“I think she’ll enjoy it,” Michael said. “But from what I know about women, it’s going to take some work on your part to make sure she does. You’re going to have to learn to appreciate her all over again, just like I did with Piper. That means no fucking other women while you’re there, even if Emma says it’s okay. All your attention should be focused on her. Her wants and needs, not yours.”

“That won’t be hard,” Pete said. “She’s all I can think about since we’ve been fighting. I’ve never seen her act like this, and it’s gotten under my skin. If we can’t fix this, it’s going to make me crazy. Sex is sex. But love is something different. I’ve chosen one woman to be with forever, and that’s Emma. Period.”

“Then just make sure she knows that, and you’re all set.” Michael held up his beer. “To the women we love even though they make us crazy.”

All the guys raised their beers.

“Amen,” Brad said as he clinked his glass against the others’ and took a drink.

* * *

Emma had to cover her mouth and look away so she didn’t laugh out loud. Bringing the girls to the block party had been purely for entertainment purposes, which Emma loved in so many ways, but they were all having so much fun they stayed longer than she’d anticipated. It was way past dark, and they were all settled around a bonfire in a neighbor’s yard two doors down. All the folks who were at the fire were the most interesting characters—including Candace, who had slunk over fifteen minutes prior. Gillian currently had her arm draped around The Cougar’s shoulders, and Candace was as uncomfortable as Emma had ever seen her.

It was hilarious. Emma hadn’t had this much fun in a long time.

When Candace had first joined the group, Gillian had gotten Emma’s attention and made a face, inclining her head slightly in Candace’s direction, and Emma had nodded. It had been the Is this the bitch? look. And Emma’s reply had answered, Why, yes, yes, it is.

Piper elbowed Emma and leaned over. “I haven’t had this much fun at a block party in ever. These people are nuts! The guy next to me just admitted he wanted to try ‘something edgy’ and would I be interested in seeing his glass art collection. Dude, I feel like if I went with him, he’d slice me up and pack me away in his freezer. Since when is glass art edgy?”

Emma laughed, peering over Piper’s left shoulder. “That’s Steve. He’s fairly harmless as far as I know. He lives at the end of the block. I’ve only met him a handful of times. I don’t think he’s ever been married, and I’ve never seen another car parked out front. So who knows? He could be an ax murderer. My advice is to not go.”

“Have no fear. It isn’t even a long-shot option. Pigs would literally have to start flying through the air, and the only protection would be his house because all the other ones blew up before we could find a safe haven.”

Caroline stuck her head into the conversation from Emma’s right. “You guys, Gillian is killing me over there. Look—”

All three of their heads snapped toward Gillian, who appeared to be giving Candace some much-needed advice in the form of a lengthy oration. Every once in a while she’d slap Candace on the shoulder, and then she’d grip the woman and shake her.

It was hard not to feel bad for Candace, but instead, Emma felt absolutely gleeful. “I wonder what she’s telling her. I hope it’s how not to be a dirty slut.” Emma pressed her palm over her mouth so she didn’t snort-laugh. She didn’t want to offend people she had to see daily. “We should really get out of here,” she said to the girls once she calmed down. “It’s getting late, and I never anticipated we’d stay for so long. Things are getting weirder by the hour.”

“We can go anytime, but I have to tell you, I loved being here,” Caroline said. “Your elderly neighbors, the Dwyers, were so sweet to talk to. But the woman who was just sitting next to me is a stone-cold drunk.” Caroline uttered the word drunk like someone else might say the name of a dreadful disease. “She’s got her own monogrammed flask, for heaven’s sake!” Caroline started to laugh, but kept her voice low. “She seems to think it’s normal to have one and told me how she brings it to all her kids’ sporting events. Honestly, it’s so brazen! Who would do that? And who would tell that to someone they just met?”

Emma nodded. “That’s Tracy.” She said the rest under her breath. “She’s been to rehab twice. She thinks she’s fooling her husband, and us, but we all know. She’s not allowed to drive their kids around anymore.”

“Oh no, that’s so sad!” Caroline said, gasping, covering her mouth. “Now I feel bad for talking about her!”

“Don’t worry about it.” Emma patted Caroline’s leg. “She hires these guys who she calls her ‘workmen’ to come over to ‘work on her house.’” Emma winked. “If they’re not male escorts, then I’m the one who’s drunk. How many workmen look like Chippendale dancers? The answer is maybe two.” Emma held up two fingers and chuckled. “There are a few, but they’re rare. Candace is just completely unhappy and always has been. She got married to appease her family. My guess is she gets divorced in the next year or two and moves to someplace like Costa Rica, ditches the alcohol, and becomes a yoga instructor on the beach.”

“On that note,” Piper interjected, “let’s blow this pop stand. We have presents to open and sex to talk about.” Piper stood, gesturing across the bonfire to Gillian to wrap it up. She glanced down at Emma. “But this was totally fun. Our block parties are few and far between, and never this interesting.”

Emma stood and waved to the Lincolns, whose yard they’d been in. They were an older couple who traveled a lot. They were the most fun and normal of the group—if you call tax evasion normal. Emma had found out that they’d been audited twice for it and had been forced to either pay huge fines or do jail time. “Thanks for hosting this, Sandy!” Emma called. “We’re taking off.”

Everyone said their good-byes.

Gillian got up last, wagging a finger and smiling at Candace as she went. They all heard her say, “If you’re ever looking for a pick-me-up, just give me a call. Emma has my number.”

Piper linked arms with Gillian and Emma as they walked back to Emma’s house. Caroline was ahead of them, carrying the empty bowl and the extra beers Emma had brought to the bonfire.

“What the hell were you saying to Candace the Cougar? It looked intense,” Piper asked Gillian.

“Well, after I lit into her about coming on to married men who aren’t asking for it,” Gillian told them, “I discovered that she’s just this incredibly lost, unhappy soul. So my inner helper came out. Because, you know, that’s how I roll.”

Emma laughed. “Really? Your inner helper? And this for the woman who tried to seduce my husband?”

“Hey, I’m an equal opportunity gal,” Gillian joked. “Candace hinted that she knows you guys are swingers, but, just so you know, I shot her down. I made up something about you guys building playsets in your basement. Apparently, you’re not the only one who snoops in windows around here.”

“I’m sure I’m not,” Emma agreed. “It’s pretty much the standard pastime in this neck of the woods. When everyone knows when you’re coming or going, it’s easy to snoop.”

“You know who else is easy?” Piper said. “Me. Now let’s get in there and open these presents. I can’t wait to see the look on your face when you open mine!”

6

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Once the girls were all situated in the den, Caroline carried her and Piper’s gifts and set them in front of Emma. Caroline’s was the size of a small shirt box and was wrapped in white paper and topped with a silver bow.