SEAL Forever by Anne Elizabeth

match for her. This was going to be a long, long, long night.
    Maura climbed into the largest pickup truck she’d ever seen, trying not to flash her underwear to the entire world, and then closed the door. Buckling herself in, she looked longingly at her apartment front door. What she wouldn’t give to be staying home, baking brownies or painting her nails or watching a movie.
    * * *
    â€œDrink, drink, drink!” shouted the men in various state of preppy uni-dress. Khaki pants, white or pin-striped shirts, and blue or red ties with a navy-blue blazer appeared to be the fraternity uniform, or perhaps that’s what preppy guys wore on semiformal occasions. But as much as she wanted to say they looked nice, their behavior was not the best she’d ever witnessed.
    â€œSuck it down, you pussy!” shouted Bosco at the groom-to-be, who’d already downed four shots and two beers.
    Maura checked her cell phone. Yep, we’ve only been here forty-five minutes, and I’m ready to bang my head against the wall. She’d politely rejected several drinks, going for the hors d’oeuvres table first. After the cleanup and the long day, she was starved.
    The energy bar she’d eaten for lunch had long since disappeared from her system. Loading her plate with vegetables and dip and grabbing an unsweetened ice tea from the bar, she found a somewhat quiet corner and sat down. It wasn’t long before a woman joined her, a petite redhead with very dark skin and brown eyes. Maura swallowed the morsels in her mouth hastily and extended her hand. “Hi, I’m Maura.”
    â€œMimsey Blakely,” said the woman briskly. “You can call me Minnie or Mims.” Ironing wrinkles out of her beige linen dress with her fingers, she asked abruptly, “Are you sleeping with Bosco Russo?”
    Maura choked on her own shock. “What? No!”
    â€œOkay,” said Minnie, uninterested in her now. “I guess we can talk longer then. Just so you know, he is mine. I’m going to marry him someday.”
    Maura had no idea what to say in return. This tiny woman was blunt.
    â€œI used to date him,” she sniffed. Minnie took a tissue from her purse. “And I still love him.”
    Was she really crying? Good heavens! Maura leaned in close. “I’m seeing someone. I’m not interested in Bosco in any way. This is…a favor, so he didn’t have to come here alone.” She hated ratting him out, but the woman seemed to need the reassurance.
    â€œThanks. I appreciate the info.” Minnie dabbed under eyes and blew her nose. “I was a little sister of his fraternity, and he was two years ahead of me. I worshipped him. Cleaned his room. Washed and folded his laundry. Made his favorite protein drink every day. Do you know what it’s like when you like someone and no matter what you do, you cannot get him out of your mind? Every time he has a new girlfriend, I fall to pieces.”
    Maura listened patiently, indulging in the food, which was surprisingly good. When she could finally squeeze a word in edgewise, she asked, “Why don’t you tell him?”
    â€œI did, sort of. I moved out here to be close to him. I got a job at the company he works for. I even joined the gym he works out at.” Minnie turned to face her. “That’s where I know you from. I’ve seen you there.”
    â€œI thought you looked familiar. Stop by the office sometime and say hello.”
    â€œThat guy you’re seeing. Do you love him?” Minnie tapped a finger over her heart. “Does the thought of him keep you up at night?”
    Maura felt heat rise in her cheeks. “Yes. I like him a lot.” She stuffed a piece of broccoli in her mouth and chewed determinedly. Please don’t ask me any more questions.
    â€œYou more than like him,” Minnie said with a grin. She seemed satisfied with Maura’s response. She lifted her drink and toasted