Page 45 of Strike Zone

“You do?”

“Why do you seem so surprised? I’m mildly offended.”

“I don’t know. I just figured you see me the way everyone else does. A player who’s not good enough for your sister. That’s what Anders thinks.”

“Don’t listen to him. He’s lucky he snagged me.”

“Never a truer word spoken.” We share a conspiratorial laugh. “Thanks, Brooke.”

“For what.”

“For not thinking I’m a douche nozzle.”

“I didn’t say that.” She gives me that cute smile of hers, and I can’t even pretend to be mad. “Now go and show my sister what a catch you are. I’ll grab Anders and be there in a minute.”

“You really are a keeper.”

“I know.” She wraps her arms around me, hugging me as tight as she can. It’s like getting a bear hug from Tinkerbell, but I appreciate the sentiment.

Leaving her to deal with her husband, I follow the sound of voices to the dining room. The view of the water is incredible, surpassed only by the sight of Diana laughing, carefree with her mom.

“You seem to be having a good time in here.”

Martha has a radiant smile as she guides me to the seat next to Diana. “I was just trying to press this one for details on her latest conquests, but she’s not giving me the juicy details, so I’m resorting to making her laugh.”

I think my eyebrows just became part of my hairline. “Okay. Is this something you generally talk about with your daughters?”

“Brooky never gives me the good stuff, but Dee and I can have a few laughs over a glass of wine. That’s the problem tonight. She’s on the soft stuff for some unknown reason, and she’s no fun when she’s sober, isn’t that right, Dee?”

“Thanks, Mom. It’s good to know my personality is so lacking without alcohol.” Diana rolls her eyes, which I find adorable, but I’m trying not to stare, so I take my seat at her side, heat coming off me in waves.

“I think you’re just fine without wine, but why the abstinence tonight? Worried you’d be unable to resist my charms?”

Martha slaps my arm with a familiar snort. The same one her daughter gets when she’s nervous. “Oh, I love this boy already. You have to snap him up, Dee. He’d make a perfect son-in-law, and your babies would be gorgeous.”

All color drains from Diana’s face, and she can’t meet my gaze. “Mom! Could you be more inappropriate? Can we go back to talking about the matching vibrators you got Brooke and me for Christmas? They’d be much better dinner conversation. The third setting is particularly pleasant.”

“Another whiskey?” her father interjects.

“Can you make it a double?”

“Great idea.” He disappears out of the room shortly before Martha departs for the kitchen, leaving Diana and me sitting side by side at the table.

“Did you mean what you said earlier about me being a lady?”

I turn to face her, my whole body desperate to close the distance between us. “Every word. I’ve missed you, Diana. Why do you think I’m here?”

“For Anders.”

“I can see that jackass any day of the week. I came to see you. I know you don’t want more, but I can’t stop thinking about you.”

“I’m glad you came. We need to talk.”

“We do?” Shit. That came out like a giddy schoolboy. Way to play it cool. I have zero moves when it comes to Diana. I’m about as smooth as sandpaper that’s been coated in thumbtacks and blasted with porcupine needles.

“Okay.”

“After dinner. When they’re all three sheets to the wind, they won’t notice if we disappear for a while.”

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