The Substitute (32 page)

“How in God’s name do you propose to do that?”

“I have my ways, now you need to use yours. Convince Vandemeer’s daughter to keep the charade going.”

“We’re getting a marriage license this afternoon, Noah.”

“I heard.”

“I’m pretty damn sure you have to provide ID to apply. Megan’s mother is going to be there.”

“Take care of it.”

“That’s helpful.”

“Look, Josh. I know this is totally unlike you, but it’s obvious you like the girl, so keep playing house.” He paused and his voice softened. “Dude, I know I’ve sucked as a brother, and what I’m asking you to do sucks more than any of it all combined, but we
need
this. Think about Ted—yeah, I know about Ted. Where’s he going to be if we close our doors on Monday?”

Josh didn’t answer. He didn’t need to.

“Maybe you can get the happy ending you truly deserve, Josh, but for now we need you to keep this going.”

“I don’t think I can do that.” Josh’s voice cracked.

“You can and you will. Now I have to go. I’ll see you at the rehearsal.”

The conversation had sucked something out of Josh and he’d taken it out on Megan. She didn’t deserve any of this. Not her mother, not her cheating ex-fiancé, and especially not Josh and the havoc he brought with him.

Now, as he waited for her to join him, he wrestled with his conscience. The way he saw it, he had three options: One, tell her everything right now. Two, break up with her at the rehearsal dinner like they’d originally planned. Or three, follow through with Noah’s crazy plan. But what would happen then? Was he supposed to ditch her before the wedding?

She studied his face as she stepped out of the restaurant, probably trying to judge his temperament. Her brow was lowered with worry and cautiousness. He vowed to make this as easy on her as possible, but he had no idea what that entailed. So he followed his gut, which meant recapturing their earlier happiness.

He closed the distance between them and pulled her into his arms, kissing her with abandon, his deep fear of losing her fueling his passion.

Her hands clutched at his chest, trying to pull him closer, as his arm tightened around her back and his other hand nestled the nape of her neck. He could feel her pulse racing and the knowledge of how he affected her only turned him on more. But they were standing on a public sidewalk, and even if it wasn’t prime lunch time, they’d already made enough of an exhibition of themselves. He lifted his head, pleased to see she was just as breathless as he was.

“I’m sorry,” he said, his hand caressing her neck. “I was irritated with Noah and I took it out on you.”

“Josh, it’s okay.”

“It’s not, but I promise to try my best not to be an ass for the rest of the day.”

“Until tonight,” she said.

Rather than answering, he took the car keys from her hand. “Let’s go get a marriage license.”

As he drove to the courthouse, he reached over and interlaced his fingers with hers. She turned and offered him a soft smile and something in his chest felt warm and overwhelming. His hand squeezed hers tighter as he tried to decipher what he felt. He wasn’t big on hand-holding. It had always felt clingy and confining, yet here he was, not only instigating it, but enjoying it.

Using the map app on her phone, she gave him directions until he pulled into the parking lot of the gray stone building slightly after three-thirty. “My mother is going to have a fit that we were late.”

“Only by a few minutes.”

“It’s enough to release the kraken,” she teased.

As they walked to the building, he held her hand again, grateful that she didn’t seem to mind.

When they entered the office of the recorder of deeds, Megan’s mother was sitting in an ancient vinyl chair, drumming her fingers on the arm. Josh was surprised she’d sit on something so tacky and most likely germy, but maybe she’d wiped it down with an antibacterial wipe first. A very unhappy man who appeared to be in his thirties sat next to her. A camera bag rested on the floor at his feet. He shot a glare at the both of them, then glanced at the phone in his hand.

“Hello again, Mom,” Megan said with a cheerful tone.

Her mouth pressed into a tight line. “You’re late.”

“Only by a few minutes.”

“Every minute counts. The office closes at four.”

“So why didn’t we do this sooner?”

“This is the only time the photographer could come.”

Megan turned her attention to the man who now stood behind her mother. She extended her hand to him, most likely as a peace offering. “Hi, I’m Megan. Thanks for indulging my mother’s eccentricities.”

She winked and he laughed and winked back, his mood visibly lightening.

Josh offered the man his own hand. “I’m Josh.
The groom
.” He hadn’t meant to add that part, but he hadn’t liked the way the photographer was acting with her.

What the hell? He’d never been jealous of previous girlfriends. But he had more serious issues to deal with than self-analysis—like the fact that he was here to not only file for a very real marriage license, but he had to keep his real last name a secret from the other two people in room besides Megan.

They approached the counter and filled out the application, the photographer taking photos of them. Megan seemed irritated, but Josh was more concerned someone would announce his real last name and blow his cover.

A clerk took the application and their driver’s licenses. “That will be fifty-one dollars,” she said, giving them an expectant look.

“Do you take a credit or debit card?” Josh asked.

The woman’s mouth pursed with disapproval. “Cash only. Exact change. It’s very clearly stated on the website.”

Megan looked up at him, her eyes wide. There went his hope that she was prepared. He was surprised that Nicole hadn’t already slapped the bills on the counter in anticipation of their ill-preparedness. Apparently, even she had her limits. But she’d slipped out the door, presumably to the restroom, and the photographer felt no need to pony up.

Megan and Josh started digging through their wallets and together they managed to come up with the exact amount. When they found the last quarter, he breathed a sigh of relief.

“I didn’t think we were going to make it,” Megan said, shaking her head as she closed her wallet.

“Can you imagine the look on your mother’s face?”

“I’d rather not.”

The clerk handed back their driver’s licenses and told them she’d be right back.

“What exactly am I supposed to get photos of?” the photographer asked.

“The two of them filling out the application,” Nicole said, sounding disgruntled as she walked back into the small office waiting room.

“I got that, so can I go?” he asked, looking at the clock at the wall.

Megan’s mother rolled her eyes. “Fine, leave.”

The man grabbed his bag, not even taking time to put his camera away. But the clerk was on her way back with the license and Nicole stopped him.

“I want you to get a photo of them holding it.”

“Maybe you should wait until tomorrow, Mom,” Megan suggested, casting a nervous glance at Josh. She must have been thinking the same thing he was. If they were taking photos of the license there was a good chance Knickers would see his real name. “When we actually sign it.”

Megan’s mother gave her an exasperated look. “Oh, we’ll get that too. You can never have too many photos.”

The clerk returned to the counter with the paperwork. “Here you go, Mr. Mc—”

Josh reached for the paper, cutting her off. “Thank you.”

Megan’s mother gave the clerk a strange look. “What did you start to call—?”

“Mom,” Megan interrupted, putting an arm around her mother’s shoulders and squeezing as she pulled her away from the clerk. “How about you and I get a photo together?”

“Really?” she asked, sounding shocked.

“Of course,” Megan’s tone softened as she said it. Josh was surprised by how happy the older woman looked.

The photographer shook his head and grimaced. Two days ago Josh might have reacted the same way, but now he was learning to take things in stride. The photographer snapped several shots—Josh joining halfway through—before Megan dropped her hold on her mother.

“Thank you, Mr…?”

“Steve,” the photographer supplied, picking up his bag off the chair.

“Thank you, Steve.”

“See you tomorrow,” he said, waving as he walked out the door.

Josh saw Megan’s slight flinch, and he knew it was from guilt. How could he get her to agree to carry this on through tomorrow?

Before he was even out the door, Knickers looked Megan and Josh up and down, her disapproval returning. “The rehearsal’s in two hours. You two better hurry home if you’re going to be at the gardens by six.”

She grabbed the corner of the folded license in Josh’s hand and tugged, but Josh didn’t let go. “I’ll hold onto it until tomorrow.”

“No, that’s okay.” He tugged back. “I’ve got it.”

She pulled harder. “I think it’s better if I take it.”

Josh didn’t want to get into a tug-of-war with Megan’s mother, but there was no way in hell he was letting Nicole Vandemeer take the marriage license, which included his full, proper name, with her. He pulled back. “No, Nicole.
I insist
.”

The clerk stood behind the counter, her mouth hanging open. She shook herself out of her stupor. “If you rip that up, you’ll have to pay for a new one.”

Josh and Megan had barely scrounged together the money to pay for the first one. He gave a hard jerk and pulled it free. Knickers gasped as she stumbled backward, righting herself before she fell over.

Megan just watched the wrestling match with wide eyes.

Holding the paper to his chest, Josh said, “Megan, your mom’s right, we better go if we’re going to get to the rehearsal in time.”

She nodded, still speechless, and rushed toward the door, snagging Josh’s hand as she bolted. Nicole still hadn’t moved an inch—apparently frozen in place with shock—but she came to her senses as they hurried out the door.

“Whatever you do, do
not
lose that paper.”

Josh slowed down once they were halfway down the hallway, and Megan gave him a questioning glance.

“She does realize we’re adults, doesn’t she?” His disbelief was bleeding into irritation. “Professional, fully functional adults.”

Megan laughed as she opened the door to the stairwell. “Hello. Have you
met
my mother?”

Josh followed her and let the door close behind him. “She accused me of potentially losing our marriage license, Megan. Who would lose their marriage license?”

She stopped and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her lips to his. “You’re pretty cute when you get all indignant like that.”

He laughed, pulling her to his chest. “Cute, huh?”

A playful grin spread across her face as she looked up at him and said in a mock serious tone, “Okay, you looked so sexy wrestling that paper from my fifty-eight-year-old mother.”

He leaned his head back and laughed. “It wasn’t easy. She has an iron grip.”

“Well, I’m glad you hung in there and won. I almost died when she tried to take it. That would have been a disaster.”

His smile fell, and he searched her eyes. “What if she had gotten it?”

She turned serious. “But she didn’t.”

“What if she found out I wasn’t Jay?” He held his breath as he watched her inner battle play out on her face. He wasn’t sure why he was asking, except he still held out a cockeyed optimistic hope that they’d figure out a way to make this work when it was all said and done.

She closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against his shoulder. “Josh.”

His hand slid up her back, rubbing in slow circles. “It’s okay. Don’t answer that. I just…” His voice trailed off.

“I know.”

He leaned back and offered her a smile. “Let’s go get ready for our wedding rehearsal.”

“You mean our breakup.”

He didn’t answer. He’d lied to her enough. He didn’t feel like lying anymore.

Hours later, Josh was frustrated for so many reasons. He and Megan hadn’t counted on how badly Friday rush hour traffic would delay their drive to her parents’ home. Knickers had shown up only minutes behind them, along with everyone else, to get ready for the evening. Everyone congregated in the living room as Knickers barked out last-minute orders, as if she were in the marines with Kevin. Megan was already on edge, thinking dinner would be ground zero for their breakup, so when Knickers announced that he needed to pack his belongings because he wouldn’t be spending the night at the Vandemeer home, Megan flipped her shit.

“
What?
”

“Megan,” Knickers had said in her snooty, condescending tone. “It’s the night before your wedding. You can’t spend the night together.”

Megan stood at the base of the stairs. “I’m a grown woman! I can make my own decisions!”

Her mother pursed her lips with determination. “It’s already been decided. Your father and I have booked a hotel room for Josh.”

“You can’t just decide on something like that without asking us first!” Megan shouted.

Josh was proud of her for finally taking a stand, even if it was for a cause she had to see as pointless. She thought he was breaking up with her tonight, in which case he wouldn’t have stayed at the house anyway. But he worried that she was going to spill everything. That couldn’t happen yet…not when he and Noah were so close to getting the answers they needed.

Josh put a hand on Megan’s arm. “Megan, it’s okay.”

She turned to look up at him, tears in her eyes. “No it’s not, Josh.”

Then it hit him. She was upset that he was leaving. Period. Relief seeped through him before the aftertaste of guilt bit in. While he was grateful for the confirmation that she wanted more with him, he hated to see her this upset.

He pulled her into his arms. “It’s okay, Meggie,” he whispered in her ear as he stroked the back of her head. “We’ll work everything out. I promise.”

She clung to him, and in that moment he wanted nothing more than to run away with her. But he couldn’t, as much as it killed him. His employees were in trouble because of someone else’s wrongdoing, and they needed his help. “Nicole,” he said over the top of Megan’s head. “It’s fine. I’ll pack up before we leave, and I’ll have Noah take me to the hotel later.”