When Nic inadvertently finds out that he is the father of a little boy, it may also lead to a second chance at love with the woman he was never able to forget. Nic Wilkinson is a player on New Zealand's national rugby team. When Nic stops by a rugby camp for kids, he meets a six-year-old boy named Zack who looks just like him. When Nic sees Zack's mother, he realizes it is Emma Martens - a woman he had a brief relationship with nearly seven years ago.
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Nic first met Emma when they were both on a plane headed to Fiji. During the plane ride, Nic found out that Emma was dumped by her fiance on the day of the wedding. Instead of being on a honeymoon, Emma was going to Fiji alone. While they were in the island country, Nic and Emma ended up sharing a romantic week-long vacation together and then parted ways.
After Nic sees Emma at the rugby camp, he knows that Zack must be his kid. Nic gets Emma's address and shows up unannounced at her home. Nic wants to find out why Emma didn't tell him them they had a son.
Emma reminded Nic that he promised to call her after he left Fiji but she didn't hear from him. She repeatedly tried to get in contact with him through his rugby team. They assumed she was merely a fan and refused to help her. After trying to reach him for several years to no avail, Emma decided that she would have to raise Zack on her own without any financial support from Nic.
Nic tells his fiancee, Claudia, about Zack and Emma. He also lets Claudia know that he wants her to become an active part of Zack's life. Claudia is not happy about the prospect of being a stepmother and has no interest in getting to know Zack and Emma.
After taking a paternity test, the results confirm that Nic is Zack's biological father. Nic tells Emma that he wants to share custody of Zack and will begin making child support payments.
When Claudia found out that Nic had a son with another woman, it created a rift in a relationship that was already tenuous. Claudia decides to end the engagement and moves out of Nic's house.
As Emma, Nic, and Zack spend more time together, they begin to feel more like a family. The attraction that existed between Emma and Nic in Fiji starts to boil to the surface again. Nic asks Emma out on a date and they pursue a romantic relationship. Their feelings for each other deepen and they fall in love.
Claudia's mother, Elizabeth, gave an interview to a newspaper to discuss her daughter breaking off the engagement with Nic. Elizabeth claimed that Emma had been Nic's mistress for years and they had a son without Claudia's knowledge. Emma is upset about the lies in the story and also worries about how kids at school will treat Zack. Even though the paper didn't disclose Zack's name, Emma knows that it will be easy for people to figure out his identity.
Emma contacted the newspaper to inform them that she didn't have a romantic relationship with Nic while he was involved with Claudia. She also stated that Nic only recently found out that he had a son and has been a responsible father ever since.
After Emma drops Zack off at the childcare center, she receives a call stating that he got into a fight. Some of the boys were teasing Zack and told him that his father didn't want him. When Emma arrives at the childcare center to pick up Zack, no one can find him. They contact the police to report him missing.
The police eventually find Zack at a beach nearby. Zack tells Emma that he was really upset about what the other boys said and ran away. Once Zack arrived at the beach, he got lost and didn't know how to return home. Emma is relieved that they found Zack safe and sound.
The next day, Emma and Zack go to London to see Nic play in a rugby tournament. Nic wants to spend time with them after everything that happened. As soon as Nic sees Emma and Zack in London, he tells them how much he loves them and needs them in his life.
The New Zealand rugby team wins the championship. When the rugby tournament ended, Nic asked Emma to marry him. She eagerly accepted his proposal.
Best part of story, including ending:
I really like how the relationship between Nic, Emma, and Zack unfolded as they figured out how to become a cohesive family.
Best scene in story:
When Nic tells Zack that he is proud to have him as a son and really loves him, it was a touching scene. Zack needed that affirmation from his father. Nic is filled with emotions because it is the first time Zack feels comfortable enough to call him "dad."
Opinion about the main character:
Nic and Emma both matured significantly since they first met. They realized that they have a special connection and were finally in a place where they could nurture it and truly appreciate each other.
