I pulled into my driveway, tears staining my cheeks as I sobbed, my head leaned against the back of my seat as I tried to catch my breath. They were gone. My babies were on an airplane and flying all the way across the country away from me. I had kept my own smile bright as I loaded them into the car and made it to the airport. I had kept my words cheerful and hopeful, babbling on about how much fun they would have, how amazing Disneyland would be, how they would call me or message me any time they wanted to.

I had wiped Cal’s tears as he buried his face in my stomach, his little hands clenching tight onto the back of my shirt, refusing to let any of my own tears fall as I brushed kiss after kiss across his forehead. I had hugged a standoffish Brooke, reminding her to take care of her brothers on the flight and pressing cash into her hand for activities while she was gone. Jake had let me kiss him goodbye as he fought his own tears, desperate to stay strong for his brother as he held tightly to his hand. I had nearly broken when he whispered into my ear, “I’ll protect him,” and Cal had reached a hand out to me as his brother and sister led him away onto a plane to travel thousands of miles from me.

I had even made it all the way back to my car, a twisted smile on my quivering lips, my eyes hot and aching so badly I could barely see as I stumbled my way up to the parking area. The trip home had been a blur, a drive done on automatic as I sobbed the shattered pieces of my heart out.

I gasped for air, wiping at my face with the tissues I always seemed to collect in my purse. I couldn’t face going inside just yet, to the silence and the dark of the house that I had never seen without Cal’s giggle, Jake’s brilliant grin, or Brooke’s biting wit. A knock on my window had me screaming as I pulled my head out of my hands, whirling towards the window as I fumbled for my pepper spray keychain. Alex stood there, his electric eyes darker than I’d seen them as he motioned for me to open the door.

“Are you all right? Do you need an ambulance?” He seemed to be assessing me for injury through the window as I unrolled it.

“No, I’m not injured.” Well, this just made everything complete. Now I looked like an absolute lunatic.

“You sure? You’ve been sitting here crying for almost ten minutes now.” His words were soft.

“Ten minutes?” I couldn’t believe I’d been here that long already.

“You dropped the kids off.” Realization dawned on his face. “I keep forgetting that. Damn, I’m so sorry, Emily.” I simply shrugged and offered a feeble smile. I couldn’t exactly claim it was okay, not with how badly swollen my face must be and the tears still drying in salty tracks across my face. “Hey, do you want to come in?”

“To your house?” The words were stupid, but I was in a little bit of shock at the offer. He’d been in my home on a few occasions, helping me to bring in furniture or yesterday when he borrowed something. I had never entered his place.

His lips quirked slightly in amusement. “Yeah. I’ve got my friends over. It’s nothing big, we’re just watching the game and I ordered some pizzas. I just figured maybe you didn’t want to…” He trailed off, indicating my house. He was right. I really didn’t want to go inside yet. Guaranteed, I really didn’t want to go into his place looking the way I did currently either, especially if those Greek gods he called friends were here for a visit. I weighed one evil over the other before nodding.

“Yeah, I’d like to come in.” It wasn’t like I had a chance with any of them anyhow. I’d rinse my face, do some quick repairs with the sketchy make-up kit I had in my purse, and watch the game. I liked baseball, and maybe it would help to keep my mind off of things. That, and maybe he still had some of my vodka left. I could really use that right about now.

He opened my door for me and I arched a brow in question. He shrugged, sheepishly. “My Mama always taught me to open the door for a lady.”

“Well, apparently her lessons stuck. Thanks.” I grabbed my purse and cursed as I slipped stepping from my SUV. That was the problem with being short and uncoordinated. You fell. A lot. Strong hands gripped my arm and he laughed.

“I guess we need to build you a step stool for that. You don’t seem that short when you stand.” He mused the words, considering my height in comparison to his.

“Short legs. No coordination.” I shrugged casually. I was used to it. There was a reason my purse included a first aid kit.

He led the way over to his place, going through the gate into his backyard. “Troy! Max! I’m bringing company.”

“The pizza guy wanted to watch the game?” The words were a lazy drawl from the covered porch.

“Sorry, I don’t come bearing pizza.” I had hoped to get a chance to wash up before meeting the other two unbelievably—and unfairly—gorgeous men, but it seemed that wasn’t in the cards. Both lounged on the covered porch in shorts and t-shirts, icy bottles of beer in their hands. Up close now, it was apparent that the blond’s eyes were a pale shade of blue, warm and full of mischief as the corners crinkled with his smile.

The dark haired man was without his sunglasses today, and I could see that his eyes were a beautiful and ethereal shade of candy apple green. Unlike his friends, his eyes weren’t warm, despite the color. They were cool and assessing, no laugh lines to frame them or soften them. “So, am I just supposed to guess who is who?” I let the words break the silence as the two men continued to study me.

“What’s with the weepy woman?” The dark-haired man’s question was blunt and cool, directed at Alex though he didn’t take his eyes from me.

“Is that like a weeping angel? Think I’m going to attack you if you blink?” I couldn’t resist the sass that fell from my lips, and the blond chortled as he kicked his friend’s feet. The dark-haired man’s mouth twitched, but I wasn’t sure if it was in amusement or contempt.

“I’m Max.” The blond hopped up, shaking my hand. I winced at the icy cold of his fingers and he grinned wider. “The grumpy one is Troy.”

“I’m Emily.” I gave an awkward wave as Max released my hand. Troy simply went back to his beer. “I live next door.” I felt I had to offer some excuse for my presence as apparently I was intruding on guys’ night. Troy paused with the bottle to his lips for a minute before turning his attention to Alex behind me.

“Guess you should have ordered more pizza.” I froze for a minute, and Alex’s comforting hand landed on my shoulder. I figured that hadn’t been meant for an insult and the way that Max scowled and kicked his friend again seemed to confirm it. Troy glanced at Max and Alex then at me in apparent confusion. I tried not to be sensitive, but certain things could hit like a barb, even in an innocent commentary. My weight was definitely one of those areas that the barbs pierced just a little too well.

“I definitely wouldn’t turn down pizza on most days, but right now I think I just need a drink.” I tried to brighten my grin a bit as I turned to Alex. “Any of that vodka left?” Troy scoffed behind me. “Not a vodka drinker, huh?”

“I like vodka!” Max’s words were cut off with a thud and a hiss. Apparently, it was Troy’s turn for retaliation.

“It’s guys’ night, not girls’ night,” Troy muttered, clearly not expecting a mother’s ears.

I raised a brow, my hands going to my hips. “Well, Alex invited me to guys’ night. I can grab some tequila if you think that’s less girly, though I have to say I never saw Bond as girly and he ordered quite a few vodka martinis.” Max snorted into his beer and Alex choked on a chuckle. Troy simply raised a brow and gave a subtle nod of acquiescence.

“All right then,” Alex spoke up as he steered me to an open chair next to Max on the spacious patio. “Want anything with the vodka, or you just going to drink it straight and put us beer drinkers to shame?” I grinned at his attempt to lighten his friend’s surly mood.

“I’ll take whatever mixer you’ve got. I’m not picky.” His smile was soft as he headed off, and I caught the warning glance he sent to his friends as he entered his patio door. The doors were glass and I could see furnishings in warm browns and tans, similar to the colors of the patio furniture.

“So, what had Alex playing white knight?” Troy piped in, apparently ignoring his friend’s request for civil behavior. I froze for a moment, trying to prevent myself from chewing this guy out. It was a reasonable question, although not politely phrased. I was intruding on their time and they had no idea who I was, and I doubt that Alex had ever spoken to them about me before so it would definitely be a surprise. I chose my words carefully, trying to keep my emotions in check.

“I just got back from the airport. I sent my kids to their dad’s for the next two months.” Max hissed between his teeth and even Troy seemed to bend a little.

“They go to Oakview?”

I considered him for a moment, wondering at the question. “My daughter goes to the high school. My middle son will be starting middle school next year, and the youngest is still in elementary.”

Max chuckled. “You’ve got quite a spread. You don’t look that old though.” He paused for a moment to give me a head to toe look, and I rolled my eyes.

“Are we at a carnival game? Want to guess my age?” I knew there was a bite in my voice now too, a mimic of the dark, surly Troy.

Max grinned, leaning forward to rest his bottle on the arm of his chair. “Oh, I like all kinds of games.”

He threw me for a moment and I blinked at him. Was he flirting with me? I grinned at the stupid thought, thankful that the tension had broken. He was a harmless flirt with anything in a skirt, I figured. He seemed like he just wanted to play. “Well, if you win you don’t get a prize.”

“32?” He tossed the number out, cocking his head to the side as he considered.

I laughed, snatching his beer to take a sip myself and enjoying his grin in response as I handed it back. “Close. I just turned 34 in April,” I admitted.

“You’re young to have high school kids,” Troy muttered, and I raised a brow.

“Yeah, thanks for that.” I turned my attention back to the playful Max. “My oldest is seventeen. I live in dread that she’ll make the same mistakes I did at her age. I think we’ve had the safe sex talk every day for the past four years.” I chuckled as I remembered the number of condoms I had pressed into my daughters' bag. I couldn’t stop her from having sex at her age, but I definitely didn’t want her having to make the same life choices I did. Giving up on college had been an excruciating decision when I found myself pregnant during my senior year.

“Seventeen,” Troy mused. “So she’ll be a senior this year. Do you know what her placements are?” I paused and turned my attention to him.

“I’m assuming that you didn’t mean that in a creepy way, but why exactly do you want to know what my seventeen-year-old is doing for classes?”

Max nearly spit his beer out as he choked and Troy glared at me. “He’s a teacher at the high school.” Alex’s exasperated voice rang out behind me. “He’s probably just figuring out if he’s got your daughter as a student.” He handed me a tall glass, and I smiled in thanks before taking a sip. I glanced up in surprise.

“It’s cranberry!” I was slightly shocked. I had been expecting maybe orange juice or apple juice, maybe even one of the sodas I had sent him over with. He stopped, reaching back as if to take the glass. “No, it’s wonderful. Thank you.”

“She wasn’t expecting you to actually have a mixer.” There was a small twist to Troy’s lips, and again I couldn’t tell if it was disgust or humor. It was like talking to someone with a mask on.

I glared at him before turning a smile to Alex. “He is right, however rude he is. I admit I didn’t expect you’d have anything, let alone anything cold.”

“I keep cranberry juice on hand. I like it for breakfast.” Again that blush stained his cheeks, and I fought the urge to hug him.

“It’s perfect. Thank you, Alex.” I drank quickly, hoping the alcohol would take effect shortly. Despite the distraction that these men offered, I was still on edge and missing my kids. “For your information, Troy, Brooke will be a senior and no, I do not know what her class placements are.”

“You’ve got two others, though, right?” Max interjected. “Are they the ones that Alex plays ball with?” I turned shocked eyes onto a sheepish Alex. I couldn’t believe he had mentioned playing ball with my kids. I hadn’t figured it as a highlight of his day the way it was mine.

“Yeah, Jake and Cal. Alex has been awesome with them. I know they appreciated the companionship; it’s just my sister and me.”

“Oh, so you’re from here.” Max settled back into his lounger, his hair flopping down to cover his eyes. “We’re all considered new still.” I chuckled as I mimicked his motion, enjoying the way the chair curved to support my back.

“You’ll still be considered newbies in twenty years. I was born here, so I’m just considered slow to return. My children are townies by association.”

“It’s a nice place.” I raised my brows at Troy’s gruff admission. Wow, something dark and scary actually liked. Alex nearly fell from his chair and Troy glared at me. Whoops. Apparently, I had said that out loud. I glanced at my half-empty cup and then over at Alex.

“How strong did you make this?”

“Uh-uh.” Max chuckled. “Don’t blame the drink, now. That’s no fair.” The faint ringing of the doorbell caught our attention and Alex headed up front to get the pizzas. “It’s fun seeing someone besides us give him crap. Most people are too scared to.”

“I thought we were going to watch the game,” Troy growled.

“What game?” I sipped some more of my drink, praying it didn’t loosen my tongue too much further.

“Pirates v. Cardinals” Max answered, getting up to grab a beer from a chest I hadn’t noticed in the shadow of the eaves.

I cocked my head, considering the date. “That’s at eight, right?” Damn. With all of the drama of dropping off the kids at the airport, I had forgotten to program my DVR to catch my game—it had started at seven-thirty. Well, I guessed I could just catch the highlights.

“We try to get together and watch the games a few times a week.” Alex had opened the door and was balancing two pizza boxes as he shut it behind him. “We’re all baseball nuts.”

“I like baseball.” I took another sip of my drink as Troy snorted into his. I glared his way, fighting the urge to stick out my tongue. “I’m a Braves fan, though.”

Max groaned. “The Braves? Seriously? We’ve got a traitor in our midst, Alex.”

“Seriously, how did you get to be a Braves fan if you grew up here?” Alex offered me the pizza box, and I considered for a moment before shrugging and taking a piece. It never hurt to be one of the guys. Plus, I was hungry.

“I moved to Atlanta when I was nineteen. I hadn’t been a huge baseball fan when I left here, though I watched it occasionally. For some reason, it just clicked when I went to a Braves game. I’ve been a fan ever since.” I enjoyed the cheesy pizza, savoring both it and the vodka. Pizza was most definitely one of my favorite food groups, no matter what the pyramid said.

“They’ll revoke your townie status if they find out you’re a Braves fan,” Alex warned jokingly. “You’re back in Pirate country now.” I snorted in response. Alex stretched up to pull something down from the ceiling, and I blinked in confusion before realization and amusement dawned.

“You’ve got a projector!” The grin he sent me was full of mischief.

“Why do you think they always come to my place? I’m surprised you haven’t run into them before this, honestly.”

“We are here all the time,” Max admitted as he snatched another piece of pizza. “He’s got the biggest screen it’s only fair he hosts.”

“Not if we’re going to keep having guests,” Troy grumbled.

I threw up my hands in exasperation and accidentally upended my glass onto the now swearing Troy’s lap. I winced and bit my lip, fighting to keep from laughing. “Ok, that was an accident, I swear.” Max was howling beside me, and Alex was fighting a losing battle with laughter himself. “I promise! Who would waste good vodka? It’s Grey Goose, this stuff isn’t cheap!” That just had Max howling even more as he pointed at his friend’s now stained t-shirt and jean cut-offs. Now that he was standing—and wet—the clothing was sculpted to him and I had trouble swallowing as I saw the way the damp fabric curved to iron hard muscle. Good lord, he was ripped. Feeling bad I offered, “If you give me those, I can get the stains out.”

“It’s cranberry juice.” Troy’s words were like icicles, stabbing into me. “How in the hell do you plan to get cranberry juice out of cotton?”

“Vinegar, rubbing alcohol, and soaking.” He paused in wiping at his clothes to study me in shock. I just shrugged. “I spill stuff a lot. I’ve learned how to get stains out. You need to do it now before it sets though.”

“You want me to strip?” His words were even colder.

Oh great, now he thought I was not only an invader and a klutz but a pervert as well. This was turning into such a memorable evening. “I’ve got clothes you can borrow,” Alex called, finally calming himself as he ran inside, dashing back out a few moments later with a similar shirt and shorts combo. Troy snatched them from his hand and headed to change. I just grabbed another piece of pizza and shook my head. My luck just would never change for the better, although getting to see those washboard abs up close definitely did help to outweigh his surly behavior.

“I’ll be right back. I’m gonna grab a soaking tub and the stuff I need while he changes.” I took my pizza with me, heading for the back gate.

“We’ll wait to start the game till you’re back!” Max called after me, still gasping for air as he laughed at his friend’s expense. I waved my acknowledgment. At least Max was fun, and Alex was sweet. There had to be something about Troy that endeared these other two guys to him. They didn’t seem like the types who would hang around someone who was an ass all the time.

It was easy to grab my stain kit from the laundry room—between three kids and my own accident-prone self, stain kits were a necessity—and head back to Alex’s. I wasn’t even through the gate and I could hear Troy ranting, his cool voice sharp now with his irritation. “I can’t believe she dumped her drink all over me! Isn’t it bad enough that you brought her over here, Alex? A whiny, weeping woman does not belong here watching a baseball game.”

“Nice alliteration.” My own tone was dry as I swept back in. “Might be better to be nice to the person with the power to save your clothing rather than leave it looking like you got into a fistfight instead of watching a baseball game.” I glanced around the yard before moving to fill the tub at the hose spigot on the side of the house, continuing to ignore a now seething Troy as I quickly rinsed his clothing to get off some of the juice. I filled the tub with a bit of laundry detergent and some white vinegar before submerging the stained shirt and shorts.

Max peeked over my shoulder, his head cocked as he watched the water turn light pink. “Huh. It may actually work.” I shot him a grin in response.

“I’ll switch the water in about a half hour and check on the stains. If they’re being stubborn, I’ll put the rubbing alcohol on them.” I brushed my hands off on my shorts and turned back to Max who offered me a new drink.

“I like my clothes how they are, so why don’t you sit down and drink this one?” He fluttered his lashes at me in an exaggerated motion, and I couldn’t help but smile. He really was fun.

“Sounds like a plan to me.” Alex had finished assembling the projector while I had dealt with the clothing, and I approved of the setup. The screen was back far enough to prevent glare, and the projector up high enough to prevent the light shining on us while we drank. “This is nice. What do you do in winter, though?” I curled back up on the chair I was apparently claiming for my own.

“I can remove the electronic part of the projector; it’s pretty easy, and I worry about it getting wet from the dew or rain anyway. The screen just pulls up so it’s out of the worst of the weather.”

I nodded and turned my focus to the drink in my hand and the game. As time passed and my commentary remained solely on the game, the guys seemed to warm up more—maybe due to the beers they were consuming or the fact that I knew who their favorite players were. Talk began to range around me, and I let the hum of Alex and Max’s warm baritone and Troy’s occasional bass, wash over me and help me relax.

Three drinks and another slice of pizza later and I sent Max another grin. “Well, they aren’t the Braves, but they played pretty well.” They had beaten the Cardinals four to zero. He reached over to ruffle my hair. I could tell when I stood that the drinks had hit me hard and I stretched, trying to regain some control of muscles that currently felt like water.

“Thanks for inviting me, Alex. I had a great time. I think I’m going to head to bed though.” Ever the gentleman, he immediately placed his beer on the ground, standing as well.

“It was nice to meet you, Emily.” Max sounded sincere from his lounged position. “You should come to hang out with us again. Although you have terrible taste in teams.” I made a face at him and he chuckled.

I nodded coolly to Troy—and managed not to fall over, score!—and received the same gesture in return. Apparently, my love of baseball wasn’t enough to win me points after intruding into guys’ night. Oh well, it was a one-time thing.

Alex grabbed my arm as I stumbled on the steps. “Are you sure you’re okay alone?” he mused quietly. “I didn’t think I made your drinks that strong.”

I couldn’t help the giggle. “You made them plenty strong, but I hold my liquor alright. I can’t walk straight even when I’m not drunk. I’m just feeling pretty good right now. I’ll be fine. I’ll head inside, pop a few aspirins, and hit the hay.”

“Well, drink some water first.” He kept his hand on my arm as a guide as we headed out the front of the gate. It seemed he intended to walk me all the way to my door. Such a sweetie.

“Yes, sir.” I tried a mock salute and received the chuckle I had been after. I softened a bit, reaching out to touch his hand. “Thanks again for tonight. I really couldn’t face going home and having the house be silent. Not right away. You guys were the perfect distraction.”

“You’re welcome any time. You can stay the night if you want. I mean, if you’re scared to be alone?” He rubbed at the back of his neck, that adorable flush back over his features.

“Thanks, but I’ve got to face it at some point. I’ll turn up at your door at three in the morning if I get scared, how about that?” I shot him a wink before jiggling the old door open.

“Night, Emily.”

“Night, Alex.” I closed the door, making sure I locked up before I leaned against it, heaving out a sigh. Well, at least I knew I would have good dreams tonight.