Chapter 6

"Mason, how are you feeling now?"

Andrew gently smoothed the hair back from Mason's forehead. His voice, when he spoke, held a rare tenderness.

Mason snuggled into his arms. "I'm much better. Thank you, Uncle Andrew. You're so good to me, just like a real dad. Can I call you 'Dad' instead of 'Uncle'?"

"Mason, don't say things like that," Emily snapped.

She was quick to correct Mason with a flicker of panic in her voice.

Mason pouted, his little head drooping.

Andrew's resolve melted. He hugged the boy closer. "Of course you can. When it's just us, you can…