“Two a ya seein’ things.” Ned shifted his eyes to Luke. “Let’s talk about lover boy over there. Ya want a story, there it ’tis.”

“I’d much rather talk about you,” Luke said, and the other guys cracked up. He was still trying to absorb the fact that Ned had been out on a date. He’d never known of Ned to be with any woman. Ever.

“I’m sure ya would,” Ned said, taking a sip of his coffee.

Stephanie, the waifish young woman who was spending her first summer on the island running the marina restaurant, came out bearing a platter of sugar donuts. “Fresh made,” she said as she put them down on the table.

“Thank you, sweetheart,” Big Mac said, winking at her.

Stephanie’s cheeks turned bright red, and she scurried back inside.

“That poor little girl has a crush a mile wide on ya,” Ned said to Big Mac. “Speakin’ of getting eyes checked, she needs to see an eye doctor stat. Does she know ya’re older than dirt?”

“We’re not talking about me,” Big Mac said. “You oughta tell Mac who you were out gallivanting with last night. I’m sure he’d be very interested.”

“Who was it?” Mac asked. “And why would I care?”

“Why doncha just shut ya big yap?” Ned snapped at his friend. “Even on this godforsaken island, a man has a right to privacy.”

Big Mac roared with laughter, which made Luke smile. It was impossible to be around Big Mac when he was amused and not be sucked in.

“Whatever you say,” Big Mac said, wiping tears from his eyes.

Ned scowled at him.

“Now, boys,” Mac said. “Let’s all get along.”

“You shut yer yap, too,” Ned said, which set Big Mac off all over again.

“What the hell did I do?” Mac asked Luke.

He shrugged. Clearly, Ned was in a mood, and in some ways Luke could sympathize, since he didn’t want his business aired out over coffee and donuts any more than Ned did. Still, Luke couldn’t deny he was dying to know who Ned had been romancing. He hoped Big Mac would tell them later when Ned left in his cab to meet the next ferry.

“Hey,” Mac said, “check out this dickhead.”

The others looked to the pond, where a large powerboat was steaming through the anchorage, making the boats in its wake bob and dip precariously.

Big Mac’s brows furrowed with displeasure. “Where’s the Coast Guard when you need ’em?”

“Oh great,” Mac said. “He’s coming here.”

Big Mac stood. “Allow me, boys.”

“This oughta be good,” Ned said as he got up to get a better view of the show.

Mac and Luke followed Big Mac down the main pier, hanging back to allow him to take the lead.

“Whatcha need, Skip?” Big Mac called to the boat’s captain.