That certainly wasn’t going to happen once the local woman she had in mind for him heard he’d stayed overnight with Maddie Chester. He’d just made his mother’s plan to find him a suitable wife on the island a lot harder than it would’ve been otherwise.

The phone rang in the kitchen. Hoping it might be Mac, Linda rushed inside and groaned when she heard her sister’s voice. “Hello, Joan.”

“Why didn’t you tell me Mac was coming home?”

“Because I wasn’t sure which day he was getting here.” No way would she admit he hadn’t bothered to share his travel plans with her. Joan would take too much pleasure in hearing that.

“Teensy just called. Her grandson delivered lobsters to Mac at Maddie Chester’s apartment.”

Linda suppressed a groan. Three hundred pounds on her slimmest day, “Teensy” was the island’s biggest gossip. If she knew Mac was shacking up with Maddie, everyone else knew, too.

“And get this,” Joan said, clearly enjoying the scoop, “Mac answered the door in nothing but a towel!”

Linda would kill him. “He knocked her off her bike and hurt her badly. He’s helping her until she recovers. There’s nothing more to it than that.”

“Teensy’s heard they looked awfully cozy.”

When she was finished with Mac, Joan would be next on her hit list. “Honestly, he’s been in town for eight hours. What do you think could be happening when she’s bruised and bloody from falling off her bike?”

Joan’s chuckle infuriated Linda. “Use your imagination. He’s a red-blooded man, and she’s always willing. A few scabs won’t slow her down.”

“That’s just unkind, Joan, and beneath you.” It really wasn’t, but Linda had no desire to start World War III with her sister. “Mac is doing an honorable thing by helping her. I don’t appreciate you making it into something dirty.”

“Don’t get pissy with me. I’m not the one who answered the door in a towel.”

“I have to go. Big Mac’s home, and he’s hungry.”

“Before you run away, I heard from Josh today. Ellen’s expecting again! We’re having a regular baby boom in our family.”

Linda wondered if a head could actually explode. “Congratulations. That’s wonderful. They sure do stay busy, don’t they?”

“Lucky for me. Talk soon.”

Linda slammed down the phone with a swear word that never usually left her lips.

“Well, good evening to you, too, my love.” Big Mac kissed her forehead. “What’s got you all fired up?”

“Your son! That woman and Teensy.” Linda banged around the kitchen fixing him a plate of the spaghetti and meatballs she’d eaten earlier. “How could he answer the door wearing only a towel?”

Big Mac plugged his cell phone into the charger and turned back to her. “What’s that you said? Teensy answered the door wearing only a towel?” He made a face of supreme dismay. “I just lost my appetite.”

“Not Teensy! Pay attention, will you? Your son answered the door at Maddie Chester’s apartment wearing only a towel! And he’s buying her lobster!”