Emma's Secret: A Novel

a good nickname. And easy for my old brain to remember.” He patted her hand as he visibly struggled to swallow.
    This wasn’t easy on him. Peter tried to put himself in Jack’s shoes, to understand the man a little more. He’d lost his wife and the child he thought was his granddaughter all at the same time, while also having to deal with the consequences of his wife’s actions.The publicity surrounding Emma’s return and Dorothy’s death had to have taken a toll on the man.
    Peter glanced at the table where the other two men sat hunched over their coffees, neither one saying a word. The man who spoke to Emma earlier watched them.
    “Those men…” Peter nodded toward the table.
    Jack grunted. “Don’t mind them. They’re harmless. Doug is the one watching us, and then there’s Kenny.”
    “Are those your boys?” Emma piped up. She waved at the men before taking another bite of her donut. “Grandma says Papa only comes to town to be with his boys, and when he’s with them, all he thinks about is—”
    “Hush now, child,” Jack quickly interrupted. “Your grandma’s words don’t bear repeating.”
    Peter had to smile when Jack’s lips quirked, and he shrugged his shoulders. He took another sip of his coffee and realized it was gone. He knew what he was about to do was going to be difficult, but he needed to head into work, and Megan would be waiting for them by now. They’d stayed longer than he’d thought they would.
    He reached across and placed his hand on Emma’s shoulder. “Em, honey, it’s time to leave.”
    Her whole body stilled before she lifted her tear-filled eyes to him. “Do we have to?” she whispered.
    Those four words hurt him more than a jab to the heart would have. He didn’t miss the way Jack straightened in the chair across from him; nor did he miss the way Emma leaned into Jack until she rested against his arm.
    “I’m sorry, honey.” Peter tried to smile, but he doubted it worked. “Your mom is probably waiting for us at home, and I need to get to the office.”
    Her head dropped, and she fiddled with her hands, which had fallen into her lap. Peter glanced over at Jack’s friends and then back at the older man. He had an idea, but he wasn’t sure whether it was the right thing for him to do.
    Having Emma return to them was a dream come true, an answer to a prayer—except the little girl who returned was more like Emmie than Emma, and it was something neither he nor Megan wanted to accept. In the beginning, he’d agreed with Megan that immersing Emma back into their family dynamic was the right decision and that removing Jack from her life was for the best.
    But what if that time had changed? What if it really was in Emma’s best interest to have Jack back in her life? Who were they to tear apart their daughter’s heart like that? He knew Megan would disagree. But maybe it was time for them to put their daughter’s happiness first.
    Emma sat quietly by Jack’s side. Peter knew this was breaking her heart, having to leave Jack again, just like he knew it was tearing Jack apart to let it happen.
    “Do you come here for coffee often?” Peter struggled to keep his tone neutral.
    When Jack managed to tear his gaze from Emma, Peter’s breath caught at the dimmed look in the older man’s eyes.
    “Every day. It’s the only way I can keep an eye on the boys without them ransacking my house.” His voice strengthened as he stared at Peter. “Every morning at this time.”
    Emma raised her head but kept her gaze downward. She reached up and grabbed hold of her drink container.
    Peter cleared this throat. “I normally drop by for a cup a few days a week.”
    The light in Jack’s eyes brightened. “Maybe I’ll see you then,” Jack said.
    Peter gave a slight nod. It was the best he could do for now. He was going to have to figure out a way to bring Emma with him now and then without raising Megan’s suspicions or making Hannah or Alexis jealous. He also knew that a phone call to Detective Riley would be required to see if Emma seeing Jack was even something that could legally happen given the restrictions that had been put on the older man once Emma had been found.
    “Papa?” Emma’s voice held a tentative note to it.
    Jack leaned over and placed his arms around her. “Yes, princess?”
    “I have pictures for you. Lots and lots. Daddy has one in his briefcase that we were going to mail.”
    Peter had completely forgotten about that picture. He