Hot SEAL, Confirmed Bachelor- Cynthia D'Alba Page 0,60
around the table with the dip and chips and drinks.
“You called this meeting,” Bethany said. “What’s going on?”
“Does something have to be going on for me to call my favorite sister-in-law and almost sister-in-law over for drinks?”
Diana and Bethany exchanged glances.
“Um, yeah,” Diana said. “I can count on one hand how many times we’ve had a girls’ night in at your place.”
“Maybe I just wanted some company,” Holly said, wrinkling her nose while refusing to look at the ladies.
“Okay,” Bethany said. “We’ll play your game and pretend nothing is on your mind. Another batch of strong margaritas, and you’ll spill everything. So, I’ll start. You’re not going to believe what my mother wants to do at the reception.”
The conversation led off into wedding plans and Bethany’s hysterically uptight mother. They ventured into honeymoons, with both Diana and Holly telling stories from theirs, not that either of them had traveled far. They’d both married right out of high school and money had been tight, to say the least.
When Holly set the third pitcher of margaritas on the table, she retook her seat with a long sigh.
“I don’t know what to do.”
“That’s what sisters-in -law are for,” Bethany said. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s a long story.”
Diana refilled her glass, dragged a chip through the dip, and sat back. “Okay. I’m ready. Let her rip.”
She started at the beginning, back in May when she’d told the blatant lie at the dinner table about dating Ben, how she’d seen him that day and on the beach many times, and he’d jumped into her head over dinner.
Diana and Bethany howled at the retelling of accidentally running into him during their first bachelorette party at Bridgman’s bar, both swearing they’d had no idea she hadn’t known him that night.
Holly spilled everything, much as had been predicted earlier in the evening, including the hot, hot sex she and Ben had.
“Sorry, honey,” Bethany said. “I’m not seeing a problem. You had a meet cute that turned into hot and steamy sex with a man who has a body that is totally lickable. You like him. Great. Keep screwing him and having fun.”
“But I’m thinking there’s more to the story,” Diana said. She wiggled her fingers. “Keep going.”
“Katie and I have gone over to Seth Garrett’s house a couple of times to help him with the girls. A couple of days ago, he took both families out to dinner.”
“And you like him,” Bethany said.
“I don’t not like him.”
“Huh?” Diana said. “I’m drinking. You need to speak English.”
Holly shrugged and took a long gulp of her drink for courage. “He’s nice. He’s great with his daughters. Great with Katie. He’s never inappropriate. He chews with his mouth shut. Loves his parents. Treats his in-laws with respect. He wants us to go out on a real date.”
“Wow. He sounds boring as shit,” Bethany said.
Diana frowned. “No, he doesn’t. He sounds like a stable guy who’d make a great husband.”
Holly held up her hands. “Wait, wait. I never said anything about marrying him.”
“But isn’t that the problem?” Diana asked. “You and Benjamin have this stupid, fake dating arrangement to prevent your well-meaning family from setting you up on dates, including one with Seth. You went into this thing with Benjamin with no intention of anything, but a way to shut us all up, right?”
Holly pulled her shoulders up to her ears. “You make it sound worse than it was.”
“Still,” Diana said. “That was plan. Then you and this stud of a man rolled around in the sack for a few weeks and you started thinking…hmm, maybe he’ll stay around longer. Instead, his work, which is his priority, interfered and you’ve been home alone for a while. How am I doing?”
“I don’t know about Holly, but I’m following you completely,” Bethany said, nodding while she swirled her drink around in the glass.
Diana leaned closer to the table. “Now this completely acceptable, marriage-material man enters your life. He doesn’t set your world on fire, but he’s there when the plumbing stops up or the cable goes out, and where’s the stud? Off doing what is important to him, which isn’t you.”
Holly held her head in her hands.
Bethany looked at Diana. “Are you saying that Benjamin is the guy you have wild and crazy sex with, but don’t marry? You play, let go, really let your hair down with him. He’s the fun one. But when it comes time for the long haul, you need a man who’s there for you, a guy who puts the family