“Victoria kicked me out and moved a younger man into her house and into her life,” he said flatly. “I’m in a hotel in San Antonio with no job and no place to live. I lived on room service and paced the floor for two days before I decided to go to a therapist. After two sessions, I figure I owe you an apology.”

“Accepted,” she said. “Goodbye.”

“Wait a minute!” he almost shouted. “Give me a little time here. I want to come clean. Victoria wasn’t my first affair. I started cheating on you right after Holly was born. I tried to straighten up after Braden came, but”—he hesitated—“I couldn’t do it. I liked the thrill.”

Lily closed her eyes and counted to ten. “Are you trying to torture me by telling me this crap?”

“No, I just want you to know so you can move on with your life, too. I was smart enough to save my paychecks for the last year, so I can survive and won’t be begging off you. Evidently, I got my comeuppance with Victoria. I’ve been faithful to her, but she prefers younger men. I’m sorry for the things I did, and you deserved better than you got from me, and I hope you find it. I’m interviewing Monday for a job, and when I get my life in order, I want to be a better father and have a better relationship with the kids.”

“Well, I guess you’d better get started because that’s going to take a while after that motel stunt,” Lily said.

“Probably so,” he relented. “Now, a question, and you don’t have to give me an answer right now. You can think about it. If you aren’t coming back to Austin, will you sublet your apartment to me? The kids told me that their furniture is”—another long pause—“still there, and when I do get things right in my life, maybe they’d feel more comfortable coming to visit me there than in hotels. I’ll understand if you say no, but would you think about it?”

“I will,” she agreed. “Anything else?”

“You have my number. When you make a decision about the apartment, give me a call. Good night, Lily.”

The line went dead, and she sat there in stunned silence until Mack joined her. Smelling like soap and shaving lotion and wearing pajama bottoms and a snug-fitting tank top, he eased down on the sofa beside her. “It’s been a day. Dad was having a fairly decent day, and I loved having him and my mother here.” He slipped an arm around her shoulders. “But now I’m glad to have some time alone with you to unwind.”

“Wyatt called,” she said, and then she told him what the man had said.