The Wedding Pact Box Set - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,61

to take it from the strange man who had just barged into her parents’ house without an invitation. “Do you actually have a pair?” Megan countered, pinning him with a scrutinizing gaze. “You don’t exactly look like the type of guy who would willingly get dirty enough to need a pair of overalls.”

“Megan!” her mother reprimanded. “What has gotten into you?”

Megan bit back a retort. “Nothing.” She squinted at Noah. “I just really need to talk to Josh.”

And he was going to get quite an earful indeed.

Chapter Fourteen

Josh knew he was in deep shit. In more ways than he could count.

For one thing, he’d spent the entire day pretending not to know anything about engineering at Bart Vandemeer’s firm—a feat given that it was the field to which he’d devoted his entire adult life—and he was walking away with bupkis. Sure, everyone in the firm was excited over the recently granted patent—his patent—but whenever he asked questions about it, they treated him like a kindergartner who couldn’t possibly understand anything beyond 1+1=2. Josh would have found it insulting even if he were an investment banker. Noah might have been able to sneak around or seduce the info out of the cute twenty-something receptionist or some other 007 scheme, but Josh was out of his league. He’d wasted the day.

And to top it off, Noah had texted Josh to tell him that Megan was pissed about finding him on her mother’s sofa. Noah knew how pivotal it was for Josh to remain in Bart Vandemeer’s good graces. It was their best and only chance to get the information they needed to save their relationship with their investor. Thankfully, Noah had stuck to the plan, telling her that Josh had no idea he was coming, but apparently he hadn’t gotten the chance to pull her aside and tell her why he was there. When Josh got no response to the three texts he sent asking Noah what he’d planned to tell her, he knew he was on his own. But she had to wonder why Noah would show up unannounced on her doorstep. What possible explanation could there be that wasn’t incredibly sketchy?

He had a lot of smoothing over to do.

The patent celebration had caused them to leave the office late, and Bart still needed to pick up the food for the family dinner. Using his brother’s arrival as an excuse, Josh talked Bart into dropping him off at the house before making his restaurant run.

Josh watched Bart drive off, wondering if he should have stuck to the plan and arrived later. Then he wouldn’t need to face Megan yet. But avoiding conflict had never been Josh’s style. He met it head on. That’s why this whole situation was so atypical for him. But then, he’d never had so much to lose. The thought momentarily floored him. Losing his business or losing Megan—which bothered him the most?

Before he could reason it out, the front door swung open and Knickers greeted him in the doorway. “Josh! I’m so thrilled your brother could join us.”

At least someone was happy about it. “Yes! I was shocked when he texted to say he was not only here in Kansas City, but at your house. I hope he hasn’t been an imposition.”

“Of course not. He’s your brother. You should have family here.”

He walked through Megan’s parents’ front door, preparing himself to face Megan’s wrath, but she wasn’t in the living room, and he didn’t see her in the kitchen either. Noah, on the other hand, was sitting at the island drinking what looked like lemonade while talking to Megan’s grandmother, who—thank God—was fully clothed.

Gram glanced up at Josh and shot him a grin. “You’re off the hook, Josh. Noah has agreed to pose as my nude model.”

Megan’s mother walked through the back door, rolling her eyes. “No one’s posing nude.”

Noah winked at Gram and gave her a knowing nod.

“How was your day, Josh?” Nicole asked, giving him a sweet smile. Josh was sure that wasn’t an adjective normally associated with Mrs. Vandemeer, but he planned to use her temporary approval to his advantage.

“It was great, but I’m eager to see Megan.”

“She’s upstairs with Libby, getting ready for the dinner.”

“I’ll run up and check on her.”

Noah shot him a glance that conveyed good luck.

Josh bounded up the stairs, but his steps slowed as he neared the top. He’d spent most of the day frustrated by his lack of progress, and the only thing getting him through his utter