She watched them dancing from across the room. She couldn’t help but see how incredibly happy they were, and she couldn’t help but see how incredibly happy everyone else was for them. In a way, it made her totally jealous. Well, maybe jealous wasn’t really the right word. She wasn’t exactly jealous of Sheridan; she didn’t have any real reason to be. Bitter was probably a better choice. Yes. She was bitter about the fact that she was standing across the room watching her best friend dance the spotlight dance in a stunning wedding gown.

When they had made the bet years before, it had all been in jest. She had simply shaken her head and laughed when Sheridan had claimed in her over-dramatic tone that there was no doubt that Gwen would be the first to make it the alter. However, Gwen had not disagreed with her. Truthfully, she had always assumed that she would be married before Sheridan. But here she was watching Sheridan, the self-proclaimed woman most likely to end up old and alone, dancing with what could possibly be the most perfect man in the world. Luis was everything that any woman could ever want. He was funny and charming and intelligent and caring and, oh, so incredibly sexy. And Sheridan had managed to snag him.

Gwen, on the other hand, had put all her bets on one man, and, of course, that one man had completely fooled her and led her on right up until the night before her own wedding day. That had been the night he had dumped her in preference to her very own maid-of-honor!

Sheridan had upset her, too, with her total support of Ethan and Theresa. After all, she was supposed to be her best friend! Yet, she had no problems with forgetting about Gwen’s feelings and doing everything in her power to make sure that Ethan and Theresa stayed together. A smile covered Gwen’s face as she briefly thought about payback. She wondered how Sheridan would feel if Luis had a little affair with her own maid-of-honor. That title, of course, belonging to Gwen herself! Not that Gwen would have minded doing a little experimenting with that fantasy, but....

“They look great together, don’t they?”

The voice totally interrupted Gwen’s thoughts as she turned around to see who was speaking to her. Hank Bennett, Luis’ best man, was standing behind her looking over her head at the happy couple. He was smiling slightly as he watched them dance.

“You scared me,” she told him as she returned her gaze back to the dance.

Hank stepped up to stand beside her. “Well, you were kind of lost in your thoughts there, Miss Hotchkiss. Care to tell Dr. Bennett what’s on your mind?” he asked as he gave her his stupid, cocky grin.

Gwen rolled her eyes. “Hank, spare me the psychoanalysis part, please. I’ve had enough of everything having to do with the word psycho. One stole my fiance from me,” she muttered bitterly.

“Now, now. There’s no need for name calling.” He laughed a little. “Ethan just needed someone on his intellectual and maturity level; that’s why he dumped you.”

Gwen couldn’t help but laugh. “I thought you were on Theresa’s side.”

“I’m not on anybody’s side. Theresa is my best friend’s little sister, but, trust me, I know as well as anyone that she’s not the brightest match in the box. And I know that she can be a bit of an immature dreamer from time to time. But why are you still dwelling on that? Ethan may be my nephew, but he’s an idiot, Gwen. Let it go.”

Gwen just shook her head. Hank Bennett no more understood than anyone else. “What do you know? Have you ever had someone you consider a friend steal someone you love away from you? No. I didn’t think so.” Gwen folded her arms across her chest.

Hank laughed. “Um.. Gwen, did you happen to notice whose wedding we’re at?”

Gwen looked at him confused for a moment, and then she caught on. Hank had been dating Sheridan when she and Luis had gotten together. A small smile covered her lips. “Oops. Guess it must be a Lopez-Fitzgerald thing, huh?”

Hank shrugged. “Must be.”

Gwen’s smile disappeared, though. “But you weren’t engaged to Sheridan, Hank. Sheridan is not the only woman you have ever loved. Ethan was,” she said sadly.

“Look, Gwen. You need to forget about that Ethan boy and move on with your life. You’re a beautiful woman. There are tons of men out there who would die to date a girl like you; you should try some of the other fish in the sea.”

Gwen nodded her head sarcastically. “Oh, the old ‘fish in the sea’ statement, huh?”

Hank grabbed her hand. “We need to sit down because I have a lot to teach you.”

Gwen started to protest, but she was cut off as Hank pulled her across the reception hall to the table where the wedding party was sitting. He pulled out her chair and took his place in the one next to her. Taking a sip of the champagne set in front of him, he started his story.

“Okay, look. Ethan is not the only fish in the sea. Ethan’s like... tuna!”

“Tuna?” Gwen laughed, but just shook her head and said, “Okay, go on.”

Hank nodded. “Okay, so Ethan is tuna, and you’re... you’re a mermaid! And see? As a mermaid, you have the choice of any fish in the entire ocean. There’s whales and dolphins and all these beautiful fish, but, for some reason, you’ve been spending all your time with this tuna. The tuna is okay, I mean, he’s not a guppy or anything, but he’s definitely not a dolphin, either! But one day this tuna meets another tuna, and the two hit it off immediately. They understand each other’s jokes, and let’s just say they’re on the same level. Now you, as the mermaid, are left all alone with all these new and unfamiliar fish because you’ve never known anything but the tuna. But now that the tuna has decided to call things off, you’re left with a world of opportunity! You can have any fish in the world! Do you get my picture?”

Gwen raised an eyebrow. “Don’t settle for the tuna when you can get the dolphin?” she asked cautiously.

“Exactly!” Hank raised his glass of champagne. “I’ll toast to that realization.”

Gwen had to laugh. As stupid as he was, he was also very funny. “Hank, I have to commend you on being very.. um.. creative...”

He winked at her and nodded slowly smiling cockily. “That’s not all I am, Baby. I’m a whole lot more than creative.”

Gwen rolled her eyes. “I’m sure you are, but, Baby, I’m not interested.”

Hank feigned hurtfulness. “Gwen, I’m offended!”

She just shrugged her shoulders as she took a sip of her champagne. “So now you’re creative and offended. But you’re also a blowfish, and I’m looking for a whale.”

He smirked before coming back with, “Well, if it’s size you’re looking for, I’ve got what you need.” Gwen blushed a deep shade of crimson at his suggestion. She blushed even deeper when he continued with, “And I won’t be the one blowing.”

With that, Hank took a final sip from his glass and stood up. Nodding his head quickly he said, “Well, if you’ll excuse me, it’s almost time for my speech. However, if you want to find out exactly what kind of a fish I am, I’d be more than willing to show you later tonight.” Smiling, he turned around and walked in the direction of the stage.

Gwen couldn’t help but feel a need to take him up on that offer as she watched him walk away. She had to admit, he was clever, something Ethan never was. And, God, was he ever sexy! Maybe Hank Bennett was exactly what she needed to forget that the tuna ever swam in her ocean.