When Camille brought the massive Texas Sheet Cake out, many groaned that they were already stuffed.
~*~
Josh had gone in to use the bathroom. As he was drying off his hands the doorknob jiggled and there was a light tap on the door. He called out, “Occupied,” and straightened his shirt before opening the door.
Expecting someone to be right outside the door waiting, his attention turned to muffled conversation coming from the den just beyond the bathroom. The glass atrium door was shut and covered with closed blinds, and a woman was standing close with head leaned in, listening.
He couldn’t make out all that was being said inside the den, but a few phrases came through clearly. “When you and I leave…we’ll split the money between us…cut the boss out.”
Suddenly, the woman spun around to leave, and in her haste to get away, she bumped into Josh who was standing behind her, also listening to the voices.
“Excuse me,” the woman muttered as she scurried past him.
Josh moved closer to the covered glass door.
“I can’t wait,” Josh heard a female voice, followed by a small giggle. Then he recognized Lucas’s voice as he replied something to her. Josh slowly pushed the door open, catching Fiona reaching up to wipe a smear of lipstick off Lucas’s lip with her thumb and observing Lucas smiling down at her.
The pair’s eyes grew wide in surprise as they realized the door was open and Josh stood staring at them, his face twisted into a snarl.
He charged Lucas like an angry bull. Fiona had stepped aside just in time or she would have been caught up in the skirmish, as well. She made herself scarce, leaving Lucas to fend for himself.
Standing toe to toe, Josh pinned Lucas to the wall with his powerful forearm pressing on the man’s throat. After turning the air blue with a few choice expletives, he tore into him about what he just saw. “You’re already cheating on my mother! I won’t have it—you hear me? There’s no way in hell I’m gonna let you marry my mom knowing you were just in here doin’ God knows what with your assistant.”
“You have it all wrong, Josh,” Lucas faltered. “Fiona and I just had to straighten something out—about the promotional trip up the mountain next week.”
“You’re lying,” Josh seethed.
“There’s nothing between us.” Lucas fought to get the words out, struggling to breathe. “I love Maggie.”
“You think I’m stupid?” Josh’s eyes widened as the stress in his voice rose. “I saw her wiping lipstick off your freakin’ lip.”
“That wasn’t lipstick—it was barbecue sauce,” Lucas squeaked under the forceful weight of Josh’s muscular arm.
“I’m not buying it! You two are way too friendly to be all business. I swear, you break it off with my mother or I’m going to tell her what I saw tonight.” Josh stepped back, releasing his pressure against Lucas’s neck.
Lucas grabbed at his throat and coughed a few times. “I promise, Josh, it’s not what you think,” he sputtered. He bent over, putting his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. “I would never hurt your mom. I love her.” He drew in a few more breaths. “Let’s get through this party and then I’ll let her down gently tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?”
“Just give me some time to do it in my own way.”
“I’ll probably regret it, but I will give you until tomorrow at six or I’ll tell her myself.”
~*~
Emily passed by the den as Josh stormed out. She noticed Lucas in the room, doubled over and breathing hard. “What on earth?”
“Not now, Emily,” Josh growled as he stomped away.
“Lucas?” she asked from the doorway. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing to worry about.” Lucas pulled himself upright. “Just a difference of opinion.” He squeezed past her, smoothing his hair with his hand, and he returned to the party.
Emily immediately went looking for Isabel to fill her in on what she’d seen and she hoped they could put a plan together to find out what was really going on. The Semanski trial be damned—they had put off the background check long enough.
After watching Lucas’s interaction with Sully on the lawn, and now this conflict with Josh, Emily was convinced something was up. She had to find a way to get Sully and Josh to talk to her. If Maggie was set to marry this guy in two weeks, then time was running out to find out what was going on and save her friend from perhaps the biggest mistake of her life.