If for Any Reason (Nantucket Love Story #1) - Courtney Walsh Page 0,107
keep checking on it because he knew she’d come back here.”
“Why would he do that?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Jack said. “But he did. And I watched and waited until finally I got word she was back. This is my only chance to get to know my own daughter. Do you know how long I’ve waited for this?”
Hollis shook his head. “This isn’t fair to Emily.”
“Hollis, please.” Jack reached inside his front shirt pocket and took out the folded photograph. “I was crazy about Isabelle. We were crazy about each other.” He handed over the photo. Hollis opened it and the image of Emily’s parents, younger, eyes sparkling with laughter, stared back at Hollis.
“I saw her that night—the night of the accident. For the first time in years. It was one of those crazy coincidences—the first summer I’d come back to the island. I’d only been divorced a few months, and I don’t know—maybe part of me was hoping to run into her. I saw her at the Chicken Box of all places. Just walked in and saw her standing there looking like she did all those years before. It was like time stopped.”
Hollis knew that feeling. He’d had it himself at the ferry landing the day Emily returned.
“She smacked me.” Jack laughed. “She smacked me hard.”
Hollis didn’t say anything, though his pulse was racing with Emily’s frantic energy. He needed to get back, but how did he walk away now? When Jack was finally giving answers?
“I explained things to her, after she finally settled down. Told her I’d finally made something of myself.” He sighed. “Told her I never stopped loving her. After a lot of explaining, by some miracle, she agreed to try again.” Jack raked a hand through his hair.
Hollis’s heart dropped.
“She died on her way to my place.”
“Jack, I’m sorry,” Hollis said. “And I do feel for you, but the only thing I really care about is Emily. And I have a hard time believing her mom magically forgave you for leaving like you did.”
“You don’t know the whole story,” Jack said. “And I’m going to tell Emily everything, but I just need a little more time.”
“This is going to break her heart.”
“Don’t you think I know that?” Jack asked. “Why do you think I haven’t said anything yet?” He took the photo back, folded it up carefully, and slid it inside his pocket.
“I really messed up,” Jack said.
“You really missed out,” Hollis said. “She’s the most amazing woman I’ve ever met, and you missed all that—why? What reason could you possibly have to miss out on her?”
Jack fixed his eyes on Hollis. “You love her.”
Hollis looked away.
“I mean, how could you not? She’s full of life, just like Isabelle. She’s infectious. You can see why I don’t want to say anything—if she’s angry, she could walk out of my life forever.”
“Why now? After all she’s been through, why didn’t you come back years ago when she really needed you?”
Jack shoved his hands in his pockets. “She didn’t need me. Not back then. I did what I thought was best for my daughter.”
“And lying to her now—that’s what you think is best for her?”
“I’m not lying, Hollis,” Jack said, then thoughtfully, “I’m just trying to find the words.”
“You’ve had weeks to find the words.”
“You have to let me tell her.” Jack squared off in front of him. “Please.”
Hollis shook his head. It was bad enough feeling like he was conspiring with Eliza, but her request paled in comparison to what Jack was asking. He couldn’t lie to Emily—he wouldn’t.
“Maybe the way I handled this wasn’t the right way,” Jack said. “But you have to understand, everything I’ve done I’ve done because I believed it was in Emily’s best interest.”
Hollis looked away. “I’m having trouble seeing it that way.”
“I just need time,” Jack said. “Please.”
Hollis sighed. “What you’re asking me to do . . . it means every time I’m with her and I don’t tell her, I’m lying to her.” Hollis rubbed the knot that had formed at the back of his neck. “Knowing how I feel about her, how can you ask me to do that?”
“I know you don’t believe it, but I’m not the bad guy you think I am. And I’m gonna tell her everything—I need to figure out what to say. I need to figure out how to make her not hate me. Please, Hollis, it’s what I came here to do.”
“I’m not keeping your secret for very much longer, Jack,” Hollis said. “So