Page 44 of Delivery After Dark (Gansett Island #28)

A bby couldn’t believe what Grace, Evan, Grant and Stephanie had done for them.

Everything was organized and ready for four infants, all on the main floor.

Changing tables put together, rolling bassinets set to go and what seemed like a year’s worth of supplies stacked on shelves that had once housed books that had been packed away for now.

They’d even thought of Liam, with new toys from Abby’s shop to give him something to focus on while everyone else fawned over his new baby brothers.

“You guys,” Abby said tearfully. “This is amazing.”

“Hope you don’t mind that we made some executive decisions for you,” Grace said.

“I don’t mind at all. This is just what I didn’t know I needed.” She hugged her sisters-in-law, who were also among her best friends.

“Laura consulted,” Grace said, “since we have zero experience with babies, and she’s had multiples.”

“You did a fabulous job,” Laura said from the kitchen, where she was making coffee and setting out some of the food that had been dropped off for the new family.

“This is awesome,” Adam said as he eyed the spread on the kitchen table. “We need to have quads more often.”

“Don’t even say that out loud, Adam McCarthy,” Abby said while the others laughed. “It’s not funny.”

“It’s kinda funny,” Mac said.

Abby glared at her brother-in-law.

“Sorry, Abby,” Maddie said. “I’ll get him out of your hair.” Maddie hugged her. “Let me know what I can do to help.”

“You’ve got your own hands full, Mama. Hopefully, we’ll be having cousin playdates before too long.”

“I can’t wait for every minute with those boys. Congratulations. You’re a stud, woman!”

“At least they weren’t born on a helicopter,” Mac said when he hugged her.

“There is that,” Abby conceded, amused by him as usual.

“Can we talk about my super sperm some more?” Adam asked his brother. “And how I topped you by two whole babies?”

“Can we talk about how that super sperm isn’t getting anywhere near me until that thing is snipped?” Abby retorted.

The others howled with laughter.

“I’m sorry, girls,” Linda said to her daughters-in-law. “They weren’t raised this way.”

“Weren’t we?” Mac asked.

“No, you were not! Did you ever once hear your father talk about his super sperm?”

“Did he ever once father four babies at once?” Adam asked.

“He’s got you there, Mom,” Evan said.

“This family is ridiculous,” Linda said.

“You’re just realizing that now?” Maddie asked.

“No, I’ve known it for quite some time, but the first time one of my grandsons starts talking about his super sperm will be the day I quit you all,” Linda said.

“You can’t quit us, Voodoo Mama,” Grant said.

“Watch me.”

Four babies awaking all at once, demanding to be changed and fed, redirected everyone’s attention, thankfully.

Abby had heard more than enough about super sperm to last the rest of her life.

When they left Adam and Abby’s, Mac drove his family home in the big SUV he’d bought when he and Maddie were first together, not realizing he’d one day need every seat in the vehicle for their family.

He helped her get the kids inside and supervised lunch for the older three while Maddie tended to the babies. “I’m heading to work for a few hours and then meeting Morgan for a beer around five. I’ll be home by six at the latest, and I’ll bring something for dinner.”

“That sounds good. Thanks.”

Mac bent over the back of the sofa to kiss her. “Thank you. Last night was amazing. Just what we needed.”

“Thanks for planning it and executing our escape.”

“We’ll do it again soon. Love you.”

“Love you, too. Have a good day at the office.”

“I’d rather be here with you guys.”

“We know.”

“Daddy stay home!” Mac said as he ran after his dad.

Mac scooped him up and swung him around, making the little guy laugh. “Be a good boy for Mommy today, and we’ll wrestle when I get home, okay?”

“Okay.”

Mac set him down to toddle off to find Thomas and Hailey.

“Go while you can,” Maddie said, smiling.

“I’m out.”

As he drove into town, Mac reflected on his many blessings, which began with his wife and children and included his still-active, healthy parents and uncles as well as his siblings, cousins, their spouses and children.

The McCarthy family was rapidly expanding, and in a few short years, their kids would be running roughshod over their parents.

Mac couldn’t wait for all of it and to get to know his four new nephews as well as Adrian, Dylan and the children Evan and Grant would soon welcome to the family with their wives.

To think, not that long ago, he’d had no plans to relocate to Gansett Island, and here he was now, running two businesses, surrounded by his entire extended family and countless friends. Life was good and getting better all the time.

He stopped at the marina to check on a project his business partner, Luke Harris, was overseeing—the installation of new washers and dryers for summer guest use.

“How goes it?” he asked Luke when he stepped out of the blustery cold into a slightly warmer space where Luke was working.

“It’s going. These things are bulky and awkward to move around, but I’ve got two more to go.”

“Thanks for handling it.”

“No problem. Fun to see the new babies this morning. They’re cuties.”

“Of course they are. They’re McCarthy boys.”

“Do you ever get tired of the sound of your own voice?”

Mac pretended to think about that for a second. “Nope. Not really.”

Luke laughed. “Why’d I even ask? What’s up with you today?”

“Since it’s already almost two, I’m going to the office for a few hours to do some estimates and other paperwork, and then Grant and I are meeting Morgan Weyland for a beer at the Beachcomber at five.

He wants to talk to us about island life as an adult when, like him, we couldn’t wait to get the hell out of here. You should come if you want.”

“Maybe I will. I’ll see what’s up at home. So is Morgan thinking about staying?”

“I think he might be.”

“That’d be cool. I always liked him. It’s been nice having him around again, even if I hate the reason.”

“Same. All right, carry on, pal. I’ll see you at five, I hope.”

“I’ll try to get there.”

“Sounds good.”

Mac zipped his coat against the frigid blast of air coming from the Salt Pond, which was frothy with whitecaps.

In the summer, the pond was so packed with boats, you could barely see the other side.

Now, there wasn’t a single boat to be found.

Mac looked forward to this time of year, when the marina was all but shut down and he could focus on the construction business.

He worked hard all fall to get projects to the point where he and his guys could work inside during the coldest part of the winter. They had several renovations going and were finishing the inside of the wedding facility at the alpaca farm this winter.

Back in his truck, he read a text to their family group chat from Grant. Marion Martinez passed away.

“Aw, shit,” Mac said as he sent a text to Alex and Paul. So sorry to hear about your mom. She was a great lady who was always so much fun to be around. Let us know if there’s anything we can do for you.

He sent another text to Grant and Morgan, confirming their five o’clock meeting.

Looking forward to it, Morgan replied.

Same, Grant said.

Me, too. Invited Luke Harris to join us.

Great, Morgan said. See you then.

Morgan stashed his phone in the back pocket of his jeans and opened the electric panel that powered Sierra’s studio and her apartment upstairs.

As he worked, he had to stifle a yawn, realizing he was getting far too old for a mostly sleepless night.

Not that it hadn’t been worth every second of lost sleep. It’d been more than worth it.

Sierra was everything he’d spent his adult life looking for without even knowing it. She was fun, funny, smart, witty, sexy as fuck and easy to talk to. If he wasn’t careful, he might fall in love with her.

Would that be so terrible?

Not at all, but her whole life was here, and so he needed to figure out if he could handle living on the island full time. He looked forward to hearing what Mac and the others had to say about making the transition to full-time island life.

He quickly determined that Sierra’s building needed to be completely rewired because everything about her panel and setup was outdated and out of current code. She was lucky she hadn’t had a fire.

When he went to find her, he followed the sound of her voice to the lobby, where she was on the phone with one of her suppliers, placing an order.

She smiled at him. “Nope. That’s everything. Thank you.” After she ended the call, she made a check on her list. “I’m getting it done today. How’s it going back there?”

“I have good news and bad news. Which do you want first?”

“Give me the good.”

“Your building hasn’t burned down.”

“Jeez. If that’s the good news, what’s the bad?”

“You need a complete rewiring with all-new circuit breakers.”

Her throat bobbed when she swallowed hard. “How much will that cost?”

“About five thousand for materials. Labor is free.”

She winced. “You have to let me pay you something!”

“Nah, I don’t need it, and I love jobs like this. I’m happy to take care of it for you.”

She stood to hug him. “Thank you.” Pulling back, she looked up at him but kept her arms around his neck. “So it’s bad, huh?”

“Really bad. Needs to be done ASAP. I’ll order the stuff today.”

“I don’t have five grand just sitting around, so can I give you a credit card to put it on?”

“Sure. I assume you want me to expedite delivery due to the aforementioned fire risk?”

“Yes, please.”

“Will do.”

She handed him her credit card, and he sat at one of the chairs in her lobby to order what he needed to rewire her building. Twenty minutes later, he said, “I used my company discount and got it all for forty-four hundred. Will be delivered early next week.”

“Excellent. Thank you. Can I give you that long-promised massage in exchange for you saving my business and home from a future fire?”