Read Hen Party 1 (Hen Party #1) for Free Online Page B

down with me, and we’ll talk about it some more.” His hand cupped her elbow and he led her to a table.
    The sound of chairs scraping and the clatter of shoes on the floorboards rasped in Kyra’s ears. She turned around to see the Henriettas lining up either side of Elin.
    “Oh heavens above, no, this can’t be happening,” she exclaimed as a fresh bout of anxiety took hold of her. “The whole team is leading Elin astray. Marco doesn’t even know she plays hockey. Elin wanted to tell him after they were married, because she’s already suffered enough disapproval of their relationship from his friends. They call her posh Elin, the warehouse worker with an ambition to marry up. That’s a whole lot of nonsense made up by bored people with small lives.”
    Deep in his thoughts, Joe rubbed a hand across his stubbly jaw. “What are her friends going to do?” He stopped at a table, but Kyra was too on edge to sit down.
    “I don’t know, but it won’t be good.” She turned to face Joe, and his brown eyes captured hers. “You don’t have to stay with me,” she said. “I know these women, and I can deal with the situation.”
    “After a seven hour flight across the country, I didn’t make any plans for tonight except to grab a meal and take a hot shower. I can stick around in case things get out of hand,” he offered.
    Where did this guy say he was from? Sydney? Or was he a time-traveling, knight-to-the-rescue from another century? “Thanks,” she said, grateful for his chivalrous offer.
    The tempo of the music quickened and the volume racked up louder. The beefcake actor pranced toward Elin. She locked eyes on him and giggled like a girl.
    Right! Kyra had seen enough of the gig to know Sergeant Paul had a regressive effect on Elin’s behavior. Kyra couldn’t stand back and watch Elin act like a teenager.
    She stumbled forward, almost lost her balance and righted herself. “I have to stop this silly entertainment before it goes any further,” she said to Joe over her shoulder, and rushed toward her petite friend. “Elin…hello,” she called. “I’m over here. It’s Kyra.” She waved her hand, but the actor stood in the way and flexed his biceps in a display of macho.
    “Elin, can we talk?” she called.
    “We’ll talk soon, Kyra,” Elin chirped, “after we watch the babe action, okay?”
    A moment later, the actor ripped open the front of his blue police shirt to the sound of ear-piercing, wolf-whistles from the Henriettas.
    Her fears about a wild night had become a reality. Volcanic heat flushed through Kyra’s body at the sight of his naked, ripped torso. The show of oiled, tanned, male flesh had changed the whole group of women into ditzy girls. Joe’s comment about the party girls was spot on. He reappeared at her side with mind-blowing timing.
    “ What if Marco finds out about the stripper?” she asked him. Her head turned fuzzy, and she grasped Joe’s arm for something solid to hold onto.
    * * *
    Jovanni smarted from the impulsive decision he’d made to rush from the airport and privately meet with Elin and Kyra before the pre-wedding get-togethers on the weekend. Now he was smack bang in the middle of a stripper crisis he shouldn’t know about.
    This dilemma could have been avoided if Marco hadn’t forgotten to include Jovanni as a member of the wedding party. He grimaced at the deliberate negligence. The invitation also got lost in the mail for tomorrow night’s dinner party and Sunday’s picnic with family and friends, meaning Marco didn’t want Jovanni anywhere near his bride.
    Jovanni was never going to stay away from the important events in Marco’s life. Marco knew it and refused to accept it. Blood was thicker than water, no matter what. Family was family, through the good and bad times. You didn’t give up on each other, even if there was nothing you could do to improve the relations.
    Jovanni could have spent time getting to know these two women, the wedding party