by Marie Force
“Freaking butt crack of dawn on a vacation day,” Mac said.
“And you’d better get your butt crack to that dock on time or else,” Big Mac said.
“When did Dad turn into a drill sergeant?” Mac asked, his mouth full of pizza.
“You be quiet for once and listen,” Big Mac said, drawing howls of laughter from the others and a scowl from his eldest son.
“We’ll be met at the ferry landing in Point Judith by a bus that’ll take us to Logan Airport in Boston, where you’ll be given your plane tickets,” Big Mac continued.
“He don’t trust us with ’em,” Ned commented to snorts of laughter.
“You got that right,” Big Mac said. “From Boston, we’ll connect through Charlotte and San Juan before arriving in Anguilla at six o’clock local time. We’ll be met by shuttles from the resort and then shown to our beachfront accommodations.”
“OhmyGod,” Tiffany said. “I can’t freaking wait.”
“Freaking is a bad word, Mommy,” Ashleigh said.
“I know, baby, but in this case, it’s allowed.”
“Your mom wants to play naked boy-naked girl with Blaine,” Mac said, earning a glare from his brother-in-law.
“Yes, I do,” Tiffany replied, sending the others into hysterics.
“I thought we weren’t allowed to play that game anymore,” Ashleigh said, setting off another round of laughter.
“You’re not,” Tiffany told her adorable look-alike daughter. “But mommies and daddies are allowed to.”
“My mommy and daddy play that game a lot,” Thomas said. “I seen it.”
Maddie’s eyes got very big and very round as she covered her son’s mouth with her hand while Mac lost his shit laughing. “Oh. My. Sweet. Hell.”
The meeting descended into chaos after that, but Big Mac didn’t mind. He’d told them what they needed to know, and everything was in place to ensure a smooth trip from one island to another.
His wife slipped her arm around his waist. “Well done, my love. You missed your calling as a travel agent.”
“Aw, thanks, but it was only fun because it was for this crew of lunatics.”
“It’s going to be the best time ever.”
He couldn’t agree more. The only thing he was worried about now was the weather. You could plan anything but that.
Evan noticed Owen go into the kitchen and not come back, so while the others razzed Maddie about Thomas’s hilarious comment, Evan went to see what was up with his best friend.
Owen stared out the window at the darkness, his arms braced on either side of the sink.
“What’s up, O?” Evan helped himself to two of his father’s beers. He opened one for himself and the other for his friend.
“Thanks.” Owen took the beer from Evan and tipped back half of it in one swallow, which was unusual for him.
“Something wrong?”
“Nah, it’s all good. How are you? Ready for this?”
“I’ve been ready for a year. Thought it would never get here.”
“It’s gonna be a blast.”
“I know I’ve told you this a hundred times already, but I’m so, so, so glad you’re coming. Wouldn’t have been the same without you guys.”
“Yeah.” Owen looked down at the floor, his broad shoulders curving inward, the stance reminding Evan of the dreadful weeks leading up to the trial of Owen’s father.
“What’s on your mind? And don’t say it’s nothing. I know you better than that.”
Seeming surprised by Evan’s blunt statement, Owen looked up at him before glancing into the other room, where Laura chatted with Stephanie and Abby. “She shouldn’t be going. It’s too close to her due date, but she won’t hear me when I tell her we should stay home.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, last thing I wanted to do was inflict my worries on your good time. That’s why I didn’t want to talk about it.”
“Dude, come on, aren’t we past that? Your worries are my worries. That’s how we roll.”
“Sometimes I think…”
“What?”
“That I never would’ve survived the nightmare of my family without the refuge of yours.”
Evan put his hand over his heart. “My family is your family, and we’ll watch out for you and Laura and those babies. Mallory and Katie will be with us, both of them experienced nurses. If there’s any problem, they’ll be right there.”
“So you don’t think I’m taking a foolish risk by letting my seven-months-pregnant wife go on a trip like this?”
“Of course I don’t think that, and no one else will either. Besides, we all know Laura does exactly what she wants, and no one, even her devoted husband, can talk her out of something once she sets her mind to it.”
Owen laughed. “Yeah, that about nails her.”
“I go way back with her,” Evan said with a grin.
“Like all the way back.”
“Yep. I know without a doubt there’s no way she’d ever endanger herself or those babies. David said she could go. Victoria said she could go. And how great is it that she feels well enough to travel after being so bloody sick for months at the beginning?”
“It is pretty great,” Owen said, his expression softening as he watched his wife talk and laugh with the other women. “So where’s your bride-to-be tonight?”
“That’s a good question.” As Evan withdrew his phone, intending to call her, the front door opened in a gust of cold air as Grace arrived. He’d made sure to save her some pizza and the glass of chardonnay she would need after a long day at work. The minute she came through the door, however, he could see something was wrong. He knew her so well, better than he’d ever known anyone, and her distress was palpable.
“What’s the matter?”
As he took her coat, she looked up at him, blinking rapidly as if trying not to cry. Though he had no doubt that she was every bit as committed to him as he was to her, his heart stopped at the possibility that she might be having cold feet. “I… Um… My parents. They’re not coming.”
“What?”
“Th-they said the trip was too much for them, that they’d been trying to find a way to tell me…” She broke down into heartbroken sobs that made Evan want to kill the people who would soon be his in-laws. They’d done nothing but hurt his beloved Grace in big and small ways since he’d known her, and he’d had about enough.
He wrapped his arms around her and guided her into the formal living room his mother kept for “guests,” out of the view of the others. “I’m so sorry, honey. I hate that they would do this to you, especially so late in the game.”
“It’s what they do,” she said, sobs hiccupping through her. “Any time I’m really happy, they find a way to ruin it.”
“After this, they’ll be seeing and hearing very little from you and us. I won’t let them hurt you anymore.”
“Wh-who will give me away if my dad isn’t there?”
Evan’s heart, the heart that belonged completely to her, split right down the middle. “My dad will. You know he’d love to.”
“H-he’s nicer t-to me than m-my own f-father has ever b-been.”
“He loves you. We all do. We’re your family now. Us and your brothers and all your friends. You’re surrounded by people who’d do anything for you. Your brothers would give you away, wouldn’t they?”
“P-probably, but they’d be aw-awkward and uncomfortable. I think I might rather have your dad.”
“You can have anyone you want, and my dad would be delighted to do it.”
Because he was holding her so close, he felt her backbone stiffen and her usual fortitude return. “I’m sorry to show up in this condition when everyone’s excited.”
“Don’t apologize. Not to me or anyone else. Of course you’re upset, and with good reason, but we can’t let them ruin this amazing week that we’ve been looking forward to for so long.”
“I won’t let them ruin this for me. No way.”
“That’s my girl. Your
brothers will still be there, right?”
“Oh yes, they wouldn’t miss it, but this is it for me with my parents. I can’t keep letting them do this to me.”
“No, you can’t, and I’m glad to hear you say that.”
“Because you’ve wanted me to cut things off with them for a while now?” she asked with the hint of a smile ghosting her lips.
“Something like that, but I never would’ve said it. You had to get there on your own.”
“Well, consider me there.”
Evan cupped her face in his hands and kissed her cheeks, brushing away her tears, before turning his attention to her sweet lips. “Focus on me. I’m your family, and I’ll never let anyone hurt you ever again.”
“I’d be lost without you, Evan. You have no idea how much I need you.”
“Yes, I do, because I need you just as much.” He kissed her again, more intently this time, before the clearing of a throat interrupted them.
“Sorry to interrupt the early honeymoon,” Big Mac said. “I was just making sure you two are okay. Someone said Grace seemed upset.” He zeroed in on her tearstained face, his brows furrowing with dismay.
That was what Evan loved best about his dad—he took care of them all, whether they were his biological kids or their friends.
“Who made you cry, and how can I kill him or her?” Big Mac asked. “The offer includes my son, in case you’re wondering.”
Grace’s face lit up with a big, bright smile. His dad had that effect on people, especially the ones who loved him. “Your son is the most wonderful man who ever lived, and he only makes me cry with laughter.”
“Then who do I need to see about tears on my daughter-in-law’s pretty face the week of her wedding?”
“Grace’s parents let her know today that they’re unable to make it to the wedding.” Evan saved her the trouble of having to say the words again.
His father’s face went slack with shock. “They… Well… I’m sorry, honey.”
“Grace was worried about who might give her away, and I said—”
“I’ll do it,” Big Mac said fiercely. “I will do it, and it’ll be my honor.”
Grace began to cry again, but these were happy tears. Evan knew the difference by now. She released him so she could hug his dad, who wrapped her up in his strong arms. She looked so small and fragile next to his strapping father, and the sight of them together brought tears to Evan’s eyes.
“Everything’s going to be okay, sweetheart,” Big Mac said, rubbing small circles on Grace’s back. “I’ll make sure of it, and so will Evan.”
“I-I’ve never said this before, but you sh-should know… I love you all so much. Your family… I’m so happy that you’re going to be my family.”
“You’re damned right you’re our family.” Big Mac raised his hand to invite Evan into their embrace. “Tomorrow, we’re going to Anguilla, and we’re going to get you two married in the most beautiful wedding you’ve ever seen. After that, you and Evan are going to have the most beautiful life. And that’s just the way it’s going to be, you hear me?”
“I hear you,” Grace said, sighing.
And so did Evan, because if his dad said it was so, he believed him. Big Mac McCarthy was rarely ever wrong about anything.
Chapter 28
On their third night in Anguilla, the guys and girls went their separate ways for bachelor and bachelorette parties for the bride and groom.
Evan’s brothers took over a British pub on the resort property, and the beer was flowing a couple of hours into the party.
“What’re the ladies doing?” Alex asked as he toked on one of the cigars that Dan Torrington had contributed to the gathering.
“Something about the spa.” Mac turned up his nose. “They really know how to party.”
“They’re getting spa treatments and then going to dinner at the Japanese steakhouse,” Evan said. “They’re probably finishing dinner by now.”
“Ohhh,” Adam said. “How wild.”
“Well, Tiffany helped to plan the night,” Blaine said, “so anything can happen with my wife involved.”
“This is true,” Mac said. “She’s a terrible influence on my sweet wife.”
“Whatever!” Blaine said. “Whose idea was it to tell us they’d hired strippers for Jenny’s bachelorette party?”
“Maddie’s,” the guys said in unison.
Mac squirmed. “That was a rare lapse in judgment for my lovely wife. She’s been soundly disciplined, and it won’t happen again.”
“I sooo can’t wait to tell her you said that,” Joe said, laughing and accepting a fist bump from Grant.
“It might be better if you didn’t tell her,” Mac said, sending the others into hysterics.
“I’ve only been married a couple of weeks,” Paul said, “but even I can predict trouble in your future, Mac.”
“Nah.” Mac waved his hand, sending cigar ashes flying. “She worships at the altar of Mac McCarthy.”
“It just gets better and better,” Shane said, grinning as he shook his head at Mac.
“Son, far be it from me to tell you what to do, but if I were you, I’d stick a sock in it,” Big Mac said, to howls.
“He’ll never stick a sock in it,” Frank said. “He’s been this way all his life.”
“Sad but true,” Kevin said.
Slim took it all in, laughing at Mac’s antics and enjoying one of the fine cigars Dan had brought. This was usually one of his favorite ways to spend a night—with his best friends, juicy steaks, good vodka and fine cigars, laughing and bullshitting. But on this night, he wasn’t able to relax or fully enjoy the party because someone was missing.
Erin would be here tomorrow, but that felt like a lifetime from now. He’d only gotten there himself late that afternoon, in time for the bachelor party, which was why he’d had her come the next day. He knew he wouldn’t want to leave her for any reason after she arrived, and he couldn’t miss Evan’s party.
So he was destined to spend one more night alone and was half out of his mind waiting for her. From the moment she’d said yes to his invitation, time had slowed to a torturous crawl for him. Every minute felt like an hour, every day like a year. The flight from Palm Beach to Anguilla had been pure torture. But once he’d arrived, he’d found the ebullient McCarthy family in high spirits, and it was impossible to be anything other than sucked into their excitement.
Finn McCarthy joined the bachelor party late, having taken part in an all-day scuba-diving expedition that had returned after dark. He was drawn right into the circle of friends and family, given a beer and a plate of food.
“Ran into the ladies on the way over here,” he said between bites.
“Where were they heading?” Luke asked.
“I’m almost afraid to tell you guys.”
“Now you’d better,” Blaine said in his sternest cop voice.
“There was talk of skinny-dipping at the beach.”
The boisterous group went silent.
“Like hell,” Blaine said, getting up from the table and heading toward the beach.
“Wait! Blaine, wait!” Mac called after him. “This is our chance.”
Blaine stopped, turned back, hands on hips, clearly seething. “For what?”
“Revenge,” Mac said, drawing out the single word with dramatic flair. “Come back here, and let’s make a plan.”
“Uh-oh,” Finn said, giving his full attention to the steak. “Was it something I said?”
“You just threw gas on a fire, son,” Kevin said, chuckling.
Slim sat back, filled with amused detachment, listening to the guys plot against their women and imagining the many ways this could go wrong. As a single guy, he didn’t feel he had any place to speak up and suggest they might want to reconsider their plan. What did he know about being married or engaged, or committed, for that matter? He hoped to change that status very soon, but in the meantime, he couldn’t resist tagging along on their mission, just to see
how it turned out.
They snuck down to the beach, where the women could be heard a mile away, screaming, laughing, splashing. To say a good majority of them were pregnant and sober, they were having one hell of a time. Thanks to the full moon shining down on the white sand, they could easily pick out the piles of clothes that had been left on the beach.
“There,” Mac whispered, pointing to the clothes. “Let’s go.”
“Boys,” Big Mac said, “I have to tell you… This is not going to end well.”
“Oh come on, Dad,” Grant said. “It’ll be hysterical, and they have it coming after the crap they’ve pulled on us.”
Grant’s capitulation surprised Slim, as he tended to be much more mature than his older brother. One thing Slim had to say for Mac, he’d missed his calling as a military commander. He was excellent at getting others to follow his lead. While they crept onto the beach to collect the women’s clothing, Slim stayed back with Big Mac, Frank, Kevin and Ned, otherwise known as the actual adults in this group.
“Buncha fools,” Ned muttered.
“Ah, yes,” Big Mac said, “but they’re my fools. I’m just glad Linda, Betsy, Francine and Chelsea offered to babysit tonight so the girls could go out. I’d want no part of digging myself out of this one.”
“You know it, brother,” Frank said.
“Chelsea would kill me,” Kevin said bluntly.
The guys returned, laughing and whispering—loudly—arms loaded with dresses and panties and bras and sandals that they then deposited in a pile on the sand.
“I did this once to Abby,” Adam whispered. “I thought she was going to murder me.”
“She will this time for sure,” Frank said.
“I can’t believe Katie is skinny-dipping,” Shane said. “She doesn’t like being naked in the shower.”
“Dude!” Owen said, sending the others into somewhat-silent hysterics. “That’s my sister you’re talking about.”
“Sorry,” Shane said, chuckling.
“No, you’re not.”
“I feel your pain,” Mac said, using his thumb to point to Joe.
“I only speak the truth,” Joe said, “and your sister is one hot mama.”