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  “Shit!” She dialed her dad. As soon as he answered, Em said, “Mom’s next door pounding on Jarred’s door.”

  “Goddammit! That’s it.” She heard the sound of a toilet flushing, a sink, then what sounded like him running.

  Obviously, her mother had taken advantage of her dad being in the bathroom to pull this latest stunt.

  She heard the sound of a door opening and slamming, and then the sound of him running across the yard. “Francis! What the hell are you doing?”

  She heard her mom’s teary, shrill voice in the background, then the sound of a door opening and her dad talking to Jarred.

  “Dad? Dad! What’s going on?”

  He must have remembered he had the phone in his hand. “Sorry. I’m here. I’ll call you from the hospital. I’m taking her there right now. Love you.”

  The phone went dead.

  Thinking surely this was the nightmare, and her earlier encounter with Jarred must have been a dream, she called Jarred back.

  “Hey. He’s got her.”

  “What happened?”

  “I didn’t open the door. She started pounding on it, demanding I come out and talk to her, telling me that she didn’t want me dating her daughter.”

  “Oh, my god. I’m so sorry.”

  “I’m going to be honest with you that if she’s playing this as an act, she’s good. I’ve worked a few tours through geriatric wards, spent two months in school working at a nursing home. I think they’re going to find a legit medical issue of some sort going on.”

  “If you want to cancel tonight—”

  “Nope. When I opened the door after your dad got here, he shook hands with me, introduced himself, and profusely apologized for your mom’s behavior. All while she was screaming incoherently at me. He literally wrapped his arms around your mom and—hold on.”

  “What?”

  “Um, let me call you back.”

  “Now what’s going on?” But she was talking to a dead line.

  He called her five minutes later. “You might want to call your dad.”

  She rubbed her forehead, afraid to ask. “Why?”

  “I think he called the po-po on your mom.”

  “What?”

  “There’s a deputy parked in front of your house, and now there’s an ambulance.”

  “Shit.” Her phone beeped, an incoming call from her dad. “Dad’s calling me.” She switched over to the call. “A deputy and an ambulance? Really?”

  “Yep. On the way back to the house, she told me she was going to kill herself to put herself out of everyone’s misery. Locked herself in our bedroom. I called 911, then her doctor. I’m getting her Baker Acted. He’s going to have one of the doctors in his practice who’s at the hospital right now handle the paperwork and admission.”

  “But…she probably didn’t mean it!”

  “Yeah, well, then it sucks to be her today.”

  “Dad! This is not funny!”

  “No, it’s not. I’m done fooling around, sweetheart. She’s had three years to get her head out of her ass. Three. Years. Now, I’m serious. I don’t want you to come to the hospital. I’m going to call Don and Amy and tell them the same thing. If she’s looking for sympathy and attention, then she’s not going to get rewarded with it. If she’s genuinely sick, she’s going to get help and needs to focus on that. So don’t you dare change your plans tonight. I’ll call you back later. Love you.” He ended the call.

  Em sat back, staring at her phone, flinching at the knock on her door. “Yeah?”

  Mitchell stuck his head in the door. “What’s going on?”

  “The world’s gone crazy, that’s what.”

  “Huh?”

  Once she updated Mitchell, he ordered her to go home, either to work or relax or drink herself into a stupor, he didn’t care which, as long as she took the day off. By the time she got there, of course, her dad’s car was gone, and so were her dad and mom.

  She dropped her stuff in the living room and headed over to Jarred’s. He must have heard her car pull up, because when she walked up, he opened the front door before she even reached the porch.

  When he opened his arms to her for a hug, she practically fell into them.

  “Want to talk about it?” he asked.

  “This is freaking crazy.” Still safely in his arms, she told him what her dad had said.

  “I don’t want to, but we can postpone tonight, if you want.”

  “No. He was adamant. Frankly, I want something to take my mind off this.” The last thing she wanted to do was move from his comforting embrace.

  When was the last time she’d been able to snuggle with someone?

  Too damn long.

  She snuggled more tightly against him.

  They stood there in silence for a few minutes until he cleared his throat. “I hate to make you move, but I have to.”

  “Why?” she mumbled against his shirt.

  “Because the cable installer just pulled up outside.”

  She looked up into Jarred’s face, his smile. “Are you getting WiFi?”

  “Uh, is the sky blue?”

  “Can I work over here today?”

  “Are you really okay?”

  “Please?”

  “Of course you can. As long as you don’t mind working at the dining room table. It’s about the only place to sit I can offer you.”

  “I’ll take it.”

  “Me working around here won’t bother you?”

  “Can’t bother me worse than my mother does,” she said.

  “Then go get what you need.”

  She returned home to change into shorts and a T-shirt and get her laptop and phone. She grabbed her cell charger, too, suspecting she might need it. Before returning to Jarred’s, she texted her dad.

  How is she?

  He texted her back almost immediately.

  Combative and screaming. They just sedated her. Her doctor is filing for an involuntary hold until we get her stabilized.

  She called him. “Seriously, should I come to the hospital?”

  “Nope. She’s already calmed down, now that she’s been medicated. They need to put her through a full battery of tests to make sure it’s not something simple, like her blood sugar being out of whack, or to rule out a stroke or something. I’ve already called Amy and Don and told them to stay away, too.”

  “I feel like a horrible daughter.”

  “Why? This isn’t you. This is her. I want her focused on getting through this, not on you kids. And I don’t want the grandkids around her like this. The doctor agreed that it’s best we limit her contact for now.”

  “Yeah, but if I stay out tonight—”

  “She’ll still be in hospital and you’d be sitting at home, wishing you had gone through with your plans.”

  “What about you?”

  “I’m buying myself a six-pack of beer on the way home and watching TV naked in the living room tonight. You still want to stay home?”

  That finally made her laugh. “Put down a towel, please.”

  He finally laughed. “See? Humor will get us through this. Love you.”

  “Love you, too, Dad.”

  Trying not to feel guilty, she headed back to Jarred’s.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Once the cable guy had left—and Em was using a blazing fast Internet connection that had her questioning her current service provider—Em got to work and found herself tapping her feet to Jarred’s choice in music. Today he was finishing up emptying out the spare bedrooms and closets and the garage in preparation of moving the remaining furniture out there.

  Em offered to help him, but he declined with a smile.

  “You’re supposed to be working, Ma’am.”

  “I’d still be working. Sort of.”

  She finally pulled her mind into her work and was plugging away at that when her phone rang.

  Amy.

  “So how do we get Dad to let us see Mom?”

  Em stood and car
ried the phone out onto the back lanai. “We don’t,” she told her. “Dad gave us orders.”

  “But if she’s that bad—”

  “I’m going by what Dad said. If the doctor wants her there and not to have visitors right now, that’s what we’re going to do.”

  “I don’t feel right just sitting by with our mother in the hospital.”

  “You haven’t had to live with her.”

  “That’s kind of mean.”

  “Again, you haven’t had to live with her. I thought after the other night we were all on the same page.”

  “All right. I just want to make sure.”

  “Listen to Dad. She’s in the best place for her right now. Once she’s stabilized, I’m sure we’ll be able to visit.”

  Em decided to leave out her dad’s plans for the move since she didn’t know how much Amy knew.

  When she returned to the dining room and sat down, Jarred poked his head in. “You all right?”

  “Yeah, just my sister.” She looked at him. “Maybe I should worry about the two of you if you’re so hot to get involved with a chick with a crazy family.”

  He grinned. “Maybe you should.”

  “Dad said not to change my plans tonight, so I won’t.”

  He leaned against the doorway. “I think Garrison and I will be able to keep you distracted. One way, or another.”

  There was that sexy kiss from earlier to consider. If she had that—and more—to look forward to, yeah, they’d be distracting her.

  “I hope so.”

  * * * *

  Jarred felt badly for Em, but after what he’d witnessed that morning, he could only imagine what she’d been living through the past three years.

  She deserved a little “me” time without feeling guilty over it.

  Hopefully, he and Garrison could distract her. Their conversation last night in bed gave him hope that if Em was willing, they might be able to ease her into it.

  For lunch, she insisted he come back home with her and she made them sandwiches. Her house was homey, neat, tidy, and seemed a perfect reflection of what he knew about her so far.

  “So in a week, we’ve gone from my mom trying to get you arrested to discussing sexy time,” she said. Then her eyes widened. “Oh! Now I totally get that handcuffs comment you made, too.”

  “Yeah. I’m a bad boy.”

  “Looking to get spanked?”

  “Maybe.” He offered her what he hoped was a playful grin.

  After lunch they returned to his house. He was out in the garage and she was working on her laptop in the dining room when Garrison called him.

  “I got your text. What’s going on?”

  Jarred could barely contain his excitement. “She’s coming over tonight for dinner and to talk. And…more. It’s a long story.”

  “Talk about what?”

  “Us.” Garrison was quiet for so long Jarred thought maybe the call had dropped. “You there?”

  “Us, us?”

  “Yeah. I told her dinner, and talking, and she’s going to spend the whole night. Either with us or in the guest room. We’ll see.”

  “I’ll pick up dinner on the way home, then. Love you.”

  “Love you, too.”

  * * * *

  Em’s dad still wasn’t home that evening when Em packed an overnight bag and locked up her house before walking back over to Jarred’s. It was hard for Jarred to think of it as “his” house, or “their” house yet, but that was getting easier.

  Jarred wouldn’t have blamed Em if she’d decided to take her own car, but the fact that she trusted him enough to still want to ride with him meant a lot.

  He took the bag from her. “I mean it. If you want to come home tonight, no worries. No pressure. Or you can have the guest room.”

  She grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pulled him in for another kiss that made his cock instantly ache as hard as it had that morning during their kiss.

  “I’m staying all night, one way or another. So let’s go,” she said. “Please?”

  “Yes, Ma’am.”

  He wouldn’t let her carry her stuff, except for her purse. Then he held the passenger door open for her. “Ma’am.”

  “Thank you.”

  “When you’re with us, we always open doors for you. Unless you don’t want us to.”

  “No, I like it. Been a long time since I’ve had someone do that. I mean, besides my dad and Mitchell and Brent.”

  “Prepare to be pampered, then.”

  They arrived before Garrison. Jarred carried her stuff into the guest room, just in case. At least there she’d have some privacy, if she wanted it.

  “I’m going to grab a shower real fast,” he said.

  “Is it okay if I get one, too?” she asked.

  “Sure. You take yours first.”

  He got her set up in the guest bathroom. While she was doing that, he started setting the table for dinner. For just the two of them, usually they’d use paper plates and collapse on the couch.

  Maybe one day in the future they’d have that kind of informality with her, too.

  For now, they’d go all the way, and it felt good being able to eat like this again. Janis had always loved coming home to a formal dinner. It was something she’d rarely had growing up, and appreciated that they’d put the effort in for her sake.

  That meant tablecloth, dishes, silverware, everything.

  He heard Em open the bathroom door and hurried to meet her. “Can I get you anything?”

  She smiled. “I think I’ll take that beer tonight. Not like I’ll be driving.”

  “Yes, Ma’am.” He quickly went to get it, startled by her gasp behind him.

  He turned. “What’s wrong?”

  “You set the table?”

  “Yes?”

  She reached out and touched the table cloth. “Really?”

  He handed her the beer. “Really.”

  She’d put on an adorable, simple sundress. “I feel underdressed.”

  “No, you look beautiful.”

  She blushed, the pink rising from her chest, up her neck, into her cheeks. “I’m really nervous.”

  “That’s okay. So are we, believe me. Meanwhile, feel free to make yourself at home, turn on the TV, whatever.” He went to get his shower before Garrison got home.

  He really hoped tonight might bring about some desperately good changes for them all.

  * * * *

  Em hadn’t felt this nervous in years.

  Is this a date? Technically, I guess it’s a date.

  And since it wasn’t the first time she’d sort of technically been on a date with the guys, she hoped that didn’t mean she was being easy.

  There was the dinner here last week, then going out for pizza with them. The dinner party last night. Not to mention lunch with Garrison, breakfast with Jarred, and holding Jarred’s hand at the ER while he got stitched up.

  That all counts, right?

  She walked over to the shelf holding the urn and some of the pictures and studied them. One of the pictures was Janis in her uniform. In others, it was her with the guys.

  Something all of the pictures of the three had in common was that the men were usually looking at her with love and devotion in their eyes.

  A wistful pang twisted her heart. Even in the good days, she never had a picture of Ronnie looking at her like that.

  No one had ever looked at her like that.

  Maybe she was being silly to put her hopes into this, but she wanted this. Two guys to love and care for her?

  Yes, please.

  She finally remembered the beer in her hand and took a long pull from the bottle. She’d limit herself to this one, because she wanted to be sober for their discussion, even if all they did was talk.

  When Garrison arrived home a little later, she was sitting on the couch and watching the evening news. He had his hands full with pizza boxes and a couple of takeout containers balanced on top.

  Rising, she went
to help him, but he refused with a smile. “No, Ma’am. I’ve got it.”

  “Can I please help?”

  “You can grab the door for me.”

  She closed it behind him and flipped the deadbolt before following him to the kitchen. That’s when Jarred emerged from the bedroom, freshly showered and dressed in nothing but a pair of shorts.

  “Yum, pizza!” He walked in and helped Garrison lay everything out on the counter.

  She realized Garrison also had a laptop case on one shoulder. “Can I at least take your bag?”

  “I’ve got it,” Jarred said, jumping into action to relieve him of it. As he passed her, he gave her a quick peck on the lips. “We’ve got this, Ma’am.”

  Garrison had seen the kiss, one eyebrow arching.

  She walked over to him. “So did he tell you about today?”

  “Only that it was a long story. What happened?”

  “Well…” She set her beer on the counter before she lost her nerve. “There was this.” She reached up and pulled him in for a long, slow kiss that had her wanting to skip dinner and get straight to dessert.

  “That was breakfast,” Jarred said when he returned. “Then there was her mom interrupting us, her mom coming back, her mom getting involuntarily committed—”

  “Wait, what?” Garrison gently grabbed her wrists and held them, looking down at her. “Can someone please back up and start over?”

  She did. By the time they were sitting down to eat, Garrison was completely caught up.

  “If tonight’s too overwhelming,” he said, “we can do this another night. We’re not going anywhere.”

  “Nope. I want to do this tonight.” She met Jarred’s gaze. “Especially since someone said there might be some alternatives to sex until we all get test results and I get back on the pill.”

  Garrison brought her hand to his lips. She loved that, loved that they could melt her with such a tender expression of affection.

  “We can. If that’s what you want.”

  “Yeah, that’s what I want.”

  “Jarred’s right that we’re a package deal. Along with that, some ironclad rules are no lying, and definitely no cheating.”

  “Agreed. And that goes both ways.”

  “That goes without saying,” Jarred said.