Must-Have Husband

rewrapped it pretty well. Said ice it for a day. Keep it stable. Before you know it, I’ll be as good as new.”
    “That’s great news, isn’t it, Connie?” Linda asked.
    “Really super.” Connie swallowed hard and glanced at her sister. The whole time they’d sat in the waiting room, they’d been discussing their plans for bringing Mac back to Napa. They’d agreed in advance not to invite him if he received a negative doctor’s report. Now that he was in the clear, there wasn’t anything to stop Connie from asking. Other than levelheaded reason.
    “Um, Mac,” Linda said sweetly. “Connie here has something ask you.”
    “Oh?” He turned his handsome face toward hers, and Connie’s cheeks flared.
    This wouldn’t be so bad, would it? Just a little bit of make-believe, for just a few days? “Um, yes,” she said, feeling her voice falter. She collected her courage and strode toward Mac. “We… I…actually have somewhat of a business proposition.”
    “Business?” he asked, seeming mildly intrigued.
    “It’s my grandpa,” she began uncertainly. Just how could she phrase it, other than blurting out the truth? She heard her voice crack as she said, “He’s dying, Mac. Doesn’t have much time left at all.”
    He studied her sympathetically. “I’m sorry, Connie. That must be terribly hard.”
    “Harder than you know.” She met his gaze and felt lost in the depths of it. “He thinks… He wants…”
    “Connie’s supposed to be getting married,” Linda filled in, growing impatient.
    “You what?” Mac stared at her in surprise. “I didn’t see any ring.”
    Connie’s breath caught in her throat. “You were checking?”
    “Wow,” Linda murmured with delight.
    “Wow,” Connie echoed, still caught up in Mac’s eyes.
    “No ring?” He raised his brow with the question.
    “Oh, that’s because he… What I mean is, there’s no groom. Not anymore.”
    Mac leaned forward, his voice husky. “What’s your proposition?”
    “I was hoping you’d do me a little favor.”
    “How little?”
    “A weekend little.”
    “What’s in it for me?”
    “How much do you want?”
    “Is this about money?”
    “Is there anything else?”
    “You tell me.”
    Of course there wasn’t anything else. This was all about money, and buying time for her grandpa. That was all there was to it. Right?
    “Maybe we should have a seat while I explain.”

Chapter Four

    The next morning, Mac found himself riding in the back of Linda’s shiny new convertible, while the two sisters sat up front. He tried to convince himself he was doing this for a good cause, going along with Connie’s plan. Basically, it was a win-win. He could help her spare disappointing her grandfather, plus he’d get the cash he needed for the down payment to rebuild his store. If it were all about him, he might feel guilty about accepting payment, but the fact was Mac donated ten percent of the proceeds from his shop to Homes for Humanity. When his business had gone ablaze, he hadn’t been the only one to suffer. The steady flow of support he’d provided that local organization had dried up too. Before, he hadn’t hoped to raise enough capital to rebuild until sometime next year. This unexpected opportunity with Connie would give him a chance to break ground sooner. That would prove a boon to the local homeless, and Mac was determined to see it through. He didn’t consider himself much of an actor, but seriously. How hard could it be? All he had to do was walk into some huge mansion and convince Connie’s family, and any assorted staff they had, that he was the Real McCoy. Mac swallowed hard, hoping he hadn’t bitten off more than he could chew.
    He caught Connie checking him out in the rearview mirror and self-consciously massaged his jaw. Once he’d opted in on the plan, he’d decided sprucing up was in order. He’d trimmed his beard and mustache and cleaned himself up nicely. Still, he wondered if what he’d done was enough. As an outdoorsy sort of guy, Mac wasn’t much into finery. He didn’t even own a suit and tie. There wasn’t much need for one in the circles where he traveled. Mostly because those involved sitting with groups of friends around a campfire, tossing back a brewskie or two, while discussing the next great way to save the world. He’d always hoped he’d find the sort of girl who could share that rugged lifestyle with him. Someone equally adventurous and just as comfortable in the great