Finally she stole a glance in the rearview mirror to check on her daughter.
Emily was staring at the back of Ian’s head, a tiny crinkle between her brows that she knew Emily got from him.
“Really?” she finally asked with suspicion. “Ian’s my dad?”
Sarah gave a small nod. “Really.”
“You’re not lying because I said he was nice?”
Ian laughed at that. “We’re telling the truth, Emily. We actually planned to tell you when we got back to the house, but you’re so clever you figured it out beforehand.”
Sarah gave a small and not so silent harrumph. Figured it out with the help of his no-doubt criminal friend.
The quick look Ian gave her was filled with apology.
“So is that why you came to Whidbey Island, Mom? To marry my dad?”
Hearing the hopeful note in her daughter’s tone, Sarah tightened her grip on the steering wheel. Crap, this is not the direction she wanted to steer this conversation.
“Honey, it’s like I first told you. I came back to work out the details of inheriting Gran’s house.” Sarah kept her voice patient and light, trying not to betray how deeply this topic shook her. “Ian and I bumped into each other again and have become friends.”
“Why didn’t you get married when I was born? Why hasn’t he come and seen me before?”
Because I never told him about you.
Oh God. Hearing her daughter ask that question was hard enough, but seeing the pain on Ian’s face just compounded her guilt.
“I…” She swallowed hard. “Because I…”
“Your mother didn’t know if I was ready to be a father,” Ian spoke softly. “She made a decision she felt was best at the time. But the important thing is I’m here now, Emily. And more than anything I want to get to know you and be a part of your life. Are you all right with that?”
Emily was silent for a moment and seemed to be weighing his words.
“Yeah. I’m all right with that. How come I don’t look like you though?”
“Oh but you do.” He turned again and pointed to his eyes. “You see? We both have the McLaughlin green eyes.”
“Oh!” Her face lit up and she touched the corner of her eye. “Mom, did you know that? Your eyes are blue, but I have my dad’s. That’s so cool.”
“Aye, it is pretty cool,” Ian replied sagely. “And you know, you also remind me of Kenzie when she was a child. You’re smaller, but you have some similarities.”
“Kenzie.” Emily squealed and bounced in the seat. “That means Kenzie is my aunt, huh? She’s awesome.”
“She is awesome. And that also means Colin and Aleck are both your uncles.”
“Hey, so that man wasn’t lying when he said he was my uncle.” She sighed. “I owe him an apology, huh, Mom?”
Sarah couldn’t help but laugh at the fact her daughter’s manners had come back at this moment.
“Yes, you just might, honey.”
There was silence again for a few minutes, before Emily let out a squeal of excitement that had obviously been building.
“This is the best summer ever. I found out who my dad is and he’s way better than stupid Neil the step-dad.”
She felt rather than saw Ian’s scrutinizing gaze on her. Emily had certainly dropped enough hints that while Neil had an honorable career in the navy, he wasn’t the best husband.
They needed to talk later. They really had so much to chat about.
When they arrived home, Emily ran outside to practice gymnastics, leaving Sarah alone with Ian.
They lingered in the kitchen where Sarah checked their dinner in the crockpot. Still at least another hour or so.
“I’m sorry. About everything that happened, but especially about this afternoon.” He paused, seeming to search for the right words. “Curt MacGregor is someone I met while I served my prison time.”
“I gathered.”
Just hearing him say the words prison time had her stomach dropping to her feet. It was a harsh reminder about the man she’d fallen in love with—or really, the man she’d never stopped loving.
He wasn’t perfect—he was at times dangerous as proven by the second-degree assault conviction.
Was he as dangerous as Neil? Maybe not. The closest she’d seen Ian to being violent was when he’d learned about Emily. But even then he’d kept it restrained.
“Curt and I were friends at one point,” he admitted, “but it was circumstance driven. Our lives don’t mesh anymore. Our life goals are different. I’ve asked him to stay away.”
“And what are your life goals?” She set the lid back on the crockpot and turned to stare at him.