Read an Excerpt

Chapter 1

Mac McCarthy Senior, known to all as Big Mac, woke on the morning of December twentieth to the distinctive sounds of winter on Gansett Island—howling wind, icy snow pinging against the windows and groaning beams in the house he'd called home for nearly four decades. But today was not any average winter day. On this day forty years ago, he married the love of his life. Today was a day for celebration.

The kids were throwing a party later that Mac and Linda weren't supposed to know about. "Voodoo Mama," as the kids called Linda, knew everything they were up to. She'd picked up on the scent of a party months ago, which was why they hadn't planned one for themselves. He had a few surprises of his own to mark the occasion that he couldn't wait to give her.

She slept curled up to him, the way she did every night. Even on the few occasions when they'd been at odds, she always reached for him in her sleep. Their marriage had been filled with love and joy and five incredible kids who'd been the light of their lives. Each of them had found their soul mate in the last few years, which was the only thing he and Linda had ever truly wanted for them.

Nothing made Big Mac more content than seeing his kids happy and in love with people he would've hand-chosen for each of them. Mac with Maddie, Grant with Stephanie, Adam with Abby, Evan with Grace and Janey with Joe. All of them perfect matches in every way that mattered.

In addition to his own five, he'd been like a father to Luke Harris, the young man who'd worked for him at the marina since he was fourteen, and who was now happily married to his first love, Sydney Donovan Harris, with a baby on the way.

A few years ago, Big Mac had made Mac and Luke his partners in the marina, which was one of the best things he'd ever done. It freed him up to relax a little while the two young guys put their considerable energy into steering the business into the modern era. Big Mac was more than happy to take a backseat to them. He had grandchildren to coddle, bullshit to shoot, fish to catch and a wife to take traveling as he'd promised her he would once the kids were launched and the businesses were in good hands.

And then there was Mallory Vaughn, the woman who'd appeared earlier in the year with the life-changing news that she was the daughter he'd never known he had, the product of a brief relationship that ended before he met Linda. Talk about shocking! But Linda had set the tone, accepting Mallory into their family and making sure her arrival didn't turn into a crisis for them. He'd never loved his gorgeous wife more than he had watching her welcome his daughter into their home and family.

The bedside clock read 6:20, which was far too early to wake Linda to begin the celebration. With nowhere to be for hours, they had the day to themselves before the party. That was plenty of time to shower her with the gifts he'd spent months organizing, among other things he wanted to do today.

He was kind of glad it was snowing. The men of the family had been spending every possible minute helping his son Mac and nephew Shane with the addition to the home of their friends Seamus and Carolina O'Grady, who'd recently taken in two young boys after their mother's tragic death. Everyone wanted to see the new family settled as soon as possible, and they were down to finish work on the addition. With the storm raging outside, Big Mac could justify a day off to spend with his wife.