Menopause to Matrimony (Fortytude Series Book 2) by Shelly Hickman Page A

hiding my discomfort, it must show in my face when Seth and I make eye contact, because he briefly glances back at where I had been standing. I dart my eyes elsewhere before smiling at Kiran.
    “What do you say, cousin?” Kiran asks.
    Seth spots Marie on the dance floor. “I think we’ll just take a cab. She doesn’t look like she’s ready to call it a night yet.”
    Kiran and I stand. “All right then. If you’re sure. Please thank Marie for us.”
    “I will. And I promise not to stay out too late,” he jokes. Then he looks at me again. “Goodnight, Anna.”
    “Goodnight.” I make sure to add plenty of lilt to my voice.
    ***
    “I’m sorry.” Kiran breaks free from our make-out session and rolls onto his back. “Too much to drink tonight. I don’t think this is going to happen.”
    I lay my palm on his stomach. “No worries. I’m so tired I can hardly keep my eyes open.”
    He sighs heavily then sits up and takes my face in his hand. “I wish I could have taken you right there on the dance floor. Believe me, I was about to bust out of my pants.”
    I laugh at his confession. “That would have caused quite a stir.” We kiss tenderly a few moments. “I love you, old man.”
    “I love you, too.”
    An hour later, I swear I wake to voices in the next room. Not sure if I was dreaming, I sit up in bed and open my eyes wide. Why is it when we hear something in the middle of the night, we make our eyes big, as if that will improve our hearing?
    Is it…? Did I hear a female voice?
    I remain still and listen intently, but there’s nothing. Then I pick up my iPod on the table and check the time. It’s 3:30 a.m.
    Now there’s a brief shuffling noise.
    After crawling out of bed, I fumble in the dark to our bedroom door and step into the hallway. The door to our office, which is right next to our bedroom, is closed. It’s never closed. Without thinking things through because I’m still in a sleepy fog, I open the door to see Seth’s bare ass, his hips thrusting vigorously as he holds Marie up on the desk. At least, I hope it’s Marie. All I can see are a pair of legs in the air.
    Wait, why do I even care if it’s Marie?
    I quickly and quietly pull the door shut and turn to see Ahsan approaching from the other end of the hallway. Shit!
    “Anna, I was just going downstairs for some water… Is everything okay?” He knows something is up.
    Trying to relax because I know shock is still etched on my face, I answer with a quick nod and smile. Oh God. I should have said something. Now I look like a deer caught in headlights.
    Ahsan takes a step closer. There are more noises of movement from inside the office. He puts his ear against the door and there’s a muffled moan.
    Could this be any more awkward? I think not.
    Ahsan frowns and lets out a sigh of disgust. “This is why I said it was all right to say no to Seth staying here!”
    And with that, he turns and says nothing more.
    Putting my hand over my mouth, I slowly walk back to our bedroom.
    Should I wake Kiran? Oh, I absolutely should!
    I crawl back onto the bed and sit on my knees. “Kiran.” I gently nudge him. “Kiran!”
    “Hmmm?”
    “Wake up for a minute.” I turn on the lamp on my side of the bed.
    “Is everything all right?”
    “You are not gonna believe what just happened.”
    Just then, we hear a door open and murmuring in the hallway. Kiran is tired and confused. He looks in the direction of the sounds. “Who is that? What’s going on?”
    A second later, we hear a door close. They must have moved to the guest room where Seth is staying.
    “So, I woke up a little bit ago,” I whisper. “Because I thought I heard voices. And I opened the office door, and Seth was screwing Marie on the desk!”
    “What?” Kiran exclaims. “Oh my God!”
    “Shhh… shhh.” I start giggling. “You’re gonna wake everyone up. Or should I say, your mother.”
    Alarm registers on his face as he realizes what I’m saying. “No! My father