Hot SEAL, Confirmed Bachelor- Cynthia D'Alba Page 0,52
Benzes and Bentleys would be insulted to have her Ford in their midst. However, the man who opened her driver’s door and helped her out treated her as though she were a prized guest and he was there only for her.
Yeah, she liked feeling like a princess for the night.
Of course, tonight’s party had required a new dress, and she’d blown her budget on a long, slinky, satiny black dress with a front that circled the base of her neck but dropped to a daringly low dip in the back. She’d draped a set of long pearls down her back into the opening with a knot tied halfway the necklace’s length. Her hair was swept up into an updo to show off the dress’s features.
As she entered the private club, she felt strong, sexy, and invincible. She honestly was comfortable coming alone, but she would have loved to have seen Ben in tonight’s required tux.
“Honey,” her mother said as Holly approached. “You look lovely.”
“Thanks, Mom, You, too. Where’s Dad? How’d the monkey suit look on him?”
Her mother laughed. “He complained all the way over here, but…” She waggled her eyebrows. “He looks good.”
“James Bond good?” Holly joked.
“Well, you know I always did hold a special place in my heart for Sean Connery.”
Holly laughed.
Patrick and Diana joined them, both in formal cocktail attire.
“You clean up pretty good,” Patrick said to Holly.
“I brushed my teeth and everything,” Holly said.
He chuckled. “There’s someone here I’d like you to meet tonight.”
She groaned. “Not a fix-up, Patrick. You know I’m dating Ben.”
“Nope. Not a fix-up, but he’s the guy who moved here from Colorado and joined the department. He won’t know many people, but Lawrence invited him and I promised him that we’d make sure to include Seth in our circle.”
“Fine. I’ll play nice with your new friend.”
“Good, because that’s him walking in now.”
Patrick whistled and Diana elbowed him. “Please pretend you know how to act in public,” she said. “We do not whistle.”
He threw his arm around his wife and pulled her tightly against him. “Yes, ma’am.”
Holly studied the man as he walked toward them to join their circle. He was about six-foot-tall with brown hair and brown eyes. He was lean, but not muscular lean, just not a lot of meat on the bones. His smile was nice, but didn’t seem to reach his eyes.
“Family,” Patrick said. “This is Seth Garrett. Seth, this is my wife, Diana, my sister, Holly, and my mother, Patricia. Where’s dad?”
Patricia waved her hand. “He went off with Bethany’s dad. I suspect there are cigars and expensive scotch involved.”
“Nice to meet everyone,” Seth said. “I’ve heard a lot about you from Patrick and Lawrence. I appreciate your family including me in tonight’s party.” He glanced around, seeming to take in the crystal rain chandeliers and long tables laden with food. “This place is really something, right?”
Patricia chuckled and leaned forward. “Trust me. The Long family does not party like this on a regular basis.”
“Well, I was beginning to wonder what the department was paying their administration if they can afford this.”
“We’re more the beer and burgers in the backyard crowd,” Holly said.
He gave an exaggerated sigh. “Now, beer, burgers, and backyards are more my speed.”
“Patrick said you just moved here from Colorado,” Holly said.
“That’s right. My wife passed away and I moved back to be closer to my parents and my late wife’s parents. I wanted my two daughters to have more family than just me.”
“Two children,” her mother said. “How nice. Tell me about them.”
He and Holly’s mom got into a conversation about ages and schools. Holly let her attention roam from their conversation to Ben’s mysterious location. She hadn’t heard from him in three weeks. She guessed she shouldn’t be surprised. After all, he was under no requirement to check in with her. Still, she wondered where he was and what he was doing all this time. But mostly, she hoped he was okay.
In many ways, she was glad she and Ben weren’t falling in love and planning a future. If she ever married again, it would not be to a man in uniform. She’d been there, done that, albeit the uniform had been police and not military. For her, uniforms represented a risky life choice. Cop. Fireman. Military. All held the potential for death by career choice.
Lawrence and Bethany floated by to say hello and Holly couldn’t help but grin at them. Their faces practically glowed with joy. Their matching smiles were bright and wide.