Fiona had been correct. They spent all of dinner listening to the other three couples talk about their affluent lifestyles. It was apparent that Becky and Valerie had married money and that Stephanie was about to as well. Clayton was especially prone to name-dropping at random points in the conversation while Fiona kept trying to remember if he had been that way when they had dated.

"Is it wrong that I find this entire conversation amusing?" Henry whispered in her ear as the waitress brought their checks for them to sign.

Fiona smiled and admitted to herself that it was ironic. They were trying so hard to make her feel like a lesser person by pretending to be more. When the reality was that Fiona had grown up in the lifestyle they were pretending so hard to have.

"Can you imagine the comments Uncle Mason would make if he were listening in on this conversation?" Fiona whispered back.

"Or Aunt Laura? I can hear her eye roll from here." Henry smiled.

It made Fiona sad for a brief moment. She hadn't seen them all in so long. Henry must have sensed her sadness because he grabbed her hand and squeezed it in support under the table.

"How about a drink in the bar before we call it a night?" Becky suggested to the group.

Everyone agreed but Fiona and Henry.

"What about you two?" Becky asked, turning towards them.

"Actually, I have a few friends waiting for us in the bar. They haven't meet Fiona yet, and I am eager to introduce them." Henry gave the group a charmingly apologetic smile.

The other three men stood, eager to get away from the table as the women collected purses and wraps.

"Fiona, we're planning to spend a day by the pool tomorrow. Will you join us?" Valerie asked as her husband walked away without her.

"I can join you for a while, but I'm not sure what our plans with Henry's friends will be." It gave Fiona the perfect excuse to get out of spending the whole day with them.

"Lovely," Valerie said as she gave her another air kiss before leaving.

After they had all gone, Henry and Fiona turned to look at each other.

"Don't say it. I don't know if it's them or me that has changed, but they are not who I remember them being." Fiona quickly said before Henry could comment.

"Perhaps it's everyone who has changed. We all do. Are you up for meeting my friends for a quick drink?" Henry asked, quickly changing the subject.

"Sure, I would like that, besides which, if I don't show up, my absence might be missed by the gang. I'm sure they will be eagerly checking out you and your friends. Can I have a few minutes to go to the room?" Fiona asked as they made their way towards the exit.

"Sure, I'll meet you in the bar. Take your time," Henry said as they parted ways at the elevators.

*******

Henry took the down elevator, and Fiona took the up. He had to admit dinner with her friends had been a chore, and as he had watched them all interact with each other, he wondered if they had always treated Fiona as a second-class friend.

If they had, then it helped explain a lot about her self-confidence issues. It was his opinion that being in charge of the ranch had been a growing experience for her and had made her more self-assured, even if she didn't feel that she was.

Henry was lost in thought as the elevator arrived at the basement level. His mind had quickly moved on to their dance and the kiss that they had shared.

He had only meant the kiss to be quick and easy. Fiona had indeed looked lovely, and he had wanted to kiss her, but he hadn't expected his heart or his body to react the way that it had. Henry had also wanted her to know she was lovely, and he had always noticed her, which was why he had told her he had.

It had thrown him when she had accused him of never having done anything about noticing her. Had Fiona wanted him to notice her? Would attention from him have been welcomed? If that was the case, it opened up an entire world of possibilities.

The question Henry had to ask himself was if he wanted to open that world. Fiona was still a Stevens girl, after all.

He didn't get a chance to figure out the answer to the question because his friends were waving him down from across the bar. Henry had told them that he had a friend with him, and they had been giving him grief ever since.

"Where's your friend, Henry?" Boston asked as he slid a beer his way. They had shared enough drinks over the years and would know what to order Henry.

"She'll be here shortly," Henry smiled.

"I couldn't believe that shy Henry found himself a girl. Callum couldn't wait to get on the phone and tell everyone back at the base all about it." Boston and Callum exchanged grins.

"No one believed me. We've been instructed that photographic evidence is needed." Callum said as he finished his drink and motioned for another one.

"That's up to the lady," Henry insisted as he took a sip of the cold beer.

"Are you coming back the week after next?" Boston asked, getting right to the hard question.

"I have to. I've got my orders." Henry shrugged. He had gotten them the week before.

"But are you going to re-up?" Callum asked.

It was still something on which Henry was undecided. He had to go back for a short time no matter what, but he wasn't sure if his heart was in it anymore, and if it wasn't, then where was it?

"I haven't decided yet?" Henry took another sip of his beer as they were all silent. It was a tough question to answer because they were all getting older, which meant the job was getting harder.

Boston changed the subject and started to catch Henry up on everything he had missed with the guys. Not much had changed, which would make returning a little easier.

Something at the door caught Callum's eye as he took a sip of his drink, and whatever it was, he was staring hard.

"That's not your girl, is it?" Callum asked in a joking tone.

Henry turned to see Fiona scanning the bar, and he stopped breathing.

It felt as if someone had gut-punched him, and he knew the answer to his earlier question. Yes, it was a world he wanted to explore, Steven's girl be dammed.

"It is, actually," Henry said as he stood, and she caught sight of him.

Fiona was staring at him with her wide serious eyes again as if she was looking into his soul, and he couldn't look away.

"You have it bad, friend," Boston said into his glass.

"But what a girl to have it for," Callum added.

*******

Fiona felt herself freeze as three pairs of male eyes were trained on her. Then she focused on Henry and saw only him. Something was different in the way he was looking at her, and it made her heart race in response.

Slowly, she made her way toward them, and Henry placed his hand in the small of her back once more as he drew her forward and made the introductions. This time she was sure she felt his thumb rubbing against her bare skin, and it made her tummy dip in response.

"May I take your photo?" Callum asked, pulling out his phone.

"Why?" Fiona asked with a frown.

"No one will believe that Henry has such a beautiful girl, and I was tasked with a mission of getting a photo to prove you exist." Callum's statement was said seriously.

"And SEALS never fail if they can at all help it," Boston added.

"You would be doing it for your country." Callum nodded.

"That's a bit much, guys!" Henry exclaimed.

Callum and Boston looked at him with such dire expressions that Fiona couldn't hide her smile as she agreed, and they all took a quick selfie, which turned into many selfies because Callum didn't like one thing or another.

They were attractive men. Clean cut and muscular, they looked like the guys next door, not elite fighting machines.

"I must say, none of you look like tough guys," Fiona mused.

"That's because we're experts at blending in with the room." Boston insisted as he looked at Henry. "Well, most of us are. Others didn't show up to class that day." It was a comment directed squarely at Henry and his rugged appearance.

Henry said everything he needed to with a finger.

"He current role is cowboy, and I think he looks the part," Fiona defended as she reached for Henry's glass of beer and took a drink. As soon as they saw her take a sip, they were all apologies as they talked over each other to find out what she wanted to drink, fighting over who would order it for her.

Suddenly, for the first time all night, Fiona was having fun, and being pressed so close to Henry in the booth wasn't half bad either. It felt as if she was where she finally belonged.