Then he cursed himself again.
Beside him, Knox tossed down his screwdriver and faced him. “We have fifteen pieces of equipment to put together today and that’s not going to happen with you doing…whatever it is that you’re doing. So can you please just tell me what’s going on so we can get back to work?”
The last time he talked to his friend about anything personal, it didn’t go particularly well, but maybe this time would be different.
“Let me ask you something,” he began. “What is the craziest thing you would personally do to grow this business?”
Crossing his arms, his friend studied him with a fairly neutral expression. “Personally?”
Daniel nodded. “Yeah. Would you…sleep with someone? Date them? Marry them?”
That finally caused Knox’s eyes to widen the slightest bit. “Hmm…interesting question. May I ask why you want to know?”
“I slept with Josie.”
Now Knox’s brows went up. “As in your brother’s fiancée, Josie?”
“Yeah, except…she’s not really his fiancée. Not in the traditional sense.”
Shaking his head, Knox walked across the room and grabbed a stepladder and sat down on it. “Okay, I’m clearly missing a piece or two to the puzzle so…”
Daniel explained how Tyler and Josie were engaged solely for the sake of Tyler’s promotion and for the potential to grow Meet Me at the Altar. Pacing, he went on, “Personally, I think it’s crazy. I can’t even begin to imagine what either of them were thinking. All I know is that it’s wrong on so many levels. I would never do it and I would never ask you or Xander to do such a thing!”
“To be fair, I’d kick your ass if you asked me to do anything like that,” Knox countered and then paused. “So, you found out their relationship is fake and thought it was okay to sleep with her.”
He nodded.
“Then I’m confused. You got what you clearly wanted–I mean, we knew you were attracted to her–and now you’re all pissy. Why?”
“She told me the relationship was fake and we agreed not to discuss the specifics because…well…because there were other things we wanted to be doing.”
“Fair enough.”
“But this morning, I needed to know.” Then he shook his head. “At least, I thought I needed to know.”
“I think I see where this is going.”
“Yeah, she explained it and I sort of…you know…said something a little offensive and insulting, and then when she got upset and walked out, I didn’t stop her.”
“And now you regret it.”
“Yup.”
Knox stared at him for a solid minute before he finally spoke again. “The way I see it, you have to come to grips with a few things.”
“Such as?”
“First, you were a total dick to her,” he said simply. “You insulted her and you let her leave. After sleeping with her.”
“Thanks for the play-by-play,” he said sarcastically.
Ignoring his comment, Knox went on. “If you slept with her to scratch an itch and now you’re done, you need to apologize and move on.” He eyed Daniel. “Was this just to get laid or were you looking for more with her?”
Shit. This was awkward.
“Fine, don’t answer,” Knox continued. “If you’re looking for more with her, you are going to have to grovel a bit to make up for being a dick.”
“Okay, can you just…you know…stop calling me that?”
“Whatever.”
“Are you going to tell me what I have to come to grips with?”
“Look, whatever her reasoning, she agreed to marrying your brother. It’s obvious you don’t agree with it, but you really don’t have any idea what her relationship with Tyler is like. Chances are, it’s completely innocent and just two friends helping each other out with their careers. You just happened to come along at the wrong time.”
Which was true.
“If by chance she forgives you and the two of you start some kind of relationship, you seriously need to think about what this means for the three of you.”
“The three of us?”
Nodding, Knox said, “You, Josie, and Tyler. She may tell your brother that the deal’s off, but if you’re not looking to get serious with her, then that’s a shitty position to put her in. She’d be giving up her business options plus disappointing a friend.”
“I get that, but…it’s a stupid deal! There’s no way it was going to work out! And honestly, why not just have a fake wedding? Why marry each other for real? I’m sure it would be awkward to admit to my folks the truth about what was going on, but how many bosses actually pay that close of attention to their employees’ lives? It’s absurd!”
“That very well may be, but…it’s not your call to make on a casual relationship.” After a moment, he added, “It is casual, right?”
Groaning, he paused. “How the hell should I know? We just met. Sort of. It’s too soon to be thinking about all of that.”
“Do you want my advice?”
He wasn’t so sure, but curiosity got the better of him. “Sure.”
“This is way too messed up of a situation. Say you got this girl out of your system and move on. There’s too much going on in your life right now to deal with all of this. Plus, your relationship with your brother isn’t the greatest, do you really think you getting involved with Josie is going to help that?”
“Honestly? I hadn’t even thought about that.”
“You have to ask yourself if this girl is worth it.” Standing, Knox shook his head. “You just got home and you’re starting a business. I get that you hadn’t slept with anyone in a while, but…don’t over-romanticize this, man. Call it a night and move on.”
He raked a hand through his hair again. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
With a shrug, Knox walked back across the room, picked up his screwdriver, and went back to work. Daniel knew he should be doing the same but…
“I’ll be back,” he said as he made his way to the door. “Or maybe I won’t. I don’t know.” And he didn’t wait to hear his friend’s reply. He knew he needed to think but assembling gym equipment wasn’t going to help him do that. There’d be hell to pay tomorrow when it wasn’t done, but he’d deal with it then.
He was in his car and pulling out of the parking lot before he knew it, but he had no idea where he was going. His first thought was to go home and go for a run. That always helped him clear his mind. But as he drove through the city, it wasn’t in the direction of home, and soon enough, he found himself parked in the Meet Me at the Altar office. He had no idea what Josie’s schedule was like or if she’d even be willing to talk to him, all he knew was that he had to try. She wasn’t just a one-night stand–that much he knew. Right now, he wasn’t thinking in the long-term, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t think about it.
Quietly, he walked into the lobby and looked around for any sign of Josie, but it was Leanna who came walking toward him, frowning.
“What are you doing here?” she asked quietly, but firmly.
“I um…I’d like to speak with Josie if she’s available.” And it was weird how nervous and self-conscious he suddenly felt.
Leanna motioned for him to follow her and he assumed they were going to their shared office.
Instead, they ended up in a room with a half-dozen elegantly-set tables and Leanna pointed to one and told him to have a seat.
Like he was a student being called into the principal’s office.
He sat and Lea stood beside him, hovering over him disapprovingly.
“So, is Josie around?” he asked without making eye contact.
“She just got on a call with a client and honestly, I don’t think it’s a good idea for her to see you.”
Okay, now he did look up at her. “Forgive me for being rude, but…that’s not your call to make.”
Arms crossed, she stared down at him. “Oh, really? Well, forgive me for being rude but I really don’t care what you t
hink.” With a loud sigh, Lea walked around and took the seat opposite him. “You may not be aware of this, but we tell each other everything around here. Every. Thing.” Now she looked a little smug. “So when she came in this morning, I could tell she had been crying and over a bowl of frosting, she told me about your conversation. And for the record, I’ve lost a lot of respect for you.”
She was tossing his words back at him and Daniel knew it was what he deserved, but he had no idea how to plead his case. Mainly because he was still majorly confused about the entire thing.
“Here’s something you might not know,” Lea went on, interrupting his thoughts. “Josie is fiercely loyal to her friends. Almost to a fault. She likes to come off as a badass, but the truth is that she’s wildly insecure.”
“That’s not how I see her.”
She smirked. “You don’t know her very well.” Crossing her arms again, she leaned back in her chair. “For years she watched her brother go from one disastrous relationship to another and she convinced herself that she would never let that happen to her. So she shut everyone out, told anyone who would listen that she didn’t need to be in a relationship. Josie is the reason this business has been as successful as it is because she threw herself into it a thousand percent.”
“I get that, but…”
“You don’t get to talk,” Lea snapped. “Apparently you said way too much this morning. This time you’re going to listen.”
With a nod, Daniel decided to get comfortable.
“For the most part, we all thought she was happy. Then when Skye and Elliott got together, we finally started seeing just how much of a façade she’d put up.” Pausing, she started to frown again. “Josie cares deeply and loves fiercely. If you’re lucky enough to have her on your side, you’ve got a friend for life. But if you betray her or let her down, she can seriously hold a grudge.” With a mirthless laugh, she added, “Trust me on that one.”
“I’ll have to take your word for it.”
“I guess my question for you, Daniel, is…why are you here?” she asked simply. “Do you just want to apologize or are you genuinely interested in her?”
It was the conversation with Knox all over again. He straightened and cleared his throat. “It’s really none of your business.”
Her bark of laughter was short and loud. “That’s where you’re wrong. Josie’s more than a friend to me; she’s family. And as such, I will always look out for her.” She paused. “It’s been years since I’ve seen her cry–years. So when she came in here this morning and had clearly been crying, you can be darn sure I won’t let it happen again.”
It was on the tip of his tongue to argue that it wasn’t her place, but he knew it would be pointless. Instead, he shifted in his seat and met her gaze. “Can I ask you something?”
She nodded.
“Do you really think it’s a good idea? What she’s doing with Tyler?”
“No! Of course not! None of us do!” she cried as she finally relaxed in her seat. “We’ve been trying to talk her out of it but…like I said…she’s trying to be loyal to your brother.”
“Has anyone tried talking to Ty?”
Lea made a face. “No offense, but I’m kind of getting the feeling that he’s manipulating her so he can get his way. I’m really not a fan of his right now.”
“Yeah, neither am I,” he said wearily, scrubbing a hand over his face. “If everyone is against it, I don’t understand why she’s still going through with it.”
“She’s told him no several times since you and your family interrupted the fake engagement, and then he conveniently finds ways to sort of lure her back in,” she said with disgust. “I never saw this side of him and it’s creepy and wrong and…ugh!” With a sigh, she gave him a sad smile. “Josie won’t be able to live with herself if Tyler gets fired and he knows that and is playing on it.”
That just filled him with rage–not only because he hated the thought of Josie being manipulated like that, but the fact that his little brother had turned into the kind of man who would do such a thing. His fists clenched and he suddenly couldn’t sit any longer. Once on his feet, he began to pace. “So do I need to go and deal with him?” he demanded.
“Is it wrong that I really want to say yes?” she asked cautiously. “And you have to know that I am the least violent person you will ever meet, but right now, I’d like a chance to throat punch your brother!” With a gasp, her hands flew to her mouth.
He knew he liked Lea before, but that little admission pretty much sealed the deal.
“Help me, Lea,” he said softly, calmly. “Please. Tell me what I need to do to make things right with Josie.”
Her mouth was a thin line when she lowered her hands. “How do I know I can trust you? I used to trust your brother and look how that’s working out.”
“Believe me, Tyler and I are nothing alike. Never have been, never will be. You know how you just told me how loyal Josie is to her friends? Well, I’m the same way. If I had known sooner that all this was going on, I would have put a stop to it immediately. And knowing how he’s playing her goes against everything I believe in.” He was pacing as he spoke but stopped beside her. “I probably should just let this go and walk away because it’s only going to lead to trouble with my family, but…I can’t.”
Slowly, Lea came to her feet. “She means something to you.”
Daniel didn’t even have to think about it because…she did. With a curt nod, he confirmed it. “She does. Even when I thought she was in love with my brother, I couldn’t stay away. I hated myself for it and cursed my lack of control.”
“Can I give you a bit of advice?”
“Please.”
“Don’t tell her what to do. If you tell her she has to end things with Tyler, she’s going to push back and tell you it’s her life and none of your business.” With a small laugh, she said, “It seems the two of you are extremely compatible in that respect.”
It would seem so.
“Talk to her,” Lea went on. “Tell her how you feel but don’t put her down or make her feel like she’s wrong because, believe it or not, she already knows she is. She just needs to handle it in her own way. If you care for her, be patient. She’s worth it.”
He knew that too.
Now that they understood each other, he felt like he’d cleared the last hurdle. “Okay, so…what’s my next move?”
“Hmm…have a seat. I have the perfect plan.”
10
“The biggest failure you can have in life is making the mistake of never trying at all.”
Unknown
Josie jumped out of her car and slammed the door shut.
It had been a crappy day, traffic was a beast on the way home, and now she had to deal with being in her house when she wasn’t fully comfortable being there.
Especially not at night.
Part of her considered asking Lea if she could crash with her and Brody, but pride kept her from doing it. Then she caved and called Skye, but Bella was particularly fussy and it was hard to have a conversation over all the crying.
And not all of it was coming from the baby.
So here she was, standing outside the house she took pride in owning, unsure how safe she felt staying there.
“Not that it matters,” she mumbled as she unlocked the door. “Because this is where I have to be.” Inside, she locked the door, reset her alarm, and slowly made her way to the kitchen. “Probably should have picked something up on the way home.” It was a little after six and she was definitely hungry. Opening the refrigerator, it didn’t take long to realize there wasn’t anything in there that she wanted. The freezer was a little more promising as she reached for the carton of caramel cookie dough ice cream.
I had frosting for breakfast…might as well bookend the day with another bad food choice.
She stepped away from the freezer, kicked off her shoes, and grabbed a spoon from the drawer. After one spoonful, Josie knew it wasn’t what she wanted–some moo
shu shrimp and dumplings were really what she was craving–but it would take an hour to get there.
So she placed the order and ate a little more ice cream to tide her over.
While she waited, she changed into a pair of yoga pants and tank top before curling up on the couch to channel surf.
Such an exciting life I lead…
All her scrolling for something to watch brought her to a documentary about some of her favorite Disney movies and she felt like it was exactly what she needed to lighten her mood. It still felt a little weird to be watching it–even though she was alone–but she was going to ignore that feeling and try to embrace and enjoy it.
Thirty minutes in, she was thoroughly engrossed when the doorbell rang. Pausing the film, she padded to the front door and opened it without thinking.
Setting off the alarm.
“Son of a bitch!” she cried, waving a hand to the delivery guy as she raced over to the alarm panel to shut it off. She hit the wrong code three times before finally getting it right and when everything went quiet, she breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank God.” Walking back over to the door, she shook her head. “Sorry about that. I…”
Daniel was standing on her porch holding her food, and for some reason, she was more annoyed that he didn’t come in to help her with the stupid alarm than she was that he had hijacked her dinner.
“I’ll take that,” she muttered as she tried to take the bag from his hand, but he held firm. “Seriously? You’re not going to give me my food?”
“Your food?” he asked, one brow arched.
“Yeah, my food. I ordered it to be delivered and…” She motioned to the bag.
“Um…” Now he looked a little unsure and Josie was in no mood for any of this and held out her hand again.
“Can you please just give me my dinner and go?”
Now he frowned. “I hate to break it to you, but this isn’t your dinner. I picked it up on my way home and was coming over to share it with you.”
“Share it with me? Why?” Crossing her arms, she tried her best to look both bored and defiant, but she had a feeling she was failing miserably.
You May Kiss the Groomsman Page 14