for years linc had been on his guard, looking after his family. he'd taken on the responsibilities of a parent, constantly worrying about his siblings, trying to protect them. he hadn't liked it when mary jo had moved to cedar cove, but her decision had been a turning point for him, as well.

she'd made a mess of things by trusting david rhodes. naively, she'd believed he loved her, because it was what he'd said and what she wanted to believe. all his lies and false promises had left her pregnant and alone.

in giving herself to david, she'd rebelled against the control linc had over her. her pregnancy had complicated everything-and yet it was the beginning of a new order in the wyse family. she'd moved to cedar cove and, as an indirect result of that, linc had met lori. over the past few months mary jo's relationship with her brother had begun to change. he became her brother for the first time since they'd lost their parents. her brother and not a surrogate father.

"isn't that linc and lori?" mack asked.

mary jo nodded. the differences in linc were apparent in more than just his attitude. he seemed at ease with himself and the world. he behaved like a carefree young man, and she realized how much he'd been robbed of after their loss. selfishly, all mary jo had thought about were her own feelings, not his. she regretted her adolescent rebelliousness, recognizing that, without ever intending to, she'd made his life harder.

they met and chatted for a few minutes, making tentative dinner plans for later in the week. then mack and mary jo resumed walking through the market. mack purchased a couple of quilted bibs for noelle, who seemed to constantly drool now that her teeth were coming in. mary jo tied a pink one around her neck right away.

around three o'clock, the market started to wind down. mack suggested they continue their stroll along the waterfront. the afternoon was so bright and sunny that mary jo eagerly agreed. noelle had fallen asleep, and mary jo felt relaxed, contented in the sunshine and mack's presence.

the seattle ferry had just pulled into the bremerton dock and seagulls circled overhead. the scent of the tide going out filled her nostrils.

pushing the stroller with one hand, mack clasped her hand with the other. they didn't speak. the simple pleasure of walking by the water, all her senses engaged-being with mack-made her happier than she'd been in a long time. she was about to tell mack exactly that when a familiar voice spoke behind them. "well, isn't this a cozy picture."

mary jo's blood turned to ice. david rhodes.

at the sound of david's voice, mack whirled around. instinctively mary jo moved closer to him.

"what do you want?" mack demanded.

"that's none of your business," david answered defiantly.

seeing her baby's father so unexpectedly was almost more than she could tolerate. her entire body started to shake.

"i see it didn't take you long to find my replacement," david said, staring at mack. he smiled then, that easy, confident smile she knew so well. "actually, he's welcome to you. all i care about is my daughter."

"what are you doing here?" mary jo asked, then regretted the question. the answer was obvious. he'd come to see his father and stepmother. or worse, he'd come in search of her and noelle.

while he claimed all he cared about was noelle, she noticed that he hadn't glanced once at the stroller or their daughter, as if noelle didn't even exist.

"i came to find you," david said, looking directly at mary jo.

"why?" she hated the way her voice trembled.

"you know why."

but she didn't. nor did she want to.

"stay out of mary jo's life," mack said from between clenched teeth.

mary jo placed a calming hand on his forearm. she didn't want this to turn into a sparring match, although she was fairly sure that if it did, mack would easily overtake david. seeing him now, with his puffy face and bloodshot eyes, she wondered why she'd ever been attracted to the man.

even as she asked herself that question, her mind provided an immediate response. in david she'd seen freedom, a way out from under her brother's thumb. david rhodes had offered her an escape, and she'd been both foolish and blind enough to take it.

david returned his attention to mary jo. "i'm here to warn you that if you file for child support with the state, you'll be sorry."

"you threaten mary jo and you'll deal with me," mack growled. he brushed her hand from his forearm and stood directly in front of david.

david didn't back down. "as i mentioned earlier," he said in a congenial voice, "this really isn't any of your business. the matter of our child-and who gets to keep her-is between mary jo and me." he looked at mary jo again, his eyebrows raised. "my father said he advised you to file for child support."

mary jo swallowed uncomfortably. ben had brought up the subject this past wednesday, when she'd stopped by for her weekly visit. he'd felt david should be held financially accountable for his daughter. the fact that david had denied any responsibility disturbed ben, and he'd urged mary jo to file for support. she'd promised to consider it. she hadn't discussed any of this with mack, but had been quietly contemplating a course of action. her biggest fear was that if she did file, david would insist on visitation rights, and he seemed to be implying that he would. she couldn't bear the thought of handing noelle over to david, since she didn't trust him.

"i won't," she blurted out.

a slow smile appeared on david's face. "that's a wise decision."

mack took a menacing step forward.

david held up one hand. "mary jo can make her own decisions," he said calmly. "she doesn't need any help from you."

"i plan on marrying her," mack told him.

david shrugged. "well, good for you, but don't forget i had her first."

for an instant mary jo felt as if she was going to be sick. "stop it!" she shouted. "just stop it."

noelle woke with a piercing cry. mary jo and mack reached for her at the same time, bumping heads in the process. mary jo grabbed her daughter, turning her back on both mack and david. she was shaking so badly it was almost impossible to walk.

this confrontation was horrible. every fear she'd ever had regarding david seemed to be staring her in the face. for the second time since leaving seattle she had the strongest desire to move back to her family home.

mack caught up to her a moment later, touching her shoulders. "david's gone," he said quietly.

she nodded, unable to speak.

"are you all right?" he asked, his face concerned.

mary jo wasn't sure how to answer him. every part of her trembled with shock and reaction. she never wanted to see david again as long as she lived. as for turning noelle over to him-she'd rather die. his threat was all too real, and mary jo refused to take chances with her daughter. the less noelle had to do with her biological father, the better.

"mary jo?" mack's hands tightened on her shoulders. "answer me. are you all right?"

"i...i don't know."

"you're shivering."

perhaps because she sensed her mother's tension, noelle began to cry. mary jo bounced her baby gently in her arms and whispered words of reassurance.

mack took control then, getting mary jo and noelle back to the car, then dealing with the stroller. once inside, he started the engine.

"i want to go home," she whispered.

"that's where i'm taking you," mack said soothingly.

"i mean seattle." she gazed straight ahead.

"mary jo-"

"noelle and i will be safe there."

"you're safe with me," mack countered.

"david's never been to the house in seattle. he...he doesn't even know where my family lives."

"you're not thinking clearly," mack said urgently. "he could get their address, no problem."

although she knew he was right, mary jo didn't care. every instinct she possessed told her to run and hide. she didn't want to risk running into david ever again and if she remained in cedar cove that would always be a possibility.

"i'm calling troy davis," mack told her.

"the sheriff? why?"

"i want you to file a restraining order against david rhodes."

"on what grounds?" she asked.

"there must be something," he said stubbornly. "we can look into it."

still, she didn't know if that was the best way to handle the situation.

in what seemed like only a minute, they were back at the duplex. but when mack pulled into the driveway, he made no move to leave her car.

"will you get a restraining order?"

"that won't stop him."

"maybe not, but it gives the sheriff the authority to arrest him. i refuse to allow this man to threaten you and noelle."

"i...i-"

"we've come too far to let him stand between us now," mack said.

wiping her face, mary jo felt torn by indecision. her afternoon had begun with such promise, meeting special friends, seeing her brother and lori-and now this.

she looked at mack. "hold me. please, just hold me."

he wrapped his arms around her, and mary jo buried her face in his chest. closing her eyes, she took in his warmth and his love. soon the trembling subsided.

"okay now?" mack whispered.

she nodded.

"no more talk of moving back to seattle?"

"not my smartest idea," she admitted.

"good."

she straightened. "you heard what david said. ben wants me to file for child support. he believes david needs to be held responsible for noelle."

"is that something you want to do?"

"i...i don't know." ben had made a good case, but although she'd listened intently to everything the older man had said, mary jo wasn't convinced.

"i don't like the idea of david talking to you like that." mack's voice was steely. "i don't like his threats or his insinuations."

"he's afraid." she realized that he dreaded facing eighteen years of child support and wanted out. if that involved making her life miserable, then he'd do it.

mack opened the door. "i meant what i said."

mary jo looked at him, confused by his comment. "about what?"

"marrying you."

not that again. "mack, thank you, but no."

he stared at her, and for an instant she saw hurt and disappointment in his eyes before he could disguise his feelings.

"haven't we been through this before?" she asked, hoping to make light of his proposal. "the last time, your proposal was prompted by another one of david's threats." if he really wanted to marry her, mary jo wanted to be loved for herself and not because mack was afraid of losing her or noelle to david rhodes.