“Before she met your dad,” Luke said. “I guess she left him for your dad.”

“Oh,” Maddie said. “Wow. I had no idea.” Resting a hand on her belly, she grimaced.

Mac stood up straighter. “What?”

“Nothing.”

“That was not nothing, Madeline.”

“Just some weird twinges today. Probably Braxton-Hicks contractions.”

“I want to have you checked,” Mac said. His amusement over Ned and Francine had been replaced by intense concern.

“It’s fine, Mac.”

“We’ll let Dr. Maitland decide that.”

As Mac took his wife’s hand and led her off to find the doctor, Luke noticed the scowl on Grant’s face.

“What’s eating you?” Luke asked.

“Not a damned thing.”

“Whatever you say.”

“How’s the ankle?”

“I’m told it’ll hurt like hell once the pain meds wear off.”

“Thanks for what you did. I heard you took a hell of a risk to save my dad and Mac.”

Luke shrugged off the praise. “Mac took the bigger risk.”

“I need to get you home.” Sydney took Luke’s arm. “Doctor’s orders.” To Grant, she added, “They want him off the foot so the swelling will go down.”

“With me and your dad both laid up, we might need an extra set of hands around the marina,” Luke said to Grant. “Are you willing?”

“Whatever I can do.”

“Thanks. I’ll talk to Mac and let you know what we need.”

“If I can do anything at all for you,” Grant said, “just give me a ring.”

“Will do. Thanks.”

“Let us know how your father and Maddie are, please,” Sydney said.

“I’ll check in later,” Grant said.

Sydney walked slowly along with him as Luke made his way on crutches to the emergency entrance. They’d wanted him to use a wheelchair, but he had refused.

“I don’t feel right about leaving while Big Mac is still out of it,” Luke said.

“I’m sure he’d want you to take care of yourself.”

“Are you okay? You seem worried or something.”

“I’m thinking about Buddy. I need to pick him up from the vet.” She bit her thumbnail as she thought it over. “I can’t lift him on my own, so I’ll have to call my dad to help me.”

“Sorry to be of no use whatsoever.”

She stopped walking and turned to him. “All I care about is you’re alive and you only sprained your ankle.”

Luke smiled. She was so cute when her dander was up. “Come here and kiss me.”

Glancing around the busy clinic, she took a tentative step toward him.

“A little closer.”

She rested her hands on his shoulders and went up on tiptoes to kiss him.

“I know for a fact you can do better than that.”

“Here?”

“You just said all you care about is I’m alive. Prove it.”