“I will.” Before they stepped into the light, he stopped her, tilted her chin up and kissed her. “You’re here because I want them to know you’re important to me. If anyone makes you feel uncomfortable, we’ll leave, okay?”

“I don’t want to cause trouble between you and your family.”

“You won’t.”

“If you say so,” she said as they stepped through the gate into the light.

“I say so.”

Big Mac met them at the door. “Come in, come in.”

He greeted Maddie with a kiss to her cheek and tickled the bottom of Thomas’s foot, drawing a deep chortle from the baby.

“Looks good on you, son,” Big Mac said with a nod to the baby on Mac’s hip.

“He’s a cool little dude.” Mac felt a surge of pride as he showed off the baby. “Always happy.”

“I didn’t know what you liked to drink, Maddie.” Big Mac ushered them into the formal living room Linda reserved for company. Mac and Maddie sat together on the sofa. “So I got three kinds of wine and three kinds of beer.” He ticked them off on his fingers.

Mac could tell that Maddie was touched by his father’s attentiveness. And while it was odd to be treated as a guest in the house where he grew up, he appreciated the warm welcome his father had given her.

She turned those big caramel eyes on him, and his belly fluttered with awareness. “What’re you having?”

“A light beer.”

“That sounds good to me, too.”

“Two light beers, coming right up,” Big Mac said. “Is the baby all set?”

“Yes,” she said. “Thank you.”

When they were alone, Mac squeezed her hand. “So far so good?”

“Your father is very sweet. I haven’t really talked to him before. He’s never here when I clean.”

“He’s the best guy I know.”

Janey came bursting through the front door. “Hey! Sorry I’m late.” She stopped short when she saw Mac, Maddie and Thomas on the sofa. “Oh well. You’re front room company now, big brother?”

“Apparently.” Mac rose to kiss his sister. “This is Thomas.”

“Wow, what a doll!” Janey extended a finger, and Thomas wrapped his hand around it while studying her with the serious expression he used to size up new people.

“I don’t think you know Maddie,” Mac said.

“We knew each other years ago in school,” Janey said. “Nice to see you.”

“You, too. Congratulations on your engagement.”

Janey flashed a grin. “Thanks. It’s the longest engagement in the history of the world.”

“The big day will be here before you know it, brat,” Mac said.

“Until then, I have to be satisfied with a monthly booty call,” she said with a long-suffering sigh.

Mac cringed. “I don’t know why you have to say that stuff to me.”

“Because it makes you nuts,” Janey said, laughing.