Free Saved by the SEAL by Diana Gardin Page B

and we all turn expectantly toward the arched doorway where kitchen meets living room.
    Drake enters the room, stopping and turning sideways to fit through the doorway. He’s huge, the same height as Dare but broader and with bulgier muscles. He scans the room with a furrowed brow, his eyes stopping momentarily on Mea before finding the rest of us.
    Grisham stands and goes to give Drake a bro hug. “Glad you could make it, Drake.”
    “’Sup, man? Glad to see you back in one piece.”
    Grisham shrugs. “Mostly one piece.”
    Drake nods, his expression somber. “Must be tough comin’ back from that. I know a couple of guys who dealt with amputations, too. You’re one tough son of a bitch, Abbot.”
    They turn and look at us.
    Drake’s eyes land on my roommate first. Again. “Um, hey, Mea. How are you?”
    I glance at my friend, and she’s gone rigid and tense. She crosses her arms and narrows her eyes into slits. She’s always been a little weird around Drake. If I didn’t know better, I’d think they’d known each other before Berkeley and Drake met. But Mea won’t cop to it, and she never wants to talk about Drake.
    “Hello, Drake. I didn’t know you’d be here.”
    A frosty silence falls on the room until Grisham clears his throat. “Why don’t you head on outside, Drake? There’s beer in a cooler, and I’m about to fire up the grill in a few.”
    Drake nods, his eyes never leaving Mea’s. “Sounds good. Thanks, man.”
    When he’s gone, I whirl on Mea. “You’ve got to be nicer to him, Mea. What’s up with you? Every time he’s around, you turn into Mrs. Frost. You’re never that cold toward anyone.”
    She shrugs, dropping her arms by her side. “I’ve never met anyone who irks me as much as he does.”
    My mouth falls open. “What? Why? What’d he do?”
    Grisham looks concerned. “Did he hurt you, Mea?”
    She shakes us both off. “No. It’s nothing like you’re thinking. Listen, don’t worry about it. I’ll try to be civil, okay? I wouldn’t want to ruin your cookout, Grisham.”
    She flounces out the door, leaving me completely flabbergasted.
    “I’ve never known her to give someone such a cold shoulder,” I muse. “I hope she’s okay.”
    “Maybe she’ll tell you about it when she’s ready.”
    Maybe she will. But I have a feeling that when it comes to Drake, Mea’s never going to share her true feelings. And I’m really starting to wonder why.
    Grisham and I finish preparing the potato salad while keeping a healthy distance from one another. The banter and the joking, however, continue at an alarming rate. Things are so simple and easy between us. Every time he calls me “Grits,” a shiver of delight runs through me.
    When he heads outside to start the grill, I place the big bowl of potato salad into the refrigerator to cool. There’s two large trays of meat: a big platter of chicken breasts and an equally large plate of hamburgers occupy one, while the other is full of hot dogs and bratwursts.
    I smile.
    We’re going to end up with way too much food.
    Outside, there’s upbeat music playing from someone’s phone hooked up to a speaker. The afternoon is waning, and the sun is hanging low on the dimming horizon. I can hear the waves whispering gently against the shore, and the entire scene is the picture of relaxation. The end of summer always gives me a sad sense of loss, but I’m happy to be spending it like this.
    Grisham and his buddies are horsing around in the yard. I grin as I watch them. At this moment, he appears carefree and happy. He dips his head low and goes to tackle his friend Ben, charging forward to throw Ben backward. A snarl escapes him as Ben curses, and my body is immediately aware of him in each nerve ending. That sexy growl hits me right in my core, and I’m instantly aroused by his extreme manliness at that moment.
    Ripping my gaze away from Grisham, I survey the deck and yard. When my eyes land on Berkeley, my heart sinks.
    It’s such