Page 53 of My Three Hometown Alphas

“Food’s ready,” Will says, walking up onto the deck with a tray of meat in his hands.

Shana and I share a smile before walking over to the picnic table where everyone is gathering.

“Who do you want on your team?” Greg asks Lyla.

“Uncle Miles,” she says instantly, causing a smug grin to spread across his face. “And Grandma and Grandpa.”

“Are you sure?” Owen asks. “They’re old.”

Shana steps forward, smacking Owen on the shoulder. The rest of us laugh.

“Maybe, but I love them,” Lyla says, leaning into Greg’s side. He leans down, kissing her forehead.

“Your loss,” Owen says wrapping one arm around me and one around his oldest brother.

We all divvy up the balloons, each team moving to opposite sides of the yard.

“Is this just going to be a free-for-all?” I ask, eyes darting between my two teammates.

They both shrug. “Pretty much,” Will says.

“Just stay on this side of the yard,” Owen says, picking up a few balloons.

“And hit them with the balloons,” Will adds.

“I could have figured that part out,” I say, rolling my eyes.

Lyla counts down from five, then screams, “Go!” Balloons start flying all over the place. I try to hit Miles because out of the four of them, he seems like the best target.

He hops to the left, dodging the balloon. “So that’s how it’s going to be,” he shouts. Then balloon after balloon fly at me at surprising speed.

I guess battle isn’t my thing because I start screaming and run to cower behind the grill that’s luckily on our side of the yard. Several balloons crash against the metal behind me. Water and colorful rubber bits fly around me.

Peeking over the top, I lob the two balloons in my hands to their side. Miles already has an armful ready to throw.

How is he so fast?

Just when he’s about to launch one at me, a balloon hits his side. Owen slides in beside me. The momentum carries me down onto the grass as he falls on top of me.

His boyish grin makes my heart beat a little faster. Seeing him happy is one of my favorite things in the whole world.

“Come on, gorgeous. Stop being a chicken,” Miles’s voice rings out.

Owen leans down, giving me a quick kiss before sitting back up.

“You, too, soldier boy,” Miles adds.

Owen just rolls his eyes, but his smile stays in place. He holds his hand out, pulling me up to sit beside him.

“Are you two kidding me right now?” Will shouts. He’s trying to dodge the balloons, but as the only available target, he’s getting nailed left and right.

He runs at full speed toward us, scooping me into his arms. “You’re getting out here to help me,” he growls.

I latch onto Owen’s hand, pulling him back into the fray with us.

“You’d better watch it,” I say into Will’s ear, “or I’m going to think you like having me in your arms.”

His face goes serious. “Maybe I do.”