Hot SEAL, Confirmed Bachelor- Cynthia D'Alba Page 0,68

dinner a couple of times. Once he’d brought his girls and paid Katie to babysit them while he and Holly had dinner. She’d tried to object, saying the girls were visitors in their home and her daughter shouldn’t be paid for taking care of guests, but he’d insisted, explaining he wanted to spend the evening with Holly and not spend it keeping an eye on his kids.

She’d let Seth kiss her. He was a good kisser, but she’d felt no fire in her belly, not butterflies in her stomach. Her heart didn’t leap at the sound of his voice or her knees quake at his touch.

Part of her felt guilty seeing him. Not because she felt like she was being unfaithful to Ben, but because she felt as though she was giving Seth false hope about their future.

The last time they’d had dinner, she’d told him that she didn’t see them having a future, but he’d disagreed and asked for more time. In her soul, she knew more time would never erase Ben from her heart. He was imprinted in every cell of her being. A month might have passed since the night he’d walked away, but she couldn’t give up hope.

Adult female voices from the living room had her frowning. She wasn’t expecting company. Only the multitude of Katie’s friends ever filled her house with voices these days.

She dried her hands and walked into the living room and was surprised. Standing in her doorway asking for her were the team ladies, Casey, Presley, and Dani. Their faces were drawn and serious. Holly’s heart fell to stomach. They were not here with good news.

“Let them in,” Holly said to Katie as she pressed a hand to her belly.

Katie stepped back and the three ladies entered.

“This is a surprise. Can I get anyone coffee or tea or water?” Holly asked.

“No, we’re fine,” Casey replied, answering for the group.

“He’s dead, isn’t he?” Holly fell into a chair and dropped her face into her hands. Tears leaked between her fingers.

“No, no,” Dani said and hurried over to put her hand on Holly’s back.

Casey sat on the floor in front of Holly’s chair. “He’s not dead, but he’s badly injured.”

Holly uncovered her face and let the tears stream. “What happened? Is he going to die? Is that why you’re all here?”

Presley sat cross-legged on the floor next to Casey. “He was shot during their last mission. Pretty bad. Cowboy says he doesn’t know how Benjamin is still alive.”

“Presley,” Casey scolded. “Let’s be optimistic. He’s alive. He’s getting the best care in the Intensive Care Unit at the base hospital.”

“Tell me everything,” Holly begged. “I need to know.”

“Honestly, we probably don’t know everything and never will,” Dani said. “All Nick would tell me was that they were on a highly classified mission and Benjamin got shot protecting the team. The guys pulled him into a boat and got away from wherever they were.” She glanced at the other ladies. “What were the rest of you told?”

“Same,” Casey said. “Jacob was pretty upset about the whole situation.”

“Was this the mission they worked on all summer?” Holly asked.

“Yep,” Presley said. “Or that was the impression that Evan gave me.”

“Ditto,” said Dani.

“Where were they?”

“No clue,” Casey said. “Jacob only said ‘out of the country,’ which for this team could mean anywhere short of the moon.”

“Shot just once?” Holly asked, hope clearly heard in her voice.

“Four times,” Casey said.

“Oh my god,” Holly said, and covered her mouth with her hand. Then she heard gasping sobs coming from the couch. “Oh, honey,” she said to Katie. “I bet Ben will be fine. You know how stubborn he can be.”

“Don’t lie to me, mom,” her daughter said, tears streaming down her pale face. “I’m not a baby.”

Dani sat beside Katie and wrapped her arms around the quaking teen. “No, you’re not a baby. And this is serious. I’m sorry, honey.”

“I need to see him,” Holly announced and stood.

“I don’t think you can get onto the base,” Casey said.

“And Evan said the doctors weren’t letting anyone in to see him.”

“They’ll let me in,” Holly said. “Or I’ll run my car through the gate.”

Casey gave a little smile. “Yeah, no. The last thing Jacob told me was that he was trying to reach out to the powers that be about getting you in.” Casey pulled Holly back to her seat. “You need to hear this.”

Holly sat. “What?”

“Jacob said that Benjamin made him swear that if he didn’t make it that Jacob was to