The Wedding Pact Box Set - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,126

the front row. “Sorry, Gram.”

“That’s okay,” Gram called out to him. “Noah will pose for me.”

The crowd snickered and laughed.

He turned back to Megan, who was obviously struggling to keep a straight face.

“I promise to walk the dog when it’s cold and rainy,” he continued.

“Wait,” she whispered, loud enough for only them to hear. “You have a dog?”

He leaned closer and whispered, “No. Do you?”

She shook her head. “No, but I want one.”

“So do I. I’ll walk it.” He straightened and looked at the bottom of his list. “And if you agree to keep me around, I promise I’ll always bring you milk.”

She started laughing.

“I promise to throw my laundry in the hamper and always keep your feet warm.” He looked up at her. “I’ll be there to share your joy, and I’ll always be there to wipe away your tears in your sorrow. I will support you in every choice you make—unless it involves snow peas—but I’ll definitely be there for everything else.” He took her hand, turning serious. “No matter what, I promise to always love you. I want to thank you for turning my life completely upside down.” He looked into her eyes. “You are my once in a lifetime, Megan Vandemeer. Thank you for giving me a second chance.”

She squeezed his hand and bit her lower lip. “I didn’t write any vows, Josh.”

“That’s okay.”

She took a deep breath and pushed it out. “I don’t know what I would have done without you over these last few days, and I had no idea what I was missing until you showed it to me, but now that I’ve had the milk, I wouldn’t dream of giving up the cow. Thanks for crashing into my life.”

He laughed.

“And thank you for giving in to fate, Josh. I can’t imagine spending the rest of my life without you.”

He grabbed her hand and squeezed it as she stared up at him with so much love he had to fight the impulse to kiss her right then and there.

They turned back to the minister who was gaping at them, his eyes wide. He took a moment to gather his wits. “You can exchange the rings,” he stammered out.

Josh knew from the rehearsal that the minister had been planning to recite something, but the unorthodox vows had clearly thrown him for a loop.

After pulling the wedding ring from his pocket, Josh picked up Megan’s finger and held the ring over it. “This was my grandmother’s ring. My grandfather had it specially designed for her, and they were married fifty-two years.” He glanced at his mother in the audience, wondering what she thought, but she just gave him a loving smile and wiped tears from her cheeks. He turned back to Megan, suddenly wishing this wedding had been planned for the two of them—that it was real. “I hope we can have a marriage as strong and long-lasting as theirs was.”

He slid the ring over her finger.

“I don’t have a ring,” she whispered. “I forgot a ring.”

Kevin cleared his throat. “I have one. Mom worried that you’d forget, so she gave me Grandpa’s,” he grumbled, walking over and handing her a ring. “And for the record, this is the most bizarre wedding I’ve ever been to,” he said, soft enough for only them to hear.

Josh grinned. There was nothing traditional about how they’d gotten here. Why would their wedding be any different?

Megan put the ring on his finger with little fanfare, and the minister, who was clearly eager to be done with this mess, said, “May I present Mr. and Mrs. Josh McMillan.”

“Who?” Knickers asked Bart, loud enough for everyone to hear. “Why did he call them that?” Hopefully the pain medicine was still in full enough effect that she’d forget the slip.

“You may kiss the bride.”

Josh pulled Megan into his arms and kissed her, then lifted his head as applause filled the chapel. “We really did it.”

She beamed up at him. “We really did.”

Chapter Thirty

Josh endured several rounds of photos with the drunk photographer, who hiccupped in between shouting out orders, a wedding cake that nearly fell over, and Knickers’ spiraling mood swings as she came off her pain meds. Luckily Knickers seemed to have forgotten the minister’s use of his real name, though, and everyone was having a wonderful time.

It was the best day of his life.

When Bart introduced him to Drew Peterson and his fiancée Miriam in the receiving line, Josh realized he’d completely forgotten the original purpose for carrying on with