“Funny how you never would’ve thought to knock softly a few years ago,” Maddie said.

“I’m fully domesticated now.”

“Not fully, but I haven’t given up yet.”

“You’re full of beans tonight, Mrs. McCarthy. You’ll be made to pay for that later.”

“Oh I do so love your threats, Mac,” she said, patting his backside. “You know I do.”

“Keep that up and this is going to be a very quick visit.”

“Based on what you’re bringing them, I think they have other plans for tonight anyway.”

“Ewww. Don’t remind me.” He opened the front door and poked his head in. “Brat,” he said in a loud whisper.

“Just go in.”

“No way. Not when there’s a chance they’re in there ‘getting back to normal.’”

“For crying out loud.” Maddie pushed past him and walked straight into his sister’s house.

Hesitant to stumble upon anything that would leave permanent scars on his psyche, he followed behind her, taking the coward’s way out. He was fine with that. They found Joe and Janey in the screened-in porch, where they spent most of their time since they bought the house in the spring. P.J. was asleep in a rolling bassinette next to the sofa.

“There you are!” Janey said, getting up to grab the bag from him as her pets circled around their feet, wanting in on the excitement. “I thought you’d never get here.”

“Don’t look at me,” Joe said with a grin. “This was all her idea.”

“I have no doubt about that,” Mac said to his oldest and closest friend, who was now his brother-in-law. He liked how that had worked out, except for times like this, when he was reminded that his oldest and best friend was now legally allowed to have sex with Mac’s baby sister. Ugh.

“Look at him,” Joe said, laughing at Mac. “He’s all in a tizzy.”

“You would be, too, if you got called in on a mission like this one.”

“Turnabout is fair play.” Janey looked into the bag and then at him. “You only got the small box of three? That’s barely enough for tonight.”

Joe took the box from her. “Extra small? Seriously?”

“That’s what she told me to get,” Mac said.

“I did not! I said extra large, you ass hat.”

Behind her hand, Maddie snorted inelegantly.

“So you’re saying those won’t work?” Mac asked, enjoying this far more than he’d expected to.

“They definitely won’t fit,” Joe said with predictable male ego.

Mac pulled the second bag from behind his back and tossed it at them.

Joe caught it in the air and peered inside. “Ahhh, much better. Extra large and lots of them. Too bad you’ve got to go now, Mac.”