When no one added anything further as if waiting for her to speak, she finally cleared her throat and said, “I . . . um . . . don’t really know how to take that.” Under the table, Mia squeezed her knee in support. Gwen had no idea what she could possibly say to Suzy. She was certain that as friends, the other women had known about Ava’s attempts to win Mac when she thought she was losing him to Gwen. Sitting here now as the woman scorned, she had two choices. She could tuck her tail between her legs, make an excuse, and leave, or she could show them that she was more than okay and didn’t need anyone’s pity. Before she knew it, she found herself saying, “I’m with Dominic now—we’re sleeping together.”
Every mouth around the table dropped as her words seemed to hover larger-than-life in the air. Even Crystal and Mia, who knew about her relationship with Dominic, seemed surprised. They’d probably never expected her to announce it so abruptly to near strangers. God, why had she done that? Wouldn’t a smile of reassurance have been better than a summary of her love life? The silence was broken as Suzy started grinning. “Good for you, girl. That man has a body like a big ole tree that you just want to climb.”
Claire started fanning herself before chiming in. “If any of you mention this to Jason, I’ll swear you’re lying, but I go the long way around the office sometimes just to walk past East Coast Security’s door. Those guys are just so hot.” When everyone stared at her in shock, she wagged her finger. “Don’t you dare judge me. I’ve run into all of you at one time or another in the same area, and none of you have an office near there.”
Looking demure and innocent, Ella said, “I just drop by sometimes to say hello to Declan’s old military buddies.”
Holding a hand over her mouth, Beth let out a cough that ended up sounding like “Bullshit!”
Suzy rolled her eyes, saying, “Oh, come on, there’s nothing wrong with appreciating a fine piece of prime hottie. I guarantee our men do it. I’m more than happy with my hubby, but the day I stop noticing a hot guy is the day I give up on life.”
Crystal shook her head, looking as if she was pouting. “But look at the men you’re all married to or dating. I was married to a man who wore knee socks for years and had perpetually pale, white skin. If I’d have been married to a man who looked anything like yours, I’d have been so happy I would have never looked twice at another man.”
Ella gave her sister a look of sympathy before saying, “You’ll find your Mr. Perfect, and then you’ll just be a married pervert like Suzy.”
Instead of being offended, Suzy seemed to take Ella’s statement as a compliment. “Ah, my little innocent one, you’ve come so far. It seems like only yesterday you were carrying around the big V-card and praying that Declan would punch it for you. Now, you’re ogling other men and insulting your friends—honey, I couldn’t be prouder.”
Their conversation was interrupted by their server and they all placed their lunch orders. Beth, who had been one of the quieter ones so far, looked over at Gwen and asked, “So, Dominic, huh? Is he as good as he looks like he would be?”
Claire, who had just taken a drink of her tea, ended up spitting it out as she started coughing. “Beth—God,” she groaned as she mopped up the mess in front of her.
“My sister was a bit blunt, but we would like to know,” Suzy smirked as if not really expecting Gwen to answer.
Gwen, however, surprised herself yet again by saying, “He’s unbelievable.” Knowing her face was probably on fire, she added, “I never knew a man could go like that. He never seems to get tired or—lose interest.”
Just then, a female voice behind them said, “I made it! Ava’s a PMSing ball of female attitude this morning. Even out of the office she’s still torturing me.” The woman slipped into an extra chair at the table and looked around. “Okay, what’d I miss?”
Claire spoke up, running through the introductions again.
“Holy sexy ass,” Emma groaned in Gwen’s direction. “You’re dating one of the GI Joes? The things those men do for cargo pants should be illegal.”
Gwen was grateful when Suzy changed the subject by turning her attention to Beth. “Hey, sis, you remember Mia’s boyfriend, Seth Jackson, don’t you?”
Instead of looking embarrassed, Beth looked down at her watch and then held her hand out to Ella. Everyone at the table watched as Ella scowled before handing Beth ten dollars. Beth tucked the money in her wallet before looking at her sister. “I bet Ella ten bucks that you wouldn’t make it twenty minutes without mentioning Seth.”
“Thanks a lot, Suzy,” Ella grumbled. “I didn’t think you’d bring it up after all this time.”
“All right, what am I missing here?” Emma asked when she finished ordering her drink.
Mia and Beth started laughing as if the conversation didn’t bother them. Finally, Beth said, “I had gone out with Mia’s boyfriend a few times before I married Nick and before Mia started dating Seth, of course. Our last date was a bit of a—disaster.”
“Come on, spit it out,” Crystal urged Beth to continue.