The Wedding Pact Box Set - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,128

start our honeymoon. Although, I just now realized that I have no idea where we’re staying tonight.”

She giggled. “As much as I love making love to you under the stars, I need a bed tonight.”

A wicked gleam filled his eyes. “All this talk about beds is only making me want to drag you away now.”

“Patience, Mr. McMillan.”

His gaze returned to the small hill. He had to at least stay and see how Noah’s scheme played out.

Ten minutes later, Noah emerged from the administrative building, searching the crowd. Josh nodded, then gave Megan a lingering kiss.

“Keep that up and I’ll want to skip the rest of my own reception.”

He grinned. “Hold that thought. I need to talk to Noah.”

“Okay.”

“Your mother has been shooting us dirty looks for the last five minutes. Why don’t you go appease her, and after I finish with Noah, I’ll steal you away.”

“Deal.”

He made his way through the crowd and met Noah at the edge of the tent Knickers had rented for the reception.

“Did you get it?” Josh asked, keeping his gaze on Megan.

“Piece of cake. Peterman’s kid put her up to it. His dad didn’t want to make him a part of the firm, so he needed to give them something they couldn’t refuse. We were at the same conference, and Peterman knew about the design because I ran my mouth a bit too much. His girlfriend was with him, and you know the rest of that part.”

Josh scowled. “It’s the next part I’m interested in.”

“Drew gave the plans to his dad, passing them off as his own.”

“So no one else knew they were stolen?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

“But what about the email from the attorneys in Bart’s personal email?”

Noah grinned. “I cracked his email.”

“What? When?”

“While you and Megan were busy making goo-goo eyes at each other during dinner, I kept trying different combinations until I broke it.”

“Combinations of what?”

“His nicknames for Megan.”

That made sense. “And . . . ?”

“It looks like Bart caught wind of our application being denied. He realized that Drew had acquired the plans illegally. He was checking to see what ramifications it would have on the firm, given that the other principals had no prior knowledge of the crime.”

“That means Bart is innocent.”

“In this? Yes.”

Josh lifted his eyebrow in question.

“There’s still the issue of him taking money from his company, but that’s their problem, not ours.”

“So we won?” Josh asked, incredulous.

Noah looked over at Megan. “You won, all right.”

Libby slipped out the side door of the building and walked over to them, a sly grin on her face.

“Has it been taken care of?” Noah asked.

Libby’s grin widened.

A man walked up to the party, his gaze scanning the crowd. He looked to be in his early thirties, with dark hair and a medium build. He wore jeans and a polo shirt, so he obviously didn’t belong at the wedding. Something about him set Josh’s nerves on edge.

But something else told him that Libby and Noah were the more immediate concern. “Has what been taken care of?”

“Your wedding gift,” Libby said.

Libby had his full attention. “Why am I suddenly scared?”

“There’s no reason to be scared,” Noah said. “It’s exactly what you wanted. Megan.”

Josh’s chest tightened. What had they done? “I already have Megan.”

“This is more permanent.” Looking pleased with himself, Noah slapped Josh’s arm. “Libby put your marriage license in the mail. I told you this was the real deal.”

Terror washed over him. What was Megan going to say? Would she think he tricked her in this, too? “Get it back!”

“No can do, Joshy.” Noah laughed. “It’s a public mailbox. Breaking in is a federal offense.”

“Fix this.”

“It is fixed. It’s done.”

Josh turned back to the crowd, trying to sort through his options. Surely Megan wouldn’t hold it against him if he could get Noah and Libby to confess.

His eye caught the man at the edge of the crowd. He studied him closer, thinking he’d seen him somewhere, then realized he looked like an actor on Dawson’s Creek. The guy stood on the periphery, his body stiff, as though he were looking for a fight. How did he know him?

Josh turned to Libby, his heart racing now. “Who is that guy?”

The man started to push his way none too gently through the crowd, heading straight for Megan.

“Oh, God,” Libby said, breathless. “It’s Jay.”

“Shit!” He took off running, his heartbeat pounding in his ears as he pushed people out of the way.

Megan was talking to her mother and several of her friends, oblivious to the