The Wedding Pact Box Set - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,107

for a woman he’d known a few days. And that scared him.

She pulled back and gave him a sweet smile that melted his heart. “We better get inside before my mother has a coronary.”

“You’re right.” But he kissed her again, not wanting to let this moment go.

“Maybe I can stay with you at the hotel tonight,” she murmured against his lips.

“I don’t know.” He grinned. “Gram’s promised to make my last night as a bachelor a memorable experience. She keeps talking about the positions she wants to show me. All I remember is something about a camel and a baby.”

Megan laughed, a pure melodious sound that he tried to bottle into a memory he could pull out later and reminisce over if things went south.

The others were already seated when they entered the room, but no one seemed surprised they were coming in late. They probably figured Megan and Josh had some spat before the rehearsal and needed to iron things out. Thankfully, Kevin and Blair hadn’t conspired to split Megan and Josh up with the seating chart. There were three tables. One was for Megan’s parents and aunts and uncles; the second was for her cousins, Kevin, and Gram; and they were seated at the third, with Noah, Blair and Neil, and Libby and Mitch. Josh held Megan’s chair out for her, and she flashed him a mischievous grin. The certainty of how much he needed her—not just wanted—hit him square between the eyes.

Josh was surprised by how civil Blair was toward him. After a couple of drinks, she let her guard down and seemed to actually be having fun, albeit not with her fiancé. Neil was a quiet, unassuming man, and Josh couldn’t at all see the attraction between him and Megan’s tempestuous friend. By the time the entrées had been served, it was apparent their marriage would be one of convenience. Blair brought her prestigious career to the deal, but he couldn’t figure out what Neil had to offer.

Mitch and Libby seemed like a much better fit. He was funny and attentive to her, and she seemed to genuinely like him. But while Josh could hardly claim to be an expert at love or matchmaking, he thought something was missing—maybe that essential spark he himself had only felt with Megan. Noah must have noticed, too. He spent the entire dinner by Libby’s side, deep in conversation with her. If Mitch felt threatened, he never let on. Josh worried that Kevin would come over to talk with them at some point and ruin the friendlier atmosphere, but he stayed where he was, seemingly content to continue sending evil glares across the room. Josh was suddenly glad he’d been exiled from the Vandemeer home. He wouldn’t put it past Kevin to come into Megan’s room in the middle of the night and hold a pillow over his face.

How had nice guy Josh McMillan acquired so many enemies in such a short time?

During dessert, Josh leaned over and gave Megan a kiss. “I need to go to the restroom. I’ll be right back.”

She gave him a wry smile. “Okay, but no guarantees your cheesecake will still be here when you return.”

He laughed, feeling happier than he’d felt in a long time. “I guess I’ll take my chances.”

When he reached the doorway, he looked back to see her fork hovering over his dessert plate. He laughed, shaking his head as he made the short trip to the men’s room. After he finished his business and emerged from the restroom, he wasn’t surprised to see Blair waiting for him in the hall.

“Blair,” he said, his voice tight.

“Scumbag.”

He tried to suppress a grin. He shouldn’t enjoy riling her up so much when she clearly had Megan’s best interest at heart.

“You find all of this so amusing, do you?”

Any hint of a grin fell. “No. Actually, I don’t.”

“I need to talk to you in private.”

Josh considered blowing her off, but if he had any hope of a long-term relationship with Megan, Blair was part of the package. “Okay.”

She led the way out the front door and sat down on a nearby concrete bench. Josh only realized she’d brought her large black leather purse with her when she pulled out a folder and set the bag on the ground next to her. She patted the concrete seat. “Sit down. Let’s take a look at what I have here.”

His heart leapt into his throat. What could she have in that folder?

“So you carried through with your