The Wedding Pact Box Set - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,37

Her voice trailed off in innuendo.

Blair’s mouth twisted into a smirk. “I’m sure that happened in a five-star hotel so someone else’s sheets got soiled. Both times.”

The thought of her perfect mother having sex, especially with her father, was nauseating. “Actually . . .” Megan said. “She told Josh—thinking he was Jay—that she knew we were having sex in Seattle, so she put his bag in my room.”

Blair’s mouth gaped. “Knickers actually said the word sex?”

“No,” Megan cringed. “She called it hanky-panky. But now he’s sleeping in my room.”

“Yes!” Libby squealed, drawing the attention of the guests at a nearby table. “Megan’s gettin’ some tonight!”

“Libby!” Megan hissed, her face getting hotter. “I can’t.”

“Finally,” Blair groaned. “The first reasonable thing you’ve said today.”

Libby ignored her. “Why on earth not?”

“He’s not sticking around.”

“So? What’s the problem? You like him. Admit it.”

Megan squeezed her eyes shut. “Maybe.”

“You’d be crazy if you didn’t. He’s nice. He’s sexy as hell. He’s charming. He’s attentive. And he’s sexy as hell.”

“You already said that.”

Libby glanced over at Josh, who had pocketed his phone and was headed their way. “With a man as sexy as that, it can’t be said often enough.”

Megan blushed. When Libby was right, she was right, and now Megan couldn’t help thinking about what he could accomplish with all that sexiness.

Chapter Nine

As Josh walked away from Megan and her friends, Noah shouted in his ear, “What the hell is going on? You scared the shit out of me.”

“Sorry about that.”

“Is this some new way to pick up women? Because I strongly recommend that you find a new technique.”

“Not exactly,” he said as he began to pace at the edge of the yard. “I left this trip up to fate, and you’ll never believe what has happened.”

“You got laid.”

“No. I sat next to Bart Vandemeer’s daughter on the plane.”

That got his attention. “What? Did you know she’d be on that flight?”

“No. I didn’t even know it was her until Bart Vandemeer shook my hand in the Kansas City airport.”

“Did he know who you were?”

“No . . . he mistook me for someone else.”

“Who?”

Josh rehashed the story, and Noah released a slow whistle. “This sounds more like me than you, little brother. Are you sure you can pull it off?”

“Amazingly, I have so far. We’ve even made it halfway through our engagement party.”

“An engagement party? Three days before the wedding?”

“Her mother’s a nutjob. A gold-digging, social wannabe nutjob. She spent enough money on this party to sustain a family of four for a year. God only knows what she’s planned for the wedding. Bart Vandemeer certainly has the motive. I think I’m onto something.” He paused. “No lecture? No admonishment?”

“Hell, no. You were right and I was wrong. Your plan is pure genius. I wholeheartedly approve.”

Noah’s approval set off blaring alarms. Josh stopped in his tracks. “You’re kidding.”

“No. Is Megan Vandemeer a looker? Are you going to hook up with her while you’re her fake fiancé?”

“What? No!”

“So she’s a dog?”

“No. She’s gorgeous, but I can’t start something with her. I have to break up with her as soon as I find some solid evidence.”

“Joshy, have I taught you nothing? Why not get some action while you’re out there? It’s perfect. You don’t have to worry about a long-term commitment because you’re only hanging around a few days and she knows you’re bailing. Why wouldn’t you go for that?”

“How’s she going to feel when she finds out the only reason I’m here is to find evidence proving her father is a thief?”

“It doesn’t matter, Josh,” Noah said, frustrated. “You’ll be gone. What’s the problem?”

Maybe Josh didn’t want to start something with her and be gone. He almost laughed at the irony. There had been three meaningful relationships in his life—two in college, and one he’d ended two years before. For some reason, none had ever felt quite right. By all appearances, they should have worked out. There were no compatibility issues, and Josh’s mother had approved of each of his exes, but he’d always felt like something was missing.

A spark.

He’d blamed himself. Since his father’s death, he’d been so driven to make his father’s legacy—his business—a success, he’d given the firm priority over everything and everyone in his life. He’d told himself there would be plenty of time to find the right person and start a family when the time came. Over the last few months, when it finally seemed as though the business had found solid ground, he’d allowed himself to examine his past relationships, determined