“Gotcha covered.” Mac produced rings from his pocket. “We took the liberty of choosing these for you, but the store said you can return them if there’s something you’d rather have.”

“I don’t know what ta say. Ya thought of everything. Ya even found a way ta get a tie on me.”

“That was the hardest part,” Maddie said, patting her new stepfather’s chest.

Tiffany and Blaine hugged and kissed Ned and Francine.

“This is so exciting!” Tiffany said to her mother. “I almost told you about it five times this week!”

“I kept the secret,” Ashleigh said to her grandmother.

“Yes, you did, sweetheart. I had no idea!”

“Places, everyone.” Maddie clapped her hands. To Ned, she said, “You stay here with Mac and Blaine.”

Ned let her position him where she wanted him. His heart was beating so fast he worried he might pass out or something equally embarrassing. But this was the moment he’d waited so long for, and nothing was going to ruin it for him or Francine. So he took a series of deep breaths, hoping to calm his racing heart.

He gestured to Big Mac. “Come ere.”

Big Mac walked over to him. “I’m here.”

“Stay. Need ya right here with me.”

His best friend hugged him. “You got it, buddy.”

Big Mac shook hands with Mac and Blaine as he joined them.

Looking around at all the faces gathered before him, Ned saw everyone he loved in this world. The five McCarthy kids, who’d grown up with him as their beloved adopted uncle, his buddies from the morning meetings at the marina and the friends like Luke Harris, who’d become family to him over the years. He wiped his eyes and tried to keep his emotions under control even as he realized he was fighting a losing battle.

Evan and Owen played gentle guitar music as Ashleigh and Thomas came outside, holding hands.

Ned loved those kids so damned much. He couldn’t wait to watch them grow up and to spoil them the way any good grandfather would.

Next came Tiffany, looking gorgeous and elated as she preceded her equally beautiful sister Maddie through the door. Maddie carried Hailey in her arms, and the baby blew kisses that made his heart melt. Ned held his breath, waiting for Francine to appear, and when she did, she carried a bouquet of white flowers and wore a smile that stretched across her pretty face.

The sight of that face and that smile settled and calmed him. In a few minutes, she would be his wife, and they’d get the rest of their lives together. Nothing had ever made him happier than that did.