By Friday afternoon, Emma was feeling more than a little stressed.
Twenty minutes ago, she’d left Molly and Dylan with Kylie and driven to Polson Airport. Apart from the weekends, there was never a lot of traffic, and today there was even less. Which was just as well. Concentrating on the road was difficult when there were so many thoughts racing through her mind.
What if she didn’t recognize Mark? What if more than one man had red hair and deep blue eyes? She hadn’t thought to ask Jack if he had a recent photo of her ex-husband.
Mark had always kept in shape. Running helped him deal with what was happening in his life. But five years had gone by and Emma didn’t know what he was doing to help him through the tough times. Or even if there were tough times. He might have a great life with no financial issues or emotional baggage weighing him down.
He could have remarried, have children of his own.
A part of her hoped he’d found happiness. The other part was as lost and frightened as the day Mark had left.
As she drove into the airport, she looked for a parking space close to the terminal. If Mark had changed his mind and decided not to come, she wouldn’t have to walk for miles to go back to the truck. No one would wonder why she was leaving without a suitcase. Or why no one was with her.
In the end, she had no choice but to take the first parking space she saw. Unlike the roads, the airport was busy.
Before she got out of her truck, she sniffed the small bouquet of lavender Kylie had given her. Emma couldn’t tell if it was helping her to relax but, at this stage, she was willing to try anything.
She looked through the windshield and watched a man load his family’s luggage onto a cart. Everyone seemed happy, as if they were going somewhere exciting for a vacation.
Emma envied them. She would give anything not to be sitting here, putting off the moment when she saw her ex-husband.
If she was this nervous, she could only imagine how Mark was feeling. Coming to Sapphire Bay was a big decision. He knew how upset she’d been when he left and how hard it would have been for her to raise their children on her own.
From the first time they’d met, Mark had wanted to take care of her. But after he left, he never called to make sure she was okay or sent money to help pay for some of their expenses. Through all the times when she felt like giving up, Mark’s complete disconnection from their family was the only thing that kept her going. She was Molly and Dylan’s mom. Apart from her parents, she was the only family they had. And no matter what, she wouldn’t let them down.
Her hand gripped the door handle. At the last minute, she remembered to check her cell phone.
Mark’s flight was still on time.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped out of the truck and straightened her skirt.
It was time to meet her ex-husband.
“You’ll wear a hole in my floor if you don’t stop pacing,” Noah said to Jack. “Emma will be all right.”
“I still don’t know why she wouldn’t let me go to the airport with her.”
“You aren’t her bodyguard. Mark isn’t violent and he’s never been arrested. No one you spoke to had a bad thing to say about him.”
“That doesn’t mean he should have flown to Sapphire Bay so suddenly. Dylan didn’t sleep last night and Molly is beside herself. Emma is putting a brave face on how she’s feeling but she’s worried, too.”
“I can’t blame her. The guy ran out on their family when the twins were babies. That’s not something you forget in a hurry.”
It was bad enough that Mark had abandoned Emma. But to leave when his children were so young was unforgivable. If Jack had been in Emma’s position, he wouldn’t let his ex-partner anywhere near their children.
Noah handed him a folder. “If you want something to do, you can look through this report. I need to do a cost-benefit analysis on a new product line.”
“I don’t know if I’m the right person to help.”
“You’re the only person who can help. Stacey is busy working through some issues with another contract and my PA is shortlisting candidates for a new position. It will take your mind off what’s happening at the airport.”
At the mention of the airport, Jack checked his watch. Mark’s flight would have landed by now. He just hoped Emma stayed safe and didn’t let her emotions get the better of her. She wanted to be strong for her children. Jack wanted her to be strong for herself and for the life they could have together.
But from where he was standing, there wasn’t an easy solution to anything that was happening. Perhaps Noah was right. Finding Mark could have opened a can of worms that would upset a lot of people. And he didn’t know how Emma or her children would react to being let down for a second time.
Emma studied the passengers walking into the Arrivals area. So far, no one looking remotely like Mark emerged from behind the glass doors. But with two flights arriving at the same time, there was a good chance he would still be waiting for his luggage.
“Emma?”
She could have sworn her heart skipped a beat. Regardless of what Mark looked like now, she would know his voice anywhere. Slowly, she turned around, preparing herself for the moment she’d been dreading.
“My flight was diverted, but it was supposed to arrive at the same time...” Mark took a deep breath. “You haven’t changed.”
Neither had Mark. He still had an unruly mop of red hair that refused to sit in one direction. His shoulders were broader than she remembered. He’d filled out, lost the lankiness that he’d tried to camouflage.
When she looked into his eyes, her heart pounded. He was older, more wary than when they were together.
She’d met Mark when she was twenty-two years old. He’d swept her off her feet, told her she was the best thing that had ever happened to him. His damaged soul had called to her, made her believe she could make his life better. A year later, their fairytale wedding only reinforced how perfect they were for each other.
It wasn’t until Emma was pregnant with Molly and Dylan that she began to see the cracks in their relationship.
And now, here they were. Two people who had promised to love each other for the rest of their lives, staring at each other like wounded strangers.
Mark’s eyes filled with tears. “I’m sorry. For everything. I let you down and I’ve never known how to apologize.”
Emma tried to harden her heart. She’d spent the last five years imagining this moment. She would hold her head high and be strong and proud. But grief clogged her throat—for the years they weren’t together, for the twins’ childhood he’d chosen to miss. For the empty promises they’d made to each other.
Instead of speaking or doing any of the things she thought she would, she held out her arms.
Mark stepped forward, hugging her tight.
When her tears stopped falling, Emma moved away and blew her nose. “I wasn’t supposed to cry.”
Mark started to say something, then stopped. “It’s okay. I feel the same way.”
She studied the heartache that showed on his face. This was as hard for him as it was for her. “Would you like to get a coffee before we head home? A friend is looking after Dylan and Molly. I could show you some photos of them and answer any questions you might have.”
“That would be great. Thank you.”
Emma wiped her eyes. “There’s a café on the other side of the room. Most people won’t stay in the terminal for long, so it shouldn’t be too busy.”
“I’ll follow you.” Mark held the handle of his suitcase, pulling the bag behind him.
As they dodged families arriving home from vacations, and sports teams checking they had all their luggage, Emma did her best to steady her pounding heart. She didn’t know what would happen next, but at least Mark was here.
It was a start.
Airports weren’t Emma’s favorite place. For the most part, they were soulless, noisy buildings built to transfer people from one location to another.
Whenever she went to an airport, she was either worried she’d miss her flight or anxious about meeting family or friends. Today, her stress levels were off the chart, and it wouldn’t get better anytime soon.
Mark walked around a sports team. “I thought Polson was a small town.”
“Compared to a city, it is.” Thankfully, the café wasn’t far away. “How was your flight?” Mark hated flying. Even on their honeymoon, he’d taken a sleeping tablet to get through the five-hour flight.
“It was better than I thought. There wasn’t too much turbulence and the food was okay.”
“That’s good.” Emma stood at the edge of the café and pointed to a table that looked as though it was in a quieter area than the others. “Do you want to sit there?”
Mark nodded and pulled his suitcase close to one of the chairs. “Can I get you a coffee or a cup of hot chocolate?”
“I’ll have an iced tea, if they have any. Otherwise, a bottle of water will be fine.”
“I’ll be back in a minute.”
While Mark was getting their drinks, Emma sent a quick text to Kylie and Jack. They were both worried about how this visit would go, and she couldn’t blame them. Even though Molly wanted to see her dad, his presence in Sapphire Bay would stir up a whole lot of feelings that everyone had buried.
“Here you go.” Mark placed a glass of iced tea in front of her. “I didn’t know whether you wanted anything to eat, so I bought two muffins, anyway.” Mark pulled out a chair and maneuvered his wide frame behind the table.
“Jack said you live beside Evergreen Lake in Colorado. How did you end up living there?”
“After I left New York, I moved around a lot. One summer I decided to visit Evergreen Lake. I’d been there a few times when I was younger. I guess the memories of fishing and being away from my dad made the place a bit of a sanctuary. While I was there, the owner of the lodge was looking for someone to manage the resort. The pay wasn’t great, but the salary package included a house and all the utility bills. When the owner decided to sell the cabins, I bought them from the money I inherited after Mom died.”
Emma’s mouth dropped open. “When did your mom die? I spoke to her last year and she said everything was fine.”
Mark looked down at his cup of coffee. “She died ten months ago from a heart attack.”
“I’m sorry. It must have been a difficult time.” Emma didn’t know why Mark’s sister hadn’t called her. She would have gone to his mom’s funeral, paid her respects to a woman who had lived through a terrible marriage, but had always worked hard to help other people.
“Mom didn’t want a funeral,” Mark said softly, as if reading her mind. “She used to say that, apart from her parents, the good Lord welcomed her into the world alone, and that’s the way she wanted to leave.”
Emma could imagine Martha saying that. “I’m glad you and your sister gave her what she wanted.”
“So am I. Thanks for emailing Mom and me the photos of Molly and Dylan as they were growing up. I know she enjoyed seeing them, and so did I.”
“I wasn’t sure if you got them or not. Why didn’t you keep in contact with us?”
Mark sighed. “Some days it was hard enough getting out of bed. My depression returned and I had trouble coping with everyday life.” He pulled out his cell phone and showed Emma a picture of a black and white dog. “I found Buster eating out of some trash cans on the side of the road. He’s been living with me for four years. Between managing the cabins and looking after Buster, I pulled myself out of the hole I was heading into.”
“He’s a lovely dog. Were you able to get any counseling in Evergreen?”
“It’s a small town. It doesn’t have the services that other cities take for granted.”
Emma had never been more thankful for Pastor John and the work the community was doing to provide food, shelter, and counseling to anyone who needed it. “While you’re in Sapphire Bay, I’ll take you to The Welcome Center and the tiny home village. I think you’ll be impressed with what we’re doing.”
“I’d like that. Why did you move to Montana?”
If Mark wanted the truth, she’d tell him. “After you left, I couldn’t stay in our apartment. With all the bills that needed to be paid, my savings wouldn’t have lasted more than a year. Even if I went back to work, the cost of childcare would have taken all my salary. Mom and Dad wanted me to come home, so I did. The twins were happy and my parents enjoyed having us there. By the time Dylan and Molly were eighteen months old I was teaching part-time at a local elementary school. A year later, a friend invited us to Sapphire Bay for a vacation. I loved it and decided to stay.”
“Apart from being more affordable, why did you stay? There can’t be that many teaching jobs available.”
Emma had never told Mark about her business. “I’m not teaching. I started a communications business. I build websites, run online advertising programs, and manage my clients’ social media accounts. I couldn’t have done any of that in New York.”
“You used to hate change.”
Her fingers tightened around her drink. “I got used to it.”
A blush hit Mark’s face. “I deserve that. What about Dylan and Molly? What do they enjoy doing?”
“They’re like any normal six-year-olds.” Taking out her cell phone, Emma showed Mark some photos of the twins. “The photo Jack gave you was taken a couple of weekends ago. These are some pictures I took last week when we were fishing.”
Mark stared at her. “You’ve been fishing? Whenever we went near the water you got bored.”
“I still don’t like sitting still for hours, but in small doses I’m fine. Dylan loves fishing, but Molly would sooner be drawing or playing with her Legos.”
Mark studied the next photo. “Does Jack live in Sapphire Bay?”
Emma looked at the picture. Jack had his arms around Dylan and Molly as they each held up a fish they’d caught. “Jack comes here to visit his family. The rest of the time he lives in Manhattan.”
“That’s a big commute. It must be difficult having a long-distance relationship.”
“We don’t… I mean… Jack and I have only started dating. I don’t know what will happen when he goes home. What about you? Do you have a girlfriend or have you remarried?”
Mark rubbed his hands across his eyes. He looked exhausted. “I’ve already failed once at being a husband. I’m not in a hurry to repeat the same mistakes.”
“You left because you thought you’d run out of options.”
“I left because I was worried I’d hurt you or the twins.”
Emma didn’t want to state the obvious, but he’d hurt them anyway. If there was one thing she’d learned, it was that walking away from a situation never solved anything. All it did was make everything ten times worse.
“Would you like to see Dylan and Molly now?”
For a split second, Mark looked terrified. “I’d like that very much. How do they feel about meeting me?”
“Molly is excited but wary. Dylan is more worried.”
“What can I do to make them more comfortable around me?”
“Just be yourself,” Emma murmured. “It’s all we’ve ever wanted.”