“I probably never mentioned her. It was short-lived. We had different paths in life, and it wasn’t meant to be. By the time I met you, it’d been over for a while.”

“So why bring it up now?”

“Because her daughter came to find me today.”

Linda’s blue eyes widened with surprise. “What did her daughter want with you?”

He forced himself to meet her gaze when he said, “It seems I’m her father.”

Her mouth moved with words that didn’t materialize. She shook her head. “That can’t be right. How is that even possible? I mean, I know it’s possible, but you’ve never been irresponsible about those things. And why did she keep her from you for all this time?” His heart broke when he realized she was on the brink of tears. “I don’t understand.”

“I was never irresponsible. I swear to you about that. But nothing is a hundred percent foolproof.” Big Mac withdrew Diana’s letter from his pocket and handed it to her. “This might help to explain why Diana kept her from me.”

Warily, Linda took the letter from him and began to read it, her eyes flying over the page. Shaking her head, she covered her mouth with her hand, her shock palpable.

“Lin, listen to me. I had no idea. I swear to you. I didn’t know.”

“Of course you didn’t. If you had, you would’ve done something.”

“Yes,” he said, relieved but still worried nonetheless. “I definitely would have.”

“What is she like? Mallory?”

“She’s gorgeous. She has dark hair and eyes. She’s an emergency room nurse in Providence.”

“So she looks like her mother?”

“Yes, I guess she does, but I could see Janey in her, and my mother. The picture I have of my mother as a young woman—Mallory is her all over again.”

Linda swallowed hard and looked up at him with tearful eyes. “Did you love her? Diana?”

“No, I liked her. A lot. But I didn’t love her. The only woman I’ve ever loved is the one I married, and you know that.” He reached for her and was thankful when she came willingly into his arms, wrapping hers around him. “I haven’t told anyone else. Mac was there, and Frankie… I could tell they wanted to know what was going on, but I came right to you.”

“Thank you for that.”

“What’re we going to do about this, Lin?”

“I’d like to meet her. Is that possible?”

“I hoped you’d say that, so I talked her into staying at the hotel for the night.”

“Invite her for dinner.”

“I was hoping you’d say that, too.” He held on tight to her. “What do we tell the kids?”

“Nothing for now. Let’s talk to her and figure things out between the three of us before we involve them.”