An evening breeze took an edge off the heat, casting a cozy calm over the entire backyard. Christopher and Gage sat on a swing on the patio, Gage nestled into Christopher’s side with a half-empty beer in his loose grip, Christopher with his arm around Gage’s shoulders. Noise from the road occasionally broke the silence, but the house behind them was quieter than it had been since they’d arrived. Bedtime seemed to be a serious matter in this particular household. With two sets of twins, it required both Sherry and Bowden to get it done.
“I’m going to miss this tomorrow night,” Christopher said softly.
“Me, too. Does that mean you enjoyed yourself tonight?”
“I did. I even liked losing Candyland to a four-year-old. Who’d have guessed it?”
“Don’t feel too bad about that. She’s a pretty cle
