The Substitute (14 page)

Nicole Vandemeer poked her head through the back door. “There you are! Aren’t you too precious, stealing a moment for yourselves. You can hug later. Your father wants you out here for an official introduction.”

Josh wasn’t fooled. The introduction had to be Nicole’s idea, but at the moment he was Nicole Vandemeer’s golden boy and he wasn’t about to say a word.

Josh dropped his arm but held Megan’s hand again, lacing their fingers together. She liked it more than she should, just like she’d felt when he was holding her. Somehow he’d known she couldn’t handle facing her mother’s friends immediately after her run-in with Blair. The confrontation had upset her more than she was willing to admit to either of them. Josh had used the excuse of needing a moment for himself, but she wasn’t fooled. He’d done it for her. In the entire time she’d known Jay Connors, he’d never once been intuitive about her feelings, and this man she’d known for less than a day could see right through her.

She looked up at him, suddenly feeling shy, although she wasn’t sure why.

He gave her a warm smile that reached his eyes, filling her with reassurance. “We want to keep Knickers happy, don’t we?”

She laughed. “You picked up on that quick.”

He didn’t answer as they headed out onto the deck. All the guests were still in the process of being ushered down to the patio around the pool. Her mother led Megan and Josh to the railing that overlooked the yard. Her father stood to the side, looking embarrassed and totally out of his element.

Megan’s mother cleared her throat, a delicate sound that garnered everyone’s attention anyway. “We’d like to thank you all—our dearest friends—for coming to celebrate the engagement of our only daughter, Megan Nicole Vandemeer.” She paused and gave Megan her best fake smile, a look convincing enough to fool ninety-nine percent of the people she met, but not her own daughter. Then she turned back to the crowd. “Bart would like to say a few words.”

Megan looked down at the sixty or seventy faces of her mother’s dearest friends, who stood around the pool and spilled into the edges of the yard. She’d only seen three of those faces before tonight. Libby, a hopeless romantic who was currently glowing with excitement. Her grandmother, who looked like she was privy to some private joke. And Kevin, still manning his position at the bar while he shot daggers of contempt at the man standing next to her.

If she could ignore the fact that her mother had set this up—and, of course, all the blatant Disney references—the view in front of her was breathtaking. The sky had darkened and the floating candles on the water and the candle chandelier hanging from the tent emitted a magical golden glow. If she were a woman prone to falling for romance, this display would have swept her away. No wonder Libby looked so orgasmic.

She heard her father talking, so she tuned into his words. “Our daughter and our soon-to-be son-in-law…”

Suddenly the beauty of the scene hit her in a different way. Her mother had created this mostly for herself, but it had been intended as a celebration of
her
upcoming nuptials. The whole thing was a farce. Everything about it was a lie. She felt incredibly alone and panicked and messed up and…Josh squeezed her hand. She looked up at him and smiled, surprised by what she saw in his face. He was either an incredibly good actor or the lust in his eyes was real.

“…Megan and Josh.”

Her mother clapped next to her, then announced, “And now we’ll perform the handfasting ceremony.”

That caught her attention. Megan whipped her head around. “
What?
”

Her mother was already moving behind them, a long strip of wide pink ribbon in her hand.

“Mom,” Megan whispered loudly. “What are you
doing?
”

“I won’t be outdone by that snotty Barbara Decker,” her mother whispered as she reached for Josh’s right hand. “They did this at her daughter’s wedding and everyone loved it.” She picked up Megan’s hand and placed it palm down on Josh’s forearm.

“Newsflash, Mom,” Megan hissed. “That was at her
wedding
.”

Her mother gave her an exasperated huff. “Reverend Snyder refuses to allow it as part of the ceremony. We’ll just do it here.” She looped the ribbon around Josh’s wrist.

“Mother!”

Josh grinned and gave her a shrug.

There was no way she could get out of it now.

Her mother wound the ribbon around their arms and hands, weaving it in and out and making knots in various places as she spoke to the crowd about the commitment of marriage and how it would bind them together forever, trailing off when she got to a difficult part of the binding.

“Can you hold this?” she finally asked Josh, handing him one end of the ribbon.

He looked like he was about to break into a fit of laughter, but he pressed his lips together as Megan’s mother fumbled with the other end. After two minutes, Megan and Josh’s arms were hopelessly tied and knotted together. Her mother beamed, holding her arms out as if she’d pulled off some great accomplishment, like curing cancer or creating the world in seven days. Instead she had manufactured a mess that Megan was certain nothing less than divine intervention or a pair of sharp scissors could undo.

The partygoers graced the bizarre performance with a weak round of applause, but if Nicole was disappointed, she didn’t let on. Megan’s mother started to pick at the knots—a hopeless task—but stopped when a woman approached her.

“Nicole, we have to go, but thank you so much for inviting us to such a beautiful party.” She glanced at Megan and Josh, her gaze dropping to their arms, which were trussed up like an unwanted Christmas present, before returning to their faces. “Congratulations to you both.”

“Let me walk you out,” her mother called after the woman.

“Mom!” When her mother didn’t so much as glance at them, Megan released a heavy sigh and gave Josh a sidelong glance.

An ornery grin spread across his face. “It may be a little late for this question, but how
do
you feel about bondage?”

Megan was grateful that the darkness hid the blush that rushed to her cheeks. “We need to find a pair of scissors.”

“We need to find someone else to use them,” he added. “We’re both right-handed.” He gave a tiny shake of their joined hands.

She wondered how he knew that for sure, then realized he must have noticed. What else had he noticed about her? “I’m sorry about this.”

“I think that may have honestly been one of the top five odd experiences in my life.” Jay might have said the same thing, but it would have been dripping with derision. She could tell that Josh was genuinely amused.

Despite her suggestion to find scissors, Megan tried to pick at one of the knots with her left hand. “Stick around a couple of days,” she said dryly. “I’m sure we’ll be able to trump your entire top ten list.”

“This is a good look for you, Megan.” Libby joined them, giggling. “You’re usually so straight-laced. Oh, wait. You
are
laced.”

Megan shot her a glare.

“But usually when a couple does the bondage thing, the woman’s mother isn’t the one tying them up.”

Josh burst out laughing.

“Shut up, Libby.” Megan chuckled in spite of her mortification. “Find some scissors.”

“I’m tempted to—”

“
Scissors
.
Now
.”

Libby took off for the kitchen, still laughing.

Megan looked around for her father, but she realized he’d taken off while her mother was busy hog-tying her to Josh. Gram was nowhere to be seen, but Kevin was making his way toward them with two glasses.

Still grinning, Josh took several steps backward to move them to the lower, currently unoccupied deck, then swept his left hand toward an outdoor loveseat and a coffee table tucked into a dark corner. “Would you care to sit down? I suspect this might take a few minutes.”

“Sure.”

He sat on the coffee table, holding her elbow to steady her as she sat on the seat in front of him.

“I’m so sorry,” she said again. “I had no idea she would do something like that.”

Kevin finally reached them and handed them each a glass. “This is for fortification. Good show, by the way. Do you do a matinee?”

“Oh, God. I’m so glad I don’t know any of those people.” Megan took a big gulp from her drink. Josh watched her, then sipped from his own.

“Not to worry,” Kevin said as he sat on the loveseat next to her, keeping his gaze on Josh. “You’ll get to see them all again on Saturday.”

“Saturday?” Megan asked before going in for another swallow of the fruity drink he’d brought her.

“Your
wedding?
”

Oh, shit.
She choked on the drink and spit it out all over the front of Josh’s shirt.

His eyes widened in surprise, but then he started to laugh.

“I’m so sorry!” Megan gushed, starting to reach for his shirt before remembering she still had her drink in hand. She finished it off and handed the empty glass to Kevin. “I’m going to need another.”

Josh downed his and handed his glass to Kevin as well. “Make that two.”

“I’m gonna expect a huge tip.” He got up and headed down the steps to the patio.

Megan used her left hand to pat at Josh’s chest. “I am so sor—”

He cut her off, reaching behind her head and pulling her mouth to his. His kiss was soft and tentative, as though he expected her to pull away. She leaned into him instead, sliding the hand pressed to his chest up to the side of his face. His tongue ran along her lower lip and she gasped.

“Megan!” her mother called.

Josh lifted his head. The candlelight shone in his eyes, and she was grateful for the blatant desire she saw there. This wasn’t for show. This was real.

“Your mother’s calling,” he murmured.

Megan closed her eyes for a second and groaned. “I just want this party to be over.” She lifted their still-joined arms. “And for us to be untied.”

He chuckled, then leaned in to kiss her again. “Being tied to you has been an interesting experience.”

“Megan! Come say goodbye to our guests!” her mother shouted from the other side of the pool.

Megan took comfort in the fact that her mother’s gaze was swinging around the yard in an attempt to locate them. She didn’t seem to notice them tucked into the corner.

“She expects us to interact with people while we’re tied up like this?” Josh asked, incredulous.

“I suspect she’s already forgotten that we are.”

“So what are the chances of hiding out here?”

“Not so great, since Kevin’s about to give us away.”

Sure enough, her brother, who was on his way back to them with two more drinks, had stopped beside their mother and was motioning to them. He gave Megan a huge grin.

“That sadistic bastard,” she mumbled.

He continued toward them, still grinning.

“Thanks for selling me out,” Megan grumbled, snatching a glass out of his hand. “What was that about?’

He put Josh’s drink on the table and leaned back, observing them for a moment, his smile having slipped away again. “I’m going to be brutally honest.”

Josh picked up the drink, then said wryly, “I’m glad you decided to give
that
a go.”

Megan had hardly eaten and the drink she’d guzzled down had already gone to her head. She giggled and Kevin shot her a dirty look.

“I don’t like you, Connors.” Kevin jabbed his finger into Josh’s chest. “You’ve treated my sister like shit for too long, and I’ve decided that I’m going to stop this wedding.”

Megan shook her head to clear it. “What are you talking about?”

“He’s a cold-blooded prick who doesn’t give a shit about you. I should have said something months ago, but I’m saying it now.”

“Kevin!” she said, standing up and pulling Josh with her. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I know all too well what I’m talking about.” He stood. “I told you—Gram and I have been talking. We know what he’s like.” He waved his hand haphazardly toward Josh. “I know he ignores you most of the time in Seattle. I don’t know what this little display of affection is all about, but your audience here in the corner is practically nonexistent. Save the show for when it counts.”

He turned on his heels and stomped off.

“I’m so sorry,” she said for the umpteenth time. “He had no right to do that.”

He was silent for a moment, then turned to her. “Yes, he did.”

“Why would you—”

“Megan,” he said quietly. “From what little I’ve gathered, Jay
did
treat you like shit.”

“How could you possibly know that?”

“More reasons than you can guess.” He moved closer to her, lowering his voice. “I’m glad your brother is looking out for you. Too little too late, as far as I’m concerned, still…” His voice trailed off.

“But he thinks you’re Jay.”

He shrugged. “Part of the gig.”

Which made her question once again the real reason he was doing this. Karma and fate felt like bullshit answers. Still, it wasn’t fair for Josh to pay for Jay’s crimes. “Maybe we should break it off now.”

“What?
Why?
”

“Before you get hurt.”

He snaked his left arm around her back and pulled her close, his face inches above hers. “I’m not going to get hurt. I’m a big boy.”

“But Kevin…”

His breath was warm on her face and her skin flushed. “Kevin’s not going to hurt me.” He kissed her gently, then sucked her lower lip between his teeth.

Every part of her combusted and a bolt of desire shot straight to her groin.

“Don’t break up with me, Megan,” he whispered against her mouth. “Not tonight.”

He kissed her, his tongue licking her lip again before it slipped into her mouth, coaxing her tongue. When she responded, he lifted his mouth inches from hers. “Promise me no more talk about breaking up tonight.”

“Okay,” she said breathlessly.

His mouth claimed hers again, demanding and insistent. She tried to press closer to him, but their bound hands got in the way.

“Where’s Libby?” she groaned.