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assignment.”
    Filled with exasperation, Grant sighed. He’d been more exasperated since he met her than in his entire life before her. “
Subtle
touching and
subtle
flirting. Nothing too over the top. No mention of what happened last night.”
    Stephanie opened the passenger door, flooding the cab with light. “Don’t worry. I’m not about to go in there and start spewing off to your parents and family that you rocked my world or anything.”
    He grabbed her arm to stop her from getting out. “Did I?”
    Her brows furrowed over those expressive eyes. “Did you what?”
    “Rock your world?”
    She dissolved into laughter. “I wouldn’t go that far, but it didn’t
suck
.”
    Wincing, he said, “Gee, thanks for that ringing endorsement. I was a little drunk, you know. I can do better.”
    Something akin to panic skirted across her face as she tugged her arm free and got out of the truck.
    Grant got out, too, and met her at the front of the truck. “I just want to say…”
    “What?”
    “If I took advantage last night or acted, you know, less than…honorably, I’m sorry. I haven’t been myself lately, and the last thing I want is to drag anyone else down with me.”
    “It takes two to tango, sport, so don’t be too hard on yourself. Like I said, it didn’t suck.”
    Why was it that this little sprite of a woman could make him so hot one minute and so damned mad the next? That was something he continued to ponder as they took the back steps to the deck. The house glowed with the soft light produced by candles, creating a warm, cozy atmosphere for a tropical-storm party.
    Grant slid the deck door open and gestured for her to go in ahead of him. Since they were among the last to arrive, everyone turned to greet them, including Abby. He took a certain bit of pleasure in realizing she’d noticed he hadn’t come alone. Good. Let her see what it was like for a change. Grant pressed a hand to the small of Stephanie’s back, which earned him a quizzical look over her shoulder that he ignored as he greeted his brothers and sister.
    Ned was there, as were Maddie’s mother Francine, her sister Tiffany and niece Ashleigh. Mac’s friend Blaine Taylor, the Gansett Island Police chief, still in uniform from what had no doubt been a long day, was talking to Joe and Janey. Grant’s cousin Laura was helping Abby organize the big pile of wedding gifts while Owen Lawry tuned his guitar to sync with Evan’s.
    Stephanie stayed close to Grant’s side as he talked to his parents and visited with Maddie, who was settled on the sofa in the middle of the big great room.
    “How’re you feeling?” Grant asked his sister-in-law as he bent to kiss her cheek.
    “Fat and cooped up and cranky.”
    “Yikes. That doesn’t sound like much fun.”
    “Your brother is driving me nuts,” she added in a conspiratorial whisper, her gaze settling on Mac, who was across the room tending to their son Thomas.
     “What’s he doing now?”
    “He’s been freaked out all day about the storm and the ferry service being shut down. He hates being stuck here when I’m pregnant. He worries about something going wrong.”
    Grant exchanged glances with Stephanie.
    “What?” Maddie asked.
    “Oh, nothing,” Grant said.
    His sister-in-law clutched his arm. “What do you know?”
    Surprised by her strong grip, he looked down to find big caramel-colored eyes staring back at him. “Cal left the island today. His mother had a stroke in Texas.”
    “
Oh my God!
I wondered where he was when Abby came alone. You can’t tell Mac that Cal is gone, or he’s apt to have a stroke himself.” Her eyes took on a wild look that alarmed Grant. “Promise me you won’t tell him.”
    “I won’t,” Grant said, “but someone else is apt to.”
    “
OhmyGodohmyGod
.” Maddie’s eyes got even bigger, and her free hand landed on her extended abdomen.
    “Maddie,” Grant said, alarmed by her sudden pallor. “What is it?”
    “Just an odd twinge.”