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“That’s everyone that counts,” I agreed.

She giggled. “Are you here for Aunt Maddy?”

“Yeah, could you run along and grab her for me?”

“She yelled at you last night.”

I cringed. “She had reason to.”

“You can’t be mean to her,” she announced with a lift of her chin, “or else I’ll tell.”

I loved her threat, her little protectiveness over Maddy. “I cross my heart and hope to die.”

“Stick a billion…” she yelled the billion part, “…needles in your eye!”

“A billion, that’s rough, and yes, stick a billion needles in my eye.”

“Now pinky promise.” She held out her tiny hand.

I linked my pinky with hers and forced a smile. Our own daughter would have looked a lot like this, the little girl I’d wanted with Maddy, the family I’d wanted to start.

Get a grip, Jason.

We released fingers just as Maddy bounded down the stairs in roughed-up black skinny jeans, Converse, and a loose-fitting white tank that hung a bit on her curvy body. She had an old blue Mets hat covering her bouncing curls, and from what I could see, minimal makeup, just the way I always remembered her — fresh, beautiful. She was the epitome of the girl next door, and she’d been mine — until she wasn’t anymore.

Maddy didn’t give me one second of her attention; everything was focused on Annabelle. “Make sure you brush your teeth after breakfast, and don’t give Papa a hard time if he tells you to rest a bit in your room after lunch, all right?”

Annabelle sighed. “I’m too old for naps.”

“You’re seven. Think of it more like a happy time-out. You can bring in four books.”

“Five.”

“Four.”

“Six.”

Maddy groaned. “Five. And not one more.”

Annabelle beamed. “Thanks, Aunt Maddy. Love you.” She wrapped her arms around her leg, and Maddy leaned over and kissed the top of her head.

“Love you too, munchkin.”

“Have fun on your date!” she called, just as the door slammed.

Maddy turned and opened her mouth, while I grinned to myself and held out my hand.

“Remember,” I said, my hand mid-air, “no ugly past, only the good parts, and the present. You ready for a good time?”

She rolled her eyes and took my hand. “That’s the last thing you said to me before I got my first speeding ticket.”

“And I was right. It was a good time.” I shrugged.

Maddy elbowed me. “Oh yeah, it was fantastic until the cop gave me a ticket, and my dad grounded me from my own car for a month.”

“Eh, my truck had more backseat space.”

Her face lit up crimson.