He released the deep breath he’d been holding and tiptoed from the room after making sure the baby monitor was on.

“All set?” Maddie asked when he returned.

“Yep. Two for two. I got the touch.”

“You’re a regular baby whisperer.”

Mac stretched out next to her on the bed, turning on his side to face her. “Are you going to read it?”

“I don’t want to.”

“Want me to do it for you?”

Rolling her bottom lip between her teeth, she contemplated his offer. “I suppose one of us has to look at it.” She reached for the envelope and handed it to him.

Mac opened it, looked over the paperwork that set up college trust funds for his children and then scanned the letter her father had enclosed. “Do you want me to read it to you?”

“I guess…”

Mac took her hand and held it against his chest. “Dear Maddie, I hope this finds you doing well. It was so good to see you recently and to be able to spend some time with you. While I know it was difficult for you to extend the overture to me, I thank you for having me to your home. I like knowing where you live and that you are happy with your new family.”

Mac glanced up and saw that she was staring intently at the wall, her face expressionless as she listened to him.

“I realize it’s rather inadequate after all this time to say I’m sorry for what I did. It’s inadequate to admit that I probably had no business getting married or fathering children when I was far more concerned with partying and hanging out with my friends than I was with changing diapers. That, of course, is no fault of yours. It’s my fault and mine alone. All of you deserved far better than you got from me, and seeing each of you again has brought home to me just how much damage my immature behavior did to people I loved.

“Believe it or not, I did love you. I do love you. I always have. I thought of you and your sister all the time. Seeing you again has also brought home just how much I missed with you both. For years after I left, I thought about going back and trying to fix what I’d done, but I lacked the courage to face you—and your mother—and for that I take full responsibility. It’s important to me that you know I thought of you every day and will continue to do so for as long as I live.”

A small whimper of distress escaped from her tightly clenched lips.

“Maddie—”

“Please finish. Please.”