovered there’s not a lot of fun to be found in the city. When I’m there I race around from one activity to another with no time to meet anyone special or laugh or just enjoy being alive. In Larkin Bay, things are slower, and people enjoy themselves more. I want to have that. I want to have it with you again.”

Kara studied Jamie’s earnest expression while she rocked Maeve.

Is it possible that Jamie has changed? Could he really be serious about wanting to spend more time with our daughter?

“Well, that’s great, Jamie. I’m glad that you’ve finally found things to appreciate about Larkin Bay. And, of course, if you’re moving home, Maeve will learn to love seeing more of you too. I’m sure if you just give her some time to get to know you, she’ll call you Daddy naturally.”

“And what about you, Kara? Are you willing to spend some time with me too? Are you willing to get to know the new me?” Jamie asked, his tone quiet and intimate as he gently stroked Maeve’s hair.

“Honestly? I don’t know, Jamie. Since the time we were together, I’ve changed a lot. I’ve been raising Maeve on my own, running my business, and saving to buy this house. Things aren’t like they used to be.”

Jamie clasped his hands in his lap. “I know. My mom and dad keep me well informed. You’ve been doing amazingly well. You should be really proud of yourself.”

Kara nodded slowly. “I am. And, I’m pretty sure I’m not interested in going back to revisit what we used to have. If I remember correctly, it didn’t end all that well, and you left me to deal with a lot on my own.”

Jamie’s eyes widened, and he gave her an apologetic smile. “I guess a good place for me to start, then, would be for me to tell you I’m sorry for how I acted,” he said. “If I said I was wrong—would that help? What if I told you I now realize I was stupid and immature and a jerk when I was younger—would that make things better? I’m sorry, Kara. I really am.”

Kara felt her lips twitch as Jamie referred to himself as a jerk.

“Yep, you were all that,” she replied. “And I called you a few choice words at the time, many that were much stronger than jerk,” she admitted.

Jamie laughed loudly, and Maeve turned toward him, gazing up at him through lowered lashes.

“I’m sure you did,” he replied, “and I can’t blame you because it was true. But now, at least, I can try to make some of it up to you and Maeve. That is, if you’ll let me.”

He stepped closer, and Kara nodded slowly as she considered how this man was the father of her daughter and how, back in college and high school, she’d been sure she was in love with him.

Jamie’s eyes were wide and his smile was pleading. “All I’m asking is that you spend some time with me. At least give me a chance to show you I’ve changed, that I’m a different man.”