“I’m certainly no fan a his,” Ned said in what had to be the understatement of his lifetime. “But he didn’t hafta do what he did for the kids. I gotta give him credit for that.”

“Yes, I suppose we do, but I don’t want to talk about him anymore.”

“What would ya rather talk about?”

“Our wedding,” she said with a smile for him. “Where would you like to have it?”

“Anywhere you want, doll. Tell me where ta be, and I’ll show up with bells on.” He couldn’t wait to marry her, to put his ring on her finger—finally—and have the rest of his life to spend with the only girl he’d ever loved.

Maddie didn’t say much on the ride home, and Mac decided to leave her be until they got the kids bathed and off to bed. It took three bedtime stories to lull Thomas to sleep. Mac tried to remain patient with the boy, but he was anxious to be with Maddie.

When Thomas finally stopped chattering, Mac moved carefully to get up from the “big boy” bed that his son was so proud of. Clicking on the night-light, he left the door propped so they could hear him if he woke up in the night. Luckily, both their kids were pretty good sleepers, but he still wanted to be able to hear them if they woke up, and he didn’t trust those baby monitors Maddie swore by.

At times, Mac still couldn’t believe the changes in his life over the last couple of years. He’d gone from being the most happily unencumbered bachelor in the world to the happiest family man any guy could be. He wouldn’t trade one second of his new life to go back to the way he used to live.

In the master bedroom, he found Maddie propped up against a big pile of pillows, breastfeeding their daughter. The letter from her father sat on the bedside table, unopened.

“Is she asleep?” Mac asked in a whisper.

“Think so.”

“Want me to take her?”

“Sure.”

Although they were old hands at this by now, they still moved carefully so as not to wake the sleeping baby. Mac lifted Hailey into his arms, loving the way she snuggled her little face into his neck. He didn’t move for a long moment, waiting for her to settle again.

Knowing how much he loved snuggling with Hailey, Maddie smiled at him. That smile turned him to mush every time, reminding him that she’d made his new life possible.

Mac walked the baby into her room and put her down in the crib, tucking blankets in around her.

Hailey’s eyes opened for a heartbeat of a second, and Mac froze, waiting to see what she would do. She popped her thumb into her mouth, turned on her side and drifted off.