“Turns out Maddie was in preterm labor.”

“Oh my God,” Grant said. “Is she all right? The baby?”

He nodded. “They managed to stop it, and they’re both fine, but Cal put her on full bed rest until she delivers.”

Grant choked back a retort about the good doctor. Everyone’s hero.

“Wow,” Stephanie said. “What a drag.”

“Seriously,” Mac agreed. “But she’ll do whatever’s necessary to protect the baby. It’s just that she won’t be able to handle a toddler on her own, so I’ll need to be home a lot of the time. And with Dad and Luke out of commission—”

“I’ll take care of the marina. I already told Luke that.”

“We’ll pay you like we would any other employee.”

“Whatever,” Grant said with a shrug. “It’s the best job offer I’ve had in years.”

“I find that hard to believe,” Stephanie said.

Grant sent her a twisted grin. “Believe it.” To his brother, he said, “Is there anything special I need to know?”

“I can show you,” Stephanie said, adding, “I pay attention.”

“That’d be great,” Mac said. “Thank you both.”

“We’ll take care of McCarthy’s,” Grant said. “You take care of your wife and son.”

“I appreciate that, bro. I really do.” Mac peered into his father’s room. “Any change?”

“Not yet.”

“Helluva day around here,” Mac said.

“How’s Mom holding up?” Grant asked.

“Remarkably well. It’s Janey I’m worried about. Ten days until the wedding and the matron of honor is put on bed rest and the father of the bride is out cold.”

“It’ll all be fine,” Grant said. “You can’t keep the McCarthys down for long.”

Mac cast another wary glance at their father. “Let’s hope you’re right about that. I sure wish he’d wake up.”

“Yeah, me too. Go on back to your wife. I’ll stay with him.”

“Let me know the second anything changes.”

“Will do. The boys will be in on the eight o’clock boat.”

Mac nodded. “I’ll recruit them to help out at the marina, too.”

“But I’m in charge, right?” Grant asked with a teasing grin, hoping to lighten his brother’s mood.

Mac rolled his eyes and went to rejoin his wife.

“You guys are so lucky,” Stephanie said with a wistful expression on her face.

Grant had almost forgotten she was there. “How’s that?”

“You have a great big wonderful family to lean on when times get tough.”

“You don’t have that?”

She shook her head and crossed her arms. “Are you going to drink that or carry it around all day?”

Intrigued by how the mention of family had shut her down, Grant lifted the container to his nose and gagged anew. “I really have to drink this?”

“You’ll be praising my name in thirty minutes.”

“Is that so?”