The Wedding Pact Box Set - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,346

assured her with a wink. “He could be right under your nose and you’re too blind to see it.”

She wrinkled her nose. “More like I would have to be blind to look at any of them naked. All the fat rolls and floppy skin. Not to mention it’s too hard to get to the good stuff.” She held her hands in front of her, mimicking holding the fat rolls.

Libby cringed at the thought.

“Good God, Maude,” Nana groaned. “We’re about to eat.”

“Thanks for coming to our wedding,” Libby said. “You have no idea how happy we were that you were there.”

Gram patted her arm, her eyes soft with affection. “I wouldn’t have missed it for the world, Libby, my girl.”

Libby gave her a hug, happy that she and Noah had support from someone.

The hostess led them to their table. After they ordered and their food was served they talked about the wedding and Libby’s friends’ reaction.

“I understand why Blair’s carrying on,” Gram said, sawing on a piece of steak. “She’s always had a stick up her ass, but I’m disappointed in Megan.”

“To be fair,” Libby said, sipping from her water glass, “I haven’t talked to Megan.”

Gram scowled. “I have.”

Well, that confirmed that.

“How long are you kids staying in Vegas?” Nana asked.

Libby turned to look at Noah, surprised by the blank look on his face.

He studied her face. “I found out a potential client is here. I’m hoping to have a chance to meet with him.”

“Oh. Okay.” When had he found that out? He hadn’t had his laptop out, but then again, he only needed his phone to check his email.

“I’m hoping to see him this afternoon. We could leave tonight or tomorrow.” He leaned over and kissed her temple. “I’m eager to get Libby moved to Seattle.”

Gram looked surprised. “You’re moving to Seattle?”

Libby gave her a sheepish look. “We’d decided on that a couple of days ago. Before . . . our wedding.”

Gram leaned forward, her eyes glowing. “Is that so?”

Noah tried to play nonchalant. “Libby’s serious about the artistic side of her photography, not just family portraits and senior photos. The climate is better for that in the Pacific Northwest.”

“And who brought this up first?” Nana Ruby asked.

Noah shrugged, keeping his attention on his salmon. “I did.”

“Is that so?” Gram asked again, sounding like she knew there was more to the story.

He looked up. “What?”

“You were just being a good friend?”

He grinned. “That too.”

Libby gasped and turned to face him. “What else?”

He hesitated, then sighed. “Lib, I decided not to come to your wedding because I couldn’t stand the thought of you marrying anyone, let alone Mitch. But then I decided I couldn’t let it happen at all. I intended to stop the wedding.”

“You did?”

He cringed. “Yeah.”

She whacked his shoulder with her napkin. “So why didn’t you tell me?”

He lifted his hands in defense. “You shot me down a month ago. I figured you were going to take some wooing.”

“We’ve already discussed the whole proposition thing. And wooing?” she teased.

“Turns out I’m old-fashioned. Who knew?” A huge grin spread across his face. “I didn’t have sex with my wife until our wedding night. Go figure.”

“Noah,” she groaned good-naturedly. She wasn’t opposed to people knowing, but heavens only knew what Gram would do with that information.

Gram laughed. “Oh, we already knew. He told us last night.”

“What?”

“We told him to step up his game plan.”

Libby shook her head, trying to make all the pieces fit. “So when you asked me to move to Seattle . . .”

“I figured it would give me the opportunity to convince you I was worth the risk.”

“And when I told you I wanted to take a year off from men?”

He grimaced. “I wasn’t thrilled, but I was willing to wait.”

“While you saw other women?”

He turned serious. “No. Once I put it together that I loved you, I knew there was no other woman for me but you.”

“But you said you would move . . . get a two-bedroom house . . .”

“Lib, I fully intended to give you your own room until you were ready. My intention was to show you I’d changed.”

Overcome with emotion, she pulled his face to hers for a kiss. “I love you.”

He smiled at her. “I love you too.”

“And I love that daughter-in-law of mine,” Ruby said with a low growl. “But she’s a pigheaded fool if she can’t see the two of you are meant to be together.”

Libby offered the woman a smile. “Thanks, Nana.”

Gram patted her hand. “They’ll come around.”

Libby