Dressed in jeans, his usual motorcycle boots, and signature white T-shirt minus his motorcycle club vest, he looked freshly showered and too good-looking with his dark yellow scruff covering the lower half of his face. “It’s been the beginning of the end since he started talkin’. I’m gonna be payin’ for all the stupid-ass shit I did with that boy.”

I laughed because I could tell, like father like son. And hadn’t I just thought the same thing about Josh?

He winked as he stopped in front of me on the deck, his face playful, eyes bright.

“Hi, Trip,” I greeted him, grinning wide.

“Hey, honey.”

Feeling a little shy, I held out an arm and he leaned into me, throwing his own arm over my shoulder to give me a hug. The big smile on his face as he pulled back reminded me of how much I liked him. Part of it was because he reminded me so much of Ginny, but I really did feel like I knew him and was comfortable around him.

“Thanks for inviting Dean over,” he said, resting his hands on his hips.

The laugh I let out was all balled up nerves and dread and panic, and that must have been noticeable on my face because the older man burst out laughing.

“You just figured out you’re in for a world of shit tonight, huh?” Trip cackled out the statement.

Oh my God, I really cracked up that time, everything bubbling up inside of me. “I am, aren’t I?” I wheezed. “I’m scared to go in there. I really am.”

That only made him laugh harder.

“I’m just going to lock them in the room together and see what happens,” I joked, not knowing how else to cope but to make a joke so I wouldn’t cry. “Jace’s mom pretty much just kicked him out of the car and waved at me from the driver seat, and Kline’s mom came up to the door with him and burned rubber getting the hell out of here,” I told him.

“Jace and Kline are here?”

Oh God. “I messed up, didn’t I?”

“You got Benadryl?”

“Yeah….”

“I know me and Kline’s mom wouldn’t even be a little mad if you slipped ‘em some Benny later.” He could barely get the words out. “I’m just sayin’.”

What had I done? I should have asked for report cards and shit to approve the boys before they’d come over. Incident reports from other parents. Interviews. Something.

I groaned. Then I groaned a little more. I wasn’t going to cry this early in the evening. I wouldn’t.

Just messing around, I asked, “You got plans tonight? I have a few steaks in the fridge I was going to make for dinner tomorrow. I could be convinced to grill tonight…” I trailed off, half laughing as I said it.

One blue eye peered back at me, the corner of a grin caught high. “I was plannin’ on headin’ over to Mayhem since you’re keepin’ Dean tonight.” He pursed his lips together. “I could run to the store and get some beer and come back.”

Well shit. I hadn’t exactly expected him to take me seriously, but now that he wasn’t disagreeing… I eyed him a little, hoping he hadn’t gotten the wrong message from my invitation.

“As long as you promise you’re not gonna hit on me or anythin’.” He pretty much gurgled out in a laugh.

Goddammit. I couldn’t believe it. Dallas had told him. I threw my hands up as I leveled a glare at the blond. “Just friends, Jesus Christ. The little one is here, too. There will be supervision.”

“I’m fuckin’ with you, honey,” he chuckled. “Need anything from the store?”

I had already stocked up that morning since it had been my day off. “I’m good, thank you.”

Trip winked. “All right. I’ll be back then.”

I was beyond relieved to have someone else in the house with me while they were all over, even if that person was Trip. I gulped and turned to head back into my house as my new dinner buddy made his way toward his truck. Inside, the living room was empty, but I could hear a racket coming from Josh’s room. With Louie nowhere in sight, I peeked into his room and found him sprawled width-wise across his bed with his tablet in hand going at whatever game he was playing.

My guts went as far as to look into Josh’s room to find four boys in there. Josh had already asked me if we could move the Xbox into his room for the night, and I’d agreed. His other aunt had given him a small television for his last birthday, so if they broke anything, at least it would be his TV and not our forty-five inch. Before I got caught, I snuck back out and headed toward the kitchen.

I got as far as wrapping some potatoes in foil and seasoning the four steaks I’d bought the day before, with the intention of inviting my parents to dinner, when the doorbell rang. Through the peephole I found the back of Trip’s head on the other side, the phone he held to his face just barely visible.

“I told you where I’m at. Across the street. Diana has Dean.” Trip turned around in midconversation as the door creaked while I opened it. He held up the six-pack he’d run out to buy. “I just bought a six. Hold on.” He pulled the phone away from his face and asked, “You mind if Dallas comes over and has a beer?”

Huh. I shrugged and shook my head. We had made amends. Sort of. “Nope.” At least I had enough food. I’d planned on ordering Josh and his friends pizza later.

“Diana said to come over. She’s scared of Jace and Kline,” he told his cousin.