Salty air filled the car as Griffin rolled down his window. “I love this smell. In Montana, the air is crisp and clean. Here, it’s damp and full of aromas.”

The driver pulled up to O’Toole’s Bed and Breakfast. “A quick check in, then we can get going to the pub,” Ethan said as they all got out and took their bags they’d picked up from their Boston hotel rooms before they left the city.

A sweet looking, short, older woman with white hair pulled into a loose bun on top of her head greeted them at the front door as they walked up the steps. “You must be our guests for the next couple of nights. I’m Stella O’Toole, welcome to our home.”

“I’m Ethan Southern, Mrs. O’Toole. A pleasure it is to make your acquaintance.” He took her hand and kissed the top of it, making her giggle like a young girl.

“Oh, my! A Scott, I dare say. A pleasure to meet you, Ethan,” she said as she blushed. “What a bunch of handsome devils, you three are. Tell me what has you in our little township.”

Griffin put his bag on the floor by the desk and filled out the paperwork that was on top of it. “Just visiting. The place looked like something out of a romance novel on your website. We’re in Massachusetts for reasons that aren’t exactly happy. We wanted to make something positive out of it.”

The woman looked over the names on the registry. “Griffin Houser, you must be.” She turned to Phoenix and looked him up and down. “And you must be Phoenix Nelson. Now you have got to tell me what bloodlines you’re from; you look like a movie star.”

“I’m nearly full-blooded Karankawa. I resemble my mother. Only I’m a couple of feet taller,” he said then took her hand and left a kiss on top of it. “And thanks for not calling me an Indian, Mrs. O’Toole.”

With a curt nod, she turned to lead the men up the stairs to their bedrooms. “On the right is where your rooms are. The one restroom you will share is at the end of the hallway. There’re fresh towels in the linen closet. Please deposit them when you’re done in the laundry bins that’re in your rooms. I’ll pick them up when I clean your rooms each morning after breakfast.”

“When’s breakfast?” Griffin asked as they stopped at the first bedroom.

She pushed the door open as she asked them, “Are you all early risers or not so early?”

Being as none of the men really knew each other, they all looked at one another with quizzical expressions. “I get up around nine every morning,” Ethan said.

“I can do nine,” Phoenix replied.

Griffin walked into the first bedroom, claiming the room decorated in deep greens, his favorite color. “I can do nine as well.”

“Then I’ll have breakfast served at ten. Will that be okay with you all?” she asked them.

All nodded, and she led the others to the next room done in tans and browns. “I’ll take this one,” Phoenix said as he walked into the room.

Mrs. O’Toole gestured to the last door, and Ethan opened it, finding a room done in lilac colors. “How charming,” he said with a smile.

“Glad you’re firm in your masculinity, Ethan. I thought you’d be,” she said with a laugh. “The front door remains unlocked until ten each night. If you come in after that, you’ll need the code to the keypad to get in. I’ve left a card with that on it on the nightstand in each room. Don’t forget to take it with you if you know you won’t be back before we go to bed. Mr. O’Toole can be a real bear if he’s woken up.”

“I’ll be sure to take the code,” Ethan said as he made his way into the room that smelled like the flowers that bloomed beneath the open window. “We’ll be out late. But we’ll be sure to come in quietly, so we don’t wake you two.”

“Thank you, that would be greatly appreciated,” Mrs. O’Toole said then left him alone.

A short time later, the three congregated in the hallway after putting their things away. “It’s half past nine,” Griff said. “Time to be on our way to Flannigan’s.”

Having let the driving service go, they called a cab and waited on the front porch as they rocked in three of the massive white rockers that were strategically placed on the large porch. “It’s nice out here,” Phoenix remarked as he looked up at the sky. “You can’t see as many stars as you can where I live on the third coast in Texas, but it’s nice just the same.”

“It appears you two are a couple of country gents,” Ethan said. “I’ve lived all my life in cities. Edinburgh, Scotland is where I grew up. A country night, I’ve never had.”

“Then you’ll have to make a visit to our Montana ranch sometime. If you want to see all the stars,” Griffin offered. “You too, Phoenix. Montana is closer to Heaven than Texas is.”

“Don’t go knocking Texas, friend,” Phoenix said as he chuckled. “But thanks for the invite. I’d like to come see your ranch.”

The cab pulled up, and the three went to it. “This is where we start our bet, men,” Ethan told the other two.

“Flannigan’s Pub, please,” Griffin called out to the driver.

“Flannigan’s, it is,” the driver said then pulled away from the curb.

Though seasoned in the ways of love, each man felt a bit nervous as they rode to the pub where they’d try their hand at beating the other two men to the bedroom with the woman chosen for them.

Though only a Thursday night, they found the pub’s parking lot packed. “Glad we took a taxi,” Phoenix said as they got out of the cab.

Ethan walked ahead of the other two and opened the heavy wooden door. “Authentic,” he muttered as he let the other two walk in before him.

Dim light lit the pub. The smell of fried foods and alcohol filled the air, combining with the many perfumes and colognes the people in the crowded place were wearing.

A young woman, wearing a T-shirt with the pub’s name on the right pocket, blue jeans, tennis shoes, and a black apron came to them. Her smile was bright, and her doe-like brown eyes were sparkly as she greeted them, “Hi, welcome to Flannigan’s. Are we drinking, or eating and drinking this fine evening, gentlemen?”

“Both,” Ethan answered for them.

“Fancy a table or a booth?” she asked as she turned around to grab some menus.

“Table,” Griffin called out so he could be heard over the noisy crowd.

With a nod, she led them away, seating them at a table for four.

With the menus placed in front of them, she asked, “What can I get you, fellas, to drink.”

“Pints,” Ethan said. “For all of us. Run a tab. It’s on me tonight.”

“Generous,” she said then left the men to go get their drinks.

They scanned the room, searching for the women they’d like for themselves while also keeping in mind who they were to pick for.

There were short, tall, skinny, and chubby women of all kinds and hair colors. A buffet of beauties to choose from. It wouldn’t be easy to narrow it down to one each. “Wow, we have some fine choices here tonight. You picked the right place, Phoenix,” Griffin said then high-fived him.

“I sure did. I can’t pick any one of them out as the best,” Phoenix agreed.

“But you must,” Ethan reminded him. “Don’t forget our personal preferences, either.”

Phoenix nodded as the tall mugs full of dark beer arrived. “Guinness, huh?” Griffin asked the waitress. A different young woman than the one who sat them down.

“That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?” she asked before putting the beers down.

“It is, darlin’ and can we have some hot wings to go with them?” Ethan asked her.

“Sure. Really hot or kind of hot?” the waitress asked them as she placed the frothy mugs in front of each one of them.

“Kind of,” Griffin said. “We don’t want dragon breath, now do we?”

She nodded. “I’ll make sure there’s some celery to cleanse your palates, gentlemen. And blue cheese with them?”

Phoenix nodded then added, “And how about some shots of fireball too?”

“Will do,” she told him then went away to turn in their order.

The atmosphere was electric. Energy filled the space around them. “It’s like Julia’s here,” Griffin said.

The others nodded in agreement. Their sexual mentor seemed to be leading them, and with her help, one would win the bet, of that they were all positive.