"I hate this stupid car." Lacey had lost count of how many times she'd said those words in the last half hour. She quickly shifted back to first gear and started the car again, then gunned it through the intersection, still muttering to herself. If her older sister hadn't gotten a flat tire and taken her own car into the mechanic's and as a result had to borrow the family sedan for work, then Lacey could have used that car. Instead, she was stuck with her dad's car. That wasn't such a bad thing, except that it was kind of old and temperamental, and if you didn't have just the right touch, it didn't like to do just about anything you actually wanted it to.

Lacey definitely did not have the right touch.

She gritted her teeth when she had to slow to a stop again. She was on her way to work, and now was just getting ready to turn onto the road where the ice cream parlor was located. After looking both ways at the four way stop to make sure no one else was coming, Lacey oh-so-carefully let up on the clutch and put her foot on the gas.

Stall. Again.

Lacey was ready to scream, but she took a deep breath and reached for the key. Just a few more minutes, you're almost there, Lacey, she thought, attempting a self-pep talk. She turned the key. The car made a noise like it was getting ready to start, and then nothing. Lacey tried again a couple more times, but it seemed as though the car was going to win this round.

"Gah!" she shouted and slammed her hands against the steering wheel. Words couldn't express the frustration that Lacey felt at the moment. She tucked a few loose strands of her shoulder length blond hair behind her ear and then simultaneously looked in the rearview mirror and turned on her emergency flashers. "Oh great," Lacey grumbled. There was another car coming up behind her. And it didn't look like the kind of car that would break down at a stop sign. Probably whoever was in the car would get out and start yelling at her. Lacey reached for her purse which was on the floor in front of the passenger seat, and opened it to take out her cell phone. Before she had, Lacey heard someone walk up next to her window. She turned, a defense ready on her lips.

Before she could say anything, she heard, "Do you need some help?" The guy who had bent down to be on her level had his hand resting on the top of the car. His curly brown hair falling over his forehead and hint of a sympathetic smile gave him a charming, boyish appearance. Quite contrary to being angry with her for taking up the road, he didn't seem to be upset at all. Lacey sighed; at least he wasn't mad, but why did she have to have car trouble in front of a cute guy? That would be her luck today.

"Um, I can't get the car to start," Lacey replied and immediately felt like kicking herself for stating the obvious, but instead she forced a smile. "I work right over there," she pointed to the ice cream parlor, "and I was on my way there when my dad's car decided to break down."

The guy smiled wider and said, "Ah, yes, I know how cars can be. Hang tight; I'm gonna go get my brothers to help push your car into the parking lot." He started to walk away, calling over his shoulder, "Keep trying to start it, though!"

With another sigh, this time a sigh of relief, Lacey did as he had said. The car still didn't start, and Lacey felt like hitting something. She took a few deep breaths and tried again to start the car. No go. This just wasn't her day. She tried to calm down so she wouldn't lose her temper in front of these guys who were now approaching her car.

"I guess you couldn't get it started again, huh?" the first guy asked, bending down so he could talk to her through the window. When Lacey shook her head in obvious disappointment, he smiled sympathetically. "Well, have no fear, the Grey brothers are here!" He grinned when Lacey laughed and added, "I'm Nate, and these are my brothers Jason and Shane."

"I'm Lacey," she replied, still smiling.

"Well, Lacey," Jason spoke up, stepping closer to the car. "If you want to slide over into the passenger seat, then I'll steer while my brothers push."

"Wait, hey, how come you get to ride while we do the hard work?" Shane questioned.

Nate nodded emphatically, adding his own two cents: "Yeah, I'm the youngest, I shouldn't have to push the car. I might get hurt."

Lacey was now doubled over with laughter as she moved over into the passenger seat and Jason was shaking his head at her with a look of mock-exasperation on his face. "What can ya say?" he said. Then he opened the door and sank into the driver's seat before his brothers could say another word. "Okay, guys, let's go!"

With a lot of grumbling, Shane and Nate began to push the car while Jason maneuvered it into the parking lot and into a space in front of the ice cream parlor. He pulled out the keys and handed them to Lacey. "This spot okay?" he asked.

"Oh, yes," Lacey replied, taking the keys and slipping them into a pocket of her purse.

"Good answer! I wasn't going to push this car another foot!" Nate spoke up from right outside her window. The smile on his face belied his words.

Lacey opened her door and stood up, slinging her purse over her shoulder. "You guys are great. Thank you so much, I was on the verge of freaking out." She grinned around at all of them. "Will you come inside? I'll give you each a free sundae for your help!"

"Well, if free ice cream is in the equation, count me in," Shane piped up.

"You mean if any ice cream is in the equation, don't you?" Jason teased. Everyone laughed when Shane made a face back, but didn't say anything. "Just let me go get our car," Jason pointed to where it was still sitting on the side of the road, "and park it and then I'll be in."

Lacey led the way into the ice cream parlor, Shane and Nate following closely behind. She pointed them to seats at the bar and went to put her stuff away and clock in for work. Since it was the middle of the week, it was likely to be a slow afternoon, so there was only her and one other girl there. Becky was already out front serving people, so Lacey explained the situation to her as soon as she had clocked in.

"All right, guys, you know what you want?" she asked as Jason settled onto his own barstool next to his brothers. "Pick any item from the menu, it's on me."

"Seriously?" Nate asked, eyes wide as he studied the menu. "Anything at all?"

He looked so much like a little kid in a candy shop – or in this case, ice cream parlor – that Lacey couldn't help laughing again. "Yes, seriously, anything at all."

After a few minutes, the guys had finally sorted out what they wanted and Lacey fixed it for them and served them. She continued to chat with them as she cleaned up the front counter a little bit. All too soon, they had finished their ice cream and were preparing to leave. Lacey, being a good actress, was able to hide her disappointment completely and merely smiled and waved nonchalantly. "Thanks again for your help, and come back anytime!"

The brothers waved back and then they were gone. Lacey sighed and turned her attention fully to her work. She couldn't believe how her luck turned around so fast. At first her day was going so horribly – but then again if it hadn't, she would never have met the Grey brothers. If only she knew why they looked so familiar to her…

"Lacey," Becky interrupted her thoughts, hands on her hips and a pointed look on her face, "Don't you know who they were?"

"What do you mean?" Lacey asked. "Do you know them?"

"Of course I know them. Those were the Grey brothers!"

Lacey nodded blankly, not sure what Becky's point was. "Yeah…" She shrugged. "So?"

"You don't get it, do you?" Becky asked, appalled. She pulled a CD out from under the counter and handed it to Lacey. "Take this home and listen to it. Those guys are the Grey brothers, of Connect Three."

Lacey looked down at the CD case in her hand and suddenly felt extremely stupid.