With one arm tight around Thomas, Mac reached for his wallet and laid it flat on the table to withdraw a business card. “Send the papers to my Miami office. They’ll get them to me.”

“And I won’t hear from any of you again?”

“If you hadn’t come here, you never would’ve heard from us in the first place. You have nothing we need.”

After a long pause, Tom said, “Is he a good baby?”

“The best.”

“I don’t suppose. . .”

“Don’t even ask.”

Tom shrugged as if he couldn’t care less, and apparently he couldn’t, which was just fine with Mac.

“Can I ask you one thing?” Mac said.

“Sure.”

“What kind of guy tells a woman he’s had a vasectomy when he hasn’t?”

“The kind who’s allergic to latex but loves sex.”

Mac stared at him, incredulous. Maddie was lucky that Thomas was the only thing she’d gotten from this guy. “We’re done here,” Mac said, anxious to be rid of him.

Tom took the hint and stood up. “I’ll be in touch.”

Mac just nodded and watched him walk away, praying he’d leave the island before Maddie ran into him again. Mac kissed Thomas’s forehead. “Let’s hope you got more of your mama in you than that scumbag, buddy.”

“Mam.”

Mac stared at him, breathless. “Ma-ma?”

“Mammmmmm.”

Mac grinned at the baby. “We’re getting closer.”

“Looks like it’s going to rain,” Mac said Thursday morning. “Let’s take the truck. You can drive.”

“I can’t drive your new truck!”

“It’s our new truck, and yes, you can. You do have a driver’s license, don’t you?”

She nodded. “But I haven’t driven in ages, and the truck is so new and perfect.”

Mac laughed at her distress. “It’s yours to use whenever you need it. In fact. . .” He rummaged around in his backpack and produced a set of keys. “Your own keys. I meant to give them to you before now.”

Maddie eyed the keys with trepidation as she reached out to take them. “All right,” she said with a sigh, “but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“Before we go, Thomas and I have something we want to show you.” Mac picked up the baby from his mat on the floor. “You ready, buddy?”

“Ayeyayyayay.”

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Mac pointed to Maddie. “Who’s that? What’s her name?”

Thomas looked from one of them to the other.

In Thomas’s ear, he whispered, “Mama.” They’d had a breakthrough that morning. Mac prayed the baby would do it again.

“Mama,” Thomas said, clear as day.

Maddie gasped. “Oh my God!” Tears sprang to her eyes. “Did he just say. . . Oh my God!”

“Mama,” Thomas said again.