“One thing I’d suggest is to decide on who you want and speak to that person and only that person about what you’re asking of them,” Dan said. “Make sure they fully understand what they’d be taking on and that they’re willing. After we make it legal, you don’t need to ever speak of it again. There’s a very good chance no one else will ever know who you chose. Or at least we hope that’s the case.”

“I like that,” Mac said. “Why would anyone else need to know as long as the person or couple we choose knows?” Speaking directly to Dan, he said, “You have a way of making sure that everyone involved understands that whatever we decide is what we wanted for them, right?”

“Yep. We’ll sew it up nice and tight so there’s no room for interpretation.”

Maddie glanced at him, her golden-brown eyes seeing right through him as usual. God, he loved that face, those eyes, those lips, the way she looked at him with love—except for when he was exasperating her, which was often. He could tell the conversation was distressing her, so he decided to wrap it up.

“This is a great start, Dan,” Mac said. “We’ll get going on this and make an appointment for next week.”

“Let’s do that now while you’re here.”

After they set up their next meeting, Dan walked them out. “See you Saturday night at Paul’s party?”

“I’ll be there,” Mac said. “Did you hear what the girls are up to for Jenny’s bachelorette party?”

“No, what?”

“Strippers,” Mac said. “Male strippers.”

Dan’s mouth fell open. “No way.”

“Yes, way. They were all abuzz over it at my house the other night.”

Dan glanced at Maddie, who smiled and shrugged. “I know nothing.”

“She lies,” Mac said. “Right to my face.”

“Well,” Maddie said, “gotta go get the kids from my mom. Come on, Mac.” She took him by the hand and dragged him down the stairs while Dan laughed at them. They met up with his fiancée, Kara, as they emerged onto the sidewalk.

“Hey, guys,” she said. “Is he up there?”

“Yep,” Maddie said. “He’s all yours. See you Saturday night?”

Kara grinned widely. “Wouldn’t miss it.” She went inside, leaving them on the sidewalk.

Mac had a million things he needed to do, beginning with the job he had pending at Seamus and Carolina’s, but his top priority was looking up at him with amusement dancing in those beautiful eyes. “You’re not going to Jenny’s party if there’s going to be strippers there.”

“You can’t tell me what to do.”

“Wanna bet?”

“Yep.”

When he glared at her, she laughed right in his face!