The Wedding Pact Box Set

by Denise Grover Swank

  “No,” Josh said calmly. “He loved my mother very much. I hope to have a marriage like theirs one day.”

  “Based on lies and deception?”

  He was quiet for a moment, and his answer was subdued. “No.”

  Libby gave her a frown. “Blair, not everyone is as cynical about love as you are.”

  “I’m a realist, Libby. Love is a conscious decision.”

  “You really think your relationship with Neil is love?” Libby questioned, turning around to interrogate her friend.

  Libby was only putting a voice to what Megan had been silently thinking for months.

  “Neil and I have a very compatible relationship based on trust and similar hobbies.”

  “And it’s so romantic,” Libby singsonged.

  “Romance doesn’t last. It’s all spiking hormones and lust.” Blair glared at her friend. “Perhaps one of your relationships would last longer than three weeks if you were looking for something other than romance.”

  “I’d rather have a few weeks of passion and hot sex than a cold and emotionless relationship,” Libby shot back, but Megan saw a hint of hurt in her eyes.

  Blair turned her attention to Josh. “And how are we supposed to believe anything you say? You could very well be making it all up—your mother, brother, your father, too.”

  “Blair,” Megan warned.

  An awkward silence settled on the group. Then Josh stood. “I know you girls would like to talk without me, so I’ll go make a call and leave you with some time to yourselves.”

  “Who are you going to call?” Blair demanded.

  Josh pulled his phone out of his pocket and brought up the contact before he locked his eyes onto hers. “My brother Noah. I haven’t talked to him since landing in Kansas City, so he must be worried.”

  Blair snatched his phone. “Let’s see if you really have a brother.”

  “Blair!” Megan shouted, reaching for it. “What the hell are you doing?”

  “Protecting you.” Blair leaned out of her grasp as Josh stared at her, his eyes wide with shock. She pressed send and held the phone up to her ear. “Hello? Noah? What is your relation to Josh McMillan?” Horror washed over her face. “No! He’s fine! He hasn’t been in accident! I’m sorry! He just . . .”

  “Blair!” Megan wrestled the phone from her friend and handed it to Josh. “God! I’m so sorry.”

  Josh grimaced as he lifted the phone to his ear. “Noah? No. I’m fine,” he said, giving Megan an apologetic look. “It was someone’s idea of a bad joke.”

  “Go!” she motioned to him. He walked to the opposite side of the pool, moving toward the back of the yard, where there were fewer people.

  “What the hell, Blair?” Megan demanded after Josh left. “You probably scared his brother half to death.”

  Blair shrugged. “He didn’t try to stop me once I had his phone.”

  “Yeah, because he was stymied by the fact that a grown, supposedly professional woman would steal his phone,” Libby said.

  To her credit, Blair looked embarrassed. “Maybe I was a little overzealous . . .”

  “You think?” Megan asked.

  “I think he’s cute.” Libby kept her eyes on Josh, an appreciative gleam in her eyes. “He’s got a nice ass.”

  “Funny,” Megan deadpanned. “My gram said the same thing.”

  “I’ve always liked Gram,” Libby said. “I think you should go for it.”

  “There’s nothing to go for.”

  “I thought you were breaking up tonight,” Blair reminded her.

  “Yeah . . .” She’d been trying to put it off as long as possible, wanting to spend more time with him. But the reality of the situation was staring her in the face, and the thought of never seeing Josh McMillan again filled her with panic.

  Libby lifted her drink to her lips and gave Megan a knowing look. “I say break up with him tomorrow. You can do other things tonight.”

  Megan grimaced. “While sleeping around might be your style, Libby, it’s not mine.”

  Libby shot her a haughty look. “For the record, you might as well both know I’m not sleeping around at the moment. I’ve been with Mitch for four months now.”

  Blair and Megan stared at her in surprise.

  “What? I’m not getting any younger. We’re all about to hit thirty this year, and now I’ll have a date to both of your weddings. You know, when you think about it, Megan’s wedding disaster isn’t that much of a surprise.”

  “What does that mean?” Megan demanded.

  Blair groaned, leaning back in her chair. “Not that fortune teller crap again. If I had known how seriously you’d take it, I never would have gone.”

  Libby narrowed her eyes. “It happened, Blair. Whether you choose to believe her prediction or not.” She turned to Megan, who was now listening intently. “And we made a pact to get married. I told you—pacts are not to be taken lightly.”

  “We made that pact at a city fair because we were bored after your brother barfed on a carnival ride,” Blair said. “If you remember, we also picked out our grooms. After rock-paper-scissors, you got Travis Ming. Which seems like an excellent way to pick your future husband, Libby. Especially in light of how Megan has picked her substitute groom.” She cocked her head. “What’s Travis up to these days, Libs? Your birthday is in five months. You better hurry up and track him down.”

  “Be a hater all you want, Blair,” Libby retorted. “Megan’s wedding is proof.”

  “You don’t seriously believe any of this, do you?” Blair asked. “You’re not even engaged, Libby.”

  “Not yet, but I have five months,” Libby mused. “Besides, look at Megan’s wedding. While it’s a disaster, another—significantly more charming—man is already claiming to be her fiancé.”

  “Hey!” Megan protested. “My wedding isn’t a disaster . . . and as far as Josh goes . . . it’s just not going to happen. I just met him. And under duress, I might add.”

  Blair scowled. “Well, my wedding is going to go off without a hitch. My wedding planner has everything under control, and Neil wouldn’t think of cheating on me.” She cast a glance at Megan. “Sorry, Megs.”

  Megan shrugged, trying to make her friends believe she was over Jay’s infidelity. She wasn’t sure how convincing it was. While part of her was glad to be rid of him, the embarrassment still clung to her like a cheap perfume.

  Reaching over, Libby patted Megan’s hand. “Who knows? Maybe she’ll marry Josh on Saturday.”

  Blair looked furious. “Megan is not getting married to anyone on Saturday, so let it go, Libby.”

  “Jeez, Blair,” Libby said nonchalantly, sipping her drink. “You might want to consider some anger management classes.” She waggled her eyebrows at Megan. “Besides, who knows what will happen tonight with Mr. Hot-and-Sexy-in-a-Pair-of-Jeans once he’s out of them. Maybe he’ll be so good you’ll want to marry him.”

  To her horror, Megan blushed.

  “She’s not sleeping with him tonight,” Blair lectured Libby. “I’m sure Knickers gave him his own room. No one is allowed to have sex in the house of perfection.”

  Libby giggled. “But Knickers got pregnant twice . . .” 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 to make the next one work.

  His conclusion was sobering. He realized he could have lavished all the attention in the world on each one of his exes, and it still wouldn’t have worked. Though some might argue the connection he sought was the stuff of fairytales and folklore—two things Josh McMillan didn’t much believe in—there had been so much spark in his parents’ marriage that they had glowed with it.

  That was why Josh found acknowledging his attraction to Megan so difficult. He realized he was not only attracted to her, but he’d finally found that elusive spark . . . except with her, it was more like a blaze. It was crazy. He hardly knew her, but there was no denying it. And while he was tempted to take Noah’s advice and indulge in his desire for her before he left, he couldn’t do it. From what he could see, Megan Vandemeer’s life was full of people dead set on hurting her. He didn’t want to add his name to that list.

  And that strangled him more than he’d expected.

  “How far are you going to take this?” Noah asked.

  Josh sucked in a breath and pushed it out while simultaneously trying to force the thoughts of the sexy brunette out of his head. “I don’t know yet. Bart’s friends and associates have painted a pretty flattering picture of his character, but that doesn’t mean anything. Desperate men go to drastic measures. He seems like an ordinary guy, and he doesn’t have expensive hobbies—an occasional game of golf, camping, fishing . . .”

  “A boat?”

  “It’s twenty years old, with a small outboard motor.”

  “So the wedding is his big expense?”

  “I’m pretty sure money slips through his wife’s fingers like water. When I asked about Bart’s financial planner, one of his friends hinted that Bart doesn’t have much money to invest. A woman pulled me aside because she thought I might know what was going on. Joke’s on her, but she had something interesting to say. Rumor has it Bart refinanced the Vandemeers’ house to get the money to pay for the wedding of the year. And it still wasn’t enough.”

  “So Bart could be the culprit?”

  “Maybe. I was hoping Andrew Peterman, the second principal, would show, but so far he hasn’t made an appearance, and it’s getting late enough that I suspect he won’t.”

  “Wow. I’m impressed. I didn’t think you had subterfuge in you, Joshy.”

  Noah meant it as a compliment, but Josh suddenly felt dirty. “Nicole mentioned that Bart has a home office on the second floor with the bedrooms. I hope to search their house tonight after everyone goes to bed, but I suspect any real evidence is at his business office. Getting there could be challenging. Her mother is like Mother-of-the-Bridezilla. She’s made itineraries for each of us, and my time is booked solid up until the wedding. I have no idea how I’m going to get away to go to Vandemeer’s office.”

  “Doesn’t her family think it’s weird you don’t have any family or friends there?”

  “Megan said the shithead she was going to marry hardly had any friends, and neither his parents nor brother were planning on coming.”

  “The guy sounds like a tool if his own parents weren’t going to the wedding. Is Vandemeer’s daughter a bitch?”

  “No. Not from what I’ve seen. Quite the opposite, in fact. I can’t figure out why she was planning to marry the douche bag.”

  “It doesn’t matter. I think you’re onto something. And the fact is, if you’re busy with all the wedding plans, then you need help.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Your mother may not be coming to the wedding, but your brother can change his mind and show up tomorrow.”

  “What? No!” Josh protested in panic.

  “It’s perfect, Josh. I’ll have more free time than you. Besides, you and I both know this is more my type of caper than it is yours.” Noah
laughed. “You’re out of your league, Joshy. Admit it.”

  Josh paced, rubbing the back of his neck. Noah showing up could be a potential disaster. Noah tended to be a loose cannon. But Josh had to admit he needed help, and Noah had been the one to corner them into this situation in the first place. Time was ticking down, and he’d known going into this that he was going to have to resort to rolling in the mud. “Fine, but you have to behave yourself, Noah.”

  “Hey! When have I not behaved myself?”

  “Consider why we’re in this situation to begin with . . .”

  “Jeez, one time—”

  “One time?” Josh shook his head. “Dammit.” This plan was even more insane than the course he was currently on. “I’m not telling them that you’re coming. I can’t think of a single reason to justify you showing up tomorrow. Megan wants to break up at the party tonight, and I don’t want to scare her into going through with it.”

  “You can’t let her break up with you!”

  “I know. And for the most part, I’m safe. Megan is trying to save face with her mother, and I’ve been the perfect boyfriend.”

  “Like that’s a stretch,” Noah snorted. Leave it to Noah to make an attentive boyfriend sound like a bad thing.

  “The point is that she needs me to act like a first-class jerk before she can break up with me, although it would come across even better for her if I break up with her. And I have no intention of doing either tonight.”

  “So you’re safe.”

  In theory, but he could also end up infuriating Megan. While he’d accept that in a pinch, the better option was if he could get her to agree to the delay. And if he were being honest with himself, he didn’t want her to be angry with him.

  “I’ve told Megan we should break up tomorrow. She hasn’t agreed, but one of her best friends likes me and is trying to get her to put it off. I think I can get her to hold off until at least tomorrow night. But that’s not near enough time if you show up in the afternoon. I might have to try pushing the breakup off to Friday, but that’s cutting it pretty close to the wedding.” He paused. “Maybe I’ll find what we need tomorrow.”