The Wedding Pact Box Set - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,264

sunburn and a seven-thousand-dollar balance on her Visa card. Or the time she was arrested for painting a mural with amazing anatomical detail of her ex-boyfriend’s penis, right down to the bump near his testicle, on the side of his new girlfriend’s house—but she wasn’t so sure she’d live this one down.

“Where to, Lib?” Noah asked, his concern evident.

Where to? She couldn’t go home and face all those wedding presents stacked in the corner of her living room. She couldn’t face her friends, or God forbid, her mother. She definitely couldn’t face Mitch, although she owed him the apology of all apologies, and it still wouldn’t be enough.

The truth was, there was nowhere she could go that would make her feel any better than she felt right now in this car. It felt like the entire world had melted away, leaving behind only her and Noah, the one person she could trust to understand.

“Just keep going.”

“Okay.”

His warm hand covered hers, and that simple comfort brought tears to her eyes.

She blinked them back.

There would be no tears allowed for her stupidity. She leaned her head back on the seat and closed her eyes. She’d had several sleepless nights, so the lull of the car soon had her dozing.

“Libby.”

“Hmm?” Something dark and heavy pressed on her mind, but how could it when she was with Noah? Noah always seemed to lift her burdens.

“I’m hungry. Let’s eat.”

She opened her eyes and gasped when she realized it was now dark and they were parked in front of a café.

Then the whole nightmare came rushing back.

“Where are we?”

“The exit sign said Junction City, Kansas.”

“What?” She looked around, taking in the sight of cars in the lot and the street behind her. “How did we get here?”

He lifted his shoulders into a lazy shrug. “You said to keep driving. So I did.”

She slumped back in the seat. What did it matter where she was? As long as she wasn’t staring into the face of her humiliation. But apparently Junction City wasn’t far enough, because it was still there, staring back.

“Come on,” Noah said. “I’m hungry.”

She sat up straight and turned to face him. “You want me to go in there?” She pointed to the restaurant. “Dressed like this?” She waved her hand up and down the front of her sleeveless silk dress. Beading and sparkles covered the edge of her sweetheart neckline and the skirt flared at her waist, creating a sea of crinoline and silk around her.

He shrugged. “I told you. I’m hungry.” Then he opened the car door and walked around the back of the car and opened her door.

She glared up at him. “Go to a fast-food drive-thru.”

“No. I’m tired of driving, and you have a bladder the size of a thimble. I know you have to pee.”

She did have to pee, but there was no way she was going inside. “I can’t go in there wearing a wedding dress!”

He leaned his forearm on top of her door. “Sure you can. You’ll give them a thrill that they’ll talk about for years. That makes you a giver. Come on.”

“No. I’ve endured enough public humiliation for one day.”

He slid his arm off the door and squatted in front of her. “I don’t know what happened, and I want to hear about it as soon as you’re ready. But don’t think I forgot the stories you told me about your college days. The Libby St. Clair I know didn’t bat an eye about walking into a restaurant wearing a boa, a bikini, and a tiara. Wearing a wedding dress is way classier than that.”

She scowled. There was that look on his face, the one that told her any argument would be wasted breath. “You’re going to make me go in there, aren’t you?”

An ornery grin spread across his face. “Let’s just say you’re going in one way or another.” He winked. “If you make me pick you up, I’ll put you in a fireman’s hold and tell everyone I’m carrying you over the threshold.”

She groaned as she climbed out of the car. “I hate you. You’re an ass.”

His grin spread. “Many women find it endearing.”

“Name one.” She picked up her skirt so it didn’t touch the dirty sidewalk, although she wasn’t sure why it mattered now.

“Well, there was Christy last week, and Tina the week before that.”

“What about Donna?” The thought of his girlfriend stirred anger in her gut, catching her by surprise. “Aren’t you supposed to back in Seattle taking care of her thing?