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  “Damn bro, you caught me creamin’ myself again.” His shit-eating grin was infectious.

  “Sadly,” Avery said as he shook his head. “It’s not the first time and probably not the last.” Avery cocked his head at the mess. “Klutz.”

  “Guilty as charged.” Boone spotted me and smiled widely. “Well hello there!” He wiped a frosted hand on a clean spot on a pant leg and thrust it at me. “Boone Myer. The funny and handsome Myer triplet and you might be…?”

  “I’m Martin Gaither. Nice to meet you,” I replied with a smile. Boone Myer was one charming rascal, of that I was certain.

  “Martin…” Boone’s brow furrowed. “Why does that name…?” His eyes practically popped out of his head as realization hit. “Oh holy shit tits!” He bounced excitedly from one foot to the other. “You’re the hottie that hoovered my brother!”

  “Boone!” Avery snapped and I turned fifty shades of red.

  All around us other bakery workers milled about as they worked on various projects and I was mortified at the thought that they’d heard Boone. Of course, it didn’t seem to bother him at all.

  “Boone nothin’,” His grin was like a naughty schoolboy’s. “You’re the dude my brother has been goin’ on and on about for the last few weeks. You rocked his borin’ ass world.” Boone grabbed my hand and pumped it enthusiastically. “From the bottom of mine, Cotton, Momma and Mawmaw’s hearts, thank you for doin’ him. He stayed in a great mood for weeks after comin’ back from the club. Old grumpy-ass couldn’t stop smilin’ for days.”

  A young brunette woman stomped over to where we stood and thrust a towel and a mop at Boone. “Here you go, your highness.”

  “Ya not gonna wipe me down, Ria?” Boone made kissy faces at her. She snorted and rolled her eyes.

  “Hell no. I’m not touchin’ you. I know where you’ve been.” She stuck her tongue out and flounced away with a toss of her hair. Boone’s shook as he laughed and he guffawed as Ria flipped him the bird.

  “Ya know you can never have me, Ria,” he hollered at her retreating back. “I prefer outdoor plumbin’.”

  “Then I’d be one of the few that hasn’t plumbed you,” she countered.

  Laughter filled the kitchen from all corners and Avery and I joined in the good-natured teasing. Boone scowled at us.

  “She’s right,” Avery said, smirking.

  Boone made a face at him and started to clean himself off. “Yeah, yeah, I know. I’m the klutzy, slutty one,” he grumbled then flashed a smile at me. “But I’m also the only brother without a gag reflex.” The leer he shot me curled my toes. The same leer quickly disappeared as Avery cuffed him soundly. “Ow!” Boone complained. “What was that for?”

  “Back off, asshat. Martin’s with me.” Avery practically growled and dang it, if I didn’t go all mushy inside. As soon as the warning was given his face relaxed and he said, “We came here wonderin’ if you could make us up some of those grilled cheese and smoked bacon sandwiches? I told Martin we could score free food.”

  “’Course I can!” Boone replied. “Come on back and I’ll knock us up some.” He turned his head and shouted at a young man nearby at the main sinks. “Mikey, can you mop this up for me?”

  The young boy huffed out a long suffering sigh and drawled, “I hear… I obey.” Mikey shuffled over and took the mop from Boone.

  “I get no respect,” Boone said with a lopsided grin and ushered us deeper into the kitchen.

  How, in the heck, does anyone get any work done in here?

  The whole place smelled divine. I inhaled deeply as the glorious scent of freshly baking bread wafted over me. While Avery and Boone talked, I took a minute to look around the kitchen. There were cakes, pies, pastries and cookies cooling on various racks. The saliva pooled in my mouth as I stared at them and I’m sure I drooled.

  Boone was talking to Avery a mile a minute and it was interesting to see the two of them interact. It was like looking at Avery in a mirror. I know it sounds silly, them being identical triplets and all, but they looked so much alike it was eerie. But that was where the similarities ended. Boone was so much more outgoing than Avery.

  We sat on the pair of stools Boone indicated to us and watched as he buzzed around the kitchen. In short order he cut six, thick slices of freshly baked bread from a loaf he had snagged from a nearby shelf onto a baking sheet. He strode over to the cooler, opened the door and disappeared inside it, returning a few moments later with two containers. He set them onto the prep table and popped their tops. He placed heaping handfuls of grated cheese from one container onto each of the slices of bread then lined up several pieces of bacon on each mound of cheese. He then slathered the remaining pieces of bread with mayonnaise and mustard before setting them atop the cheese and bacon. He turned on his heel with the tray in his hands and popped the completed sandwiches into one of the main ovens a few feet behind him.

  All the time Boone worked, Avery’s hand rested on my thigh and he drew lazy circles with his fingers. I’m not sure Avery even grasped how hot and bothered he made me.

  “I love comin’ here for his sandwiches,” Avery explained and sniffed the air with his eyes closed and an appreciative smile on his face. The tantalizing aroma of cheese and bacon already filled the air.

  “That’s ‘cause I’m an awesome cook.” Boone washed his hands in a nearby sink. “And so are you, bro, but you don’t like to cook anythin’ but meat.” He turned back to the oven. Opening it, he deftly pulled the sandwiches out and plated them with practiced ease. He spooned some chutney on each plate then brought them over to us. He set the plates down in front of us then grabbed his own and joined us.

  I hefted the thick, hot sandwich and gingerly dipped it into the chutney before I took a bite. It was ah-mazing. Cheesy, spicy and crispy, and I moaned in appreciation.

  “I see why you like him.” Boone quirked an eyebrow at me. “He’s scrumptious and definitely poundable.”

  I chewed quickly and swallowed to avoid choking on my sandwich.

  “Watch your mouth, Boone,” Avery snapped. Boone didn’t even bat an eye at his brother’s warning.

  “Hey, all I’m sayin’ is you done good, bro. He’s cute.” He turned to me. “If you can put a smile on ole sour puss, I’m totally in your corner.” He lowered his head and rubbed his lower lip sensually at me. “You ever get tired of him, I’m single.”

  “Fuck off,” Avery spat. He dropped his sandwich onto the plate and pushed Boone away with a hand to his head.

  “Sour puss?” I asked, spraying the table with breadcrumbs. I excused myself for talking with my mouthful.

  “He’s the serious one. You know, the oldest, the leader, blah-blah-blah. He really has to learn how to relax. He’s wound so tight, you couldn’t pull a needle outta his butt with a tractor,” Boone replied and took a huge, noisy crunch out of his sandwich.

  Now that was an image and I laughed so hard my sides hurt. Avery’s face looked like a storm cloud, so I shoulder bumped him. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to laugh,” I said contritely. I didn’t want him angry with me, because we were on our first date and I wanted another.

  Avery thought about it for a moment and shrugged good-naturedly. “He’s right.”

  “He never goes out and I was shocked to hear he went to Hobbins.” Boone shook his finger at Avery, who slapped it away. “Cotton and I have gone a few times and asked him to go with us, but he always bailed. He’s afraid he’ll run into someone who knew him.”

  “And he did,” I said with a smile. “At my daughter’s school. Though, it’s not like I planned it. It was sheer coincidence.”

  “I get ya, but I bet it was one helluva shock. You sucked the cream outta his Twinkie and bahblam, a few weeks later you two meet at your kids’ first day of school. That’s karma. She wants you two together.” Boone wiggled his brows suggestively at us.

  “Sucked the cream out of his Twinkie? That’s a new one for me,” I snickered and gave Avery my best sultry look. “And a d
elicious Twinkie it is.”

  Boone howled with laughter and, although he flushed bright red, Avery chuckled and said softly, “Thanks, Martin.”

  “Shoot! You got him blushin’ and shit. Avery never loses his cool. The man is frosty twenty-four-seven.” Boone slapped the table with his palms as he continued to laugh.

  “Don’t listen to him, Martin. He lies.” Avery ripped a piece of crust from his sandwich and threw it at his brother. “A lot!” Boone dodged the flying food and snickered.

  “No I don’t, Cotton lies. He’s the one who suffers from lie-arrhea,” Boone shot back. “I’m the brutally honest one and you… well, you white lie as you need to.” Boone left the table and returned from raiding the fridge with bottled waters for each of us.

  “Care to explain how you white lie?” I asked after taking a drink of my water. My curiosity had been piqued.

  “Oh, oh, oh! Let me! Let me!” Boone almost bounced out of his seat. He didn’t even let Avery give the go ahead before he rushed on. “I heard this story from Momma so its second hand family gossip but it still counts. One Sunday, a few months ago, Avery caught Peg watchin’ a televangelist preachin’ hellfire and damnation. Why that channel was on Mawmaw’s TV is a mystery, ‘cause she doesn’t like religious TV shows. In fact, she doesn’t like organized religion period.”

  “Yeah. In her opinion God doesn’t take attendance, so why even go to church?” Avery added.

  “Exactly,” Boone said. “Anyhoo, the preacher was goin’ on about how gays were abominations and how they would burn in hell. You know, typical crazy bigoted shit. So my big brother walks into the living-room and tells Peg that he heard if you watch that mean stuff on TV, your butthole would bleed.”

  I dropped my sandwich, shocked. “You what?”

  Avery folded his arms over his chest defensively and groused. “The guy was bashin’ on gays and transgender people. I didn’t know Peg was watchin’ it. I only wanted him to understand that the preacher was spewin’ out hate and I don’t want anyone to teach my kid to hate people for being different. And anyway, Boone is full of shit. I don’t remember sayin’ all that.” Boone sat back, folded his arms over his chest and snorted at Avery who held up his hands. “Okay, maybe, I may… may have said watchin’ organized religious shows can cause—”

  “Your butthole to bleed,” Boone finished the sentence then burst out laughing and I laughed so hard, my eyes watered. Avery waved us off.

  “Shut up, Boone, it’s my story and I still say you’re exaggeratin’. I told him a little white lie. Parents occasionally lie to their kids to protect them.” Avery looked at me and back to Boone. Wiping my eyes, I patted Avery on the arm and turned to Boone.

  “He’s right. Parents lie to protect their kids or to spare their feelins,” I admitted. Taking a deep breath, I recalled a little white lie that backfired on me. “Poppy made breakfast for me when I was visitin’ her mother’s house one mornin’. Pancakes. Simple, easy to make—pancakes. What I was served tasted like cardboard and I had raw egg and shell in my mouth more than once. Her mother tried to help her cook but Poppy wouldn’t let her. Poppy is a bit headstrong and insisted on doing it all by herself.

  “I, of course, told her they were the best pancakes ever, so she made me more—my little white lie. Needless to say, the pancakes didn’t sit well on my stomach. I ended up getting’ salmonella from the eggshells and spent eight days on the can.” Avery and Boone laughed raucously. “My ass was so sore it felt like I’d sat on a cactus. I had to sit on an inflatable ring for weeks!”

  “I like him, bro. He’s not prissy like Brace,” Boone mumbled, as he chewed another mouthful of his sandwich and steadfastly ignored the furious stares from his brother.

  “Brace?” Intrigued, I gave Avery a side glance.

  “Brace,” Avery explained as he glared daggers at Boone, “was the last guy I dated ‘bout a year ago. He was kinda high maintenance.”

  “High maintenance?” Boone exclaimed. “His eyebrows were so plucked and shaped he looked permanently surprised!” Boone raised his brows to show me and I giggled.

  Avery crossed his arms over his chest and snarked, “Ha, ha. You’re so funny, I forgot to laugh.”

  I snickered again. I liked Boone, but I liked Avery way more!

  Chapter 4

  Avery

  I’d hoped Martin was having a good time with me and he seemed to be enjoying himself. Personally, I was having a great time and Boone liked him to boot. But, in truth, Boone wasn’t exactly an accurate barometer on dating because his dates usually lasted only an hour or so and, once the pants came back up, Boone was out the door. My brother was not much for post coital cuddling or romance.

  I have to admit, I was envious of how easily Boone could talk to guys. His weird sense of humor and outgoing nature drew men like bees to honey. Cotton had no problem meeting guys either. He had the whole angry outlaw, bad-boy thing going and men fell over themselves to get his attention. Me, I’m the quiet, serious one and even though we look exactly alike, they tended to be more successful in the romance department than me; so, having Martin interested in me and not dropping me for Boone boosted my confidence. We finished our food and were about to leave when Boone stopped us.

  “Hey, quick question, Martin. Are you related to an Emmett Gaither?”

  “Yes, he’s my cousin. He lives in my home town, Tatesville, ‘bout an hour or so east of Atlanta.”

  Boone’s face lit up and he bounded around the table. “Oh man! I was wonderin’ if you were related. I wasn’t one hundred percent sure, but Gaither isn’t that common a name, so I took a chance. Isn’t he getting married?”

  “Yes. Him and his fiancé, Alex are gettin’ married on their farm in the spring. Why?”

  Boone slapped his knee and said, “They just consulted with me last week! I might be doin’ their weddin’ cake!”

  I watched realization hit Martin and he said, “I wondered who was doin’ the cake! My cousin Bumper’s bakery, Rising Son, was goin’ to do it, but their decorator is out of commission with a torn rotator cuff. She’s gonna have to have shoulder surgery. The other bakery in town refused to do a bunch a faggots’ wedding cake.” Martin’s eyes darkened and his tone turned icy. “My whole family boycotted the other bakery after that remark.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” Boone said sympathetically. “But I’m happier than a pig in shit that I might get the commission. I told Alex and Emmett they’re in good hands ‘cause I know their decorator! Marilee, from Rising Son, was one of my original teachers when I was at the Le Cordon Bleu. I’m meetin’ with them next week to hammer out what they want and to do a tastin’. It’s gonna be one of my biggest cakes to date if I get it. The cake has to feed a hundred plus guests.”

  Martin chuckled and said, “They’re gettin’ married in the backyard of their farm and wanted a small ceremony, but Emmett’s momma, Miss Mabel, wouldn’t have it. Her baby boy was gonna have a big weddin’ and, as a result, the guest list just kept growin’.”

  “Wow.” Boone whistled through his teeth. “A gay weddin’ in Tatesville. That town is still kinda redneck though, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, we’re all a bunch of rowdy rednecks,” Martin crowed. “But Emmett is the youngest son of Mabel and Abe Gaither and those two are the heart, soul and backbone of the Gaither clan. So, it’s gonna be a weddin’ and reception to beat all!”

  I envied the twinkle of joy in Martin’s eyes as he spoke of his extended family. Momma, Mawmaw, Peg and my brothers were my only close family here in Atlanta. The rest of the family lived way out west in Utah.

  Martin animatedly chatted with Boone and I bit the inside of my mouth to keep from snapping at Boone. He was on a date with me—not Boone. I couldn’t believe I was jealous of my own brother. I took a deep breath to cool my jets and counted to ten, then touched Martin’s elbow. He immediately gave me his full attention and, not wanting to end the date yet, I asked, “Wanna go for a walk in the park?”

  �
��Sure.” Martin’s eyes crinkled adorably at the corners as he smiled at me. "Nice meetin’ you Boone.” He waved goodbye to Boone and walked to the door that led out of the kitchen. I followed and glanced back over my shoulder to see Boone give me the thumbs up. I grinned wickedly and returned the gesture.

  Let’s see; Boone liked Martin which was a good sign and Peg had already met him so that was two down, three to go. All I had to do was introduce him to Momma, Mawmaw and Cotton. God help me—and Martin.

  *

  The stroll through the park turned out to be an awesome idea. The day was hot but a nice breeze had kicked up. Martin hadn’t been kidding when he said he talked a lot. Lord above, could he talk. I spoke when I was able to get a word in edgewise, but was happy to listen to him natter on, touching upon his work, his family and life in general. When he was done, he peppered me with questions about me and my family. The only time I held back was about Peg. He must have sensed my reticence.

  “He’s your world, ain’t he?” Martin said softly and I nodded.

  I gave him a thoughtful smile. “He’s my everythin’. I never would have believed a little shit like him could have me wrapped around his finger so tightly, but he does. Everythin’ I do is for him. When Daisy died I needed to change my hours at my last job so I could spend more time with him. I had been line cook at the time and sixteen hour days didn’t lend to quality time with my son. I had originally been fired but I needed a job, so I tucked tail and asked for my old one back.”

  “The head chef, a total fucktard, laughed in my face and said I could choose between the restaurant and my kid. You should have seen his face when I chose my kid and walked out. A week later I started work at the butcher shop near my house with better hours. The lady who runs it, Piper, has four kids of her own and understood my wantin’ more time to spend with Peg.”