The Substitute (29 page)

He was still silent when she parked outside the store, though he helped Gram out of the back. She shook him off as soon as she was on her feet. “I can walk on my own.”

“I wouldn’t dream of helping you,” Josh laughed, but it sounded forced to Megan’s ears. “You could probably run laps around me, Gram.”

“Damn straight,” she muttered as she made her way to the door.

Josh started to follow her, but Megan snagged his hand and pulled him back.

She looked down at their linked hands, then up into his troubled eyes. “Josh, I know you have bigger issues than my stupid wedding. I want you to know that if you need to bail to take care of your business, you’re free to go. Don’t let me stop you.”

He studied her for a moment before pulling her into his arms and crushing her lips with his. One arm encircled her back while the other dug into her hair, holding her firmly against his mouth.

The intensity of his kiss scared her. Was he telling her goodbye?

But he pulled back and slid his hand down to her cheek, the corners of his lips turning up with a hint of a smile. “I have a job to do here first. Let’s go get a tux.”

Josh put an arm around her back and led her into the shop. Gram had already wandered in and found a chair to sink into.

As if Megan were a heat-seeking missile, she instantly spotted her mother in the back of the store. Kevin and Noah were with her, and they looked like two bucks ready to butt antlers. Apparently Kevin held the same animosity for both of the brothers McMillan. But Noah was holding his own. Megan figured Noah was the type of guy who could be dropped into a camp of cannibalistic pygmies and come out of the incident revered as a god.

Her mother gave her a disapproving frown as she approached. “Megan, I’m glad to see that you could manage enough responsibility to bring Josh to pick up his tux for your wedding tomorrow.” She puckered her mouth. “Let’s hope you can show up for your own wedding. I didn’t spend fifty-six thousand dollars just to throw it all away.”

Fifty-six thousand dollars?
It had snowballed even more than Megan had realized. Her irritation grew, heat burning her cheeks. Josh had more important things to attend to than this sham wedding, and she was through with pretending. “Miss my wedding? Funny you should mention it, Mother—”

Josh’s hand tightened, snugging her firm against his side. “Megan wouldn’t dream of missing the wedding. Isn’t that right, Meggie?”

“Meggie?” Kevin snorted. “She lets you call her that? She tried to beat the shit out of me every time I said it.”

“Tried,” Megan sneered, lifting an eyebrow. “You still can’t admit that I beat you up almost every time!”

“I didn’t fight that hard,
Meggie
,” Kevin said. “You’re a girl, in case you haven’t noticed.”

“I can still take you,
Kevio
!”

Noah watched their exchange with an amused grin. “Kevio?”

Megan’s mother rolled her eyes, clearly irritated. “Kevin always attracted a lot of interest from girls in high school and had quite a few girlfriends. Megan compared him to Fabio one day, then started calling him Kevio.” She shot them both a reprimanding look. “You two are too old to be bickering like children.” She turned her back to them in dismissal of the subject. “Now we need to pick out a tux for Noah. He has to match because he’s going to be in the wedding.”

Ignoring her mother, Megan stuck her tongue out at her brother and he flipped her off. It was a shame that Gram had nodded off. She loved when Megan and Kevin pushed Knickers’ buttons.

Josh’s arm was still around her waist and she was surprised when his chest shook from a suppressed chuckle.

“How is Noah going to be in the wedding?” Megan asked her mother. “I thought you had the bridesmaids-to-groomsmen ratio perfectly figured out.”

“I’m making your cousin Vince an usher now.”

Noah shifted his weight. “I’m good with just sitting in the audience.”

“I was tempted,” Megan’s mother said, giving her attention to a shoe display. “Especially since Josh’s side is shockingly bare. But I think it’s more important to have his brother standing beside him. Oh, here’s the salesperson now.”

A man emerged from the back room holding a black tuxedo.

Noah grimaced, clearing not impressed.

“I think this will fit you,” the man said, handing the suit to Josh’s brother. “I have the groom’s tux out already.” He eyed Josh up and down. “Are you the groom?”

Josh hesitated before nodding. “Yeah.”

Megan tried to hide her surprise that Jay hadn’t canceled his order. That type of slip-up was totally out of character. Still, she wasn’t sure what good it did them. Josh was taller and broader than Jay, so there was no way the tux was going to fit him. She supposed it didn’t really matter since he wasn’t going to wear it anyway.

Unfortunately, the salesman shook his head. “They must have really screwed up your measurements in Seattle. I’m not sure the tux I pulled is going to fit you.”

Megan’s mother jolted. “What are you talking about?”

“I can tell the pants aren’t long enough, and I don’t think the jacket will fit his broad shoulders.”

“
Please
tell me you have something that will fit.”

The man looked worried. “It’s June, Mrs. Vandemeer. We were lucky to have a tux for the groom’s brother. I’ll check, but I can’t make any promises.”

“You better take care of this or heads will roll!” her mother shouted.

Gram jerked upright in her chair. “We’re having dinner rolls?” she asked, looking excited. “I’m hungry.”

Kevin laughed, not a friendly sound, and his gaze landed squarely on Josh. “No one’s head is going to roll…yet.”

The clerk still looked nervous. “I also pulled the tux for the bride’s brother.” He turned to Kevin. “If you could go back and try it on to make sure it fits. Especially after this…situation.” He nodded to Noah. “You can go back with him to try yours on too.”

Noah looked even less thrilled than the other men did.

The clerk turned to Josh. “I’ll need to re-measure you to see what we have.” He grabbed the tape measure and quickly took Josh’s measurements. “They were definitely off,” he said quietly. “As I suspected, the tux we have won’t fit.”

“How could you people be so incompetent?” Knickers’ voice took an icy tone. “It’s such a simple thing. You just write down numbers.”

The anxious clerk started to twitch and guilt ate at Megan’s resolve. The poor man had Jay’s measurements, not Josh’s. And he was right. Josh was taller and broader than her ex-fiancé. There was no way the tux would fit. “Mom. Stop. It’s not his fault the measurements are wrong.”

She put her hand on her hip. “What on earth does that mean?”

Megan started to answer, but Josh’s grip tightened on her side, and he cleared his throat. “Mrs. Vandemeer, what she means is that we suspect the salesperson in Seattle was dyslexic.”

“What?” she asked in disbelief. “Why on earth would they put a dyslexic person in charge of taking measurements?”

“That’s what I said,” Josh said in exasperation. “In fact, I told Megan I didn’t trust him, but she insisted I was overreacting.” He looked down at Megan, his mouth pinched in disapproval.

Megan gasped in surprise. What on earth was he doing throwing her under the bus like that? Then she realized he was paving the way for their breakup. The thought made her heart beat faster, but in a way that was strangely close to panic.

Still, if Josh expected her mother to take her side, he was wrong. “Josh, I’m sure you’ve figured out by now that math isn’t Megan’s strong suit.”

His arm stiffened and Megan was sure he was going to say something, but the clerk emerged from the back. “Good news, Mrs. Vandemeer! We have a tuxedo that will fit him.”

She held her hand to her chest, fingering the pearls at the base of her throat. “Thank goodness.”

“We’ll need you try it on to make sure it fits.”

Josh snuck a glance at Megan. For the first time since they’d started this charade, he looked uncertain.

Fear twisted in her stomach. Was he going to break up with her now? She knew it had to be done, but even after what she’d said in the parking lot, she wasn’t ready to let him go yet. She lifted on her tiptoes to give him a kiss. “I want to see you wearing it.”

“Yes,” Megan’s mother said. “I need to see it on.”

“Okay…” He still sounded unsure, but he followed the salesman to the back.

Megan pulled back her shoulders, waiting for her mother to attack now that they were alone with Gram, who had closed her eyes again after realizing they weren’t about to eat.

“It pains me to see that you’re still so irresponsible, Megan,” her mother said. “I had hoped the fact you’re getting married tomorrow would help you mature.”

Megan considered responding, but what was the point?

Her tone softened. “Honestly, Megan. I was very worried after you and Josh disappeared last night. I understand why you left, but the least you could have done was call and let me know you were okay.”

Megan met her mother’s eyes and saw unexpected sincerity there. This was the first time she could remember her mother ever putting her concern for Megan’s safety over the need to look good in front of other people. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

Her mother’s eyes widened in surprise. Megan knew why she was startled—she had never so willing volunteered an apology to her mother.

Maybe they were both growing up.

Kevin and Noah walked out of the dressing rooms, both wearing black tuxedos. Her mother’s attention turned to the men, fussing over seams and hem lengths. But Josh was the one who stole her breath away when he emerged from the dressing rooms a moment later.

He wore a black tuxedo with shiny black lapels. His shirt was white and it was paired with a white bow tie. He stood in the doorway, the uncertainty on his face more pronounced than before. He was a handsome man. She’d recognized that the first moment she saw him, but it was what was in his heart that had drawn her to him. As his gaze sought out hers, she walked to him, unable to keep away. She stopped a foot in front of him and placed her hands on his lapels. “You are the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen,” she whispered, tears filling her eyes.

His eyes searched hers for something—she wasn’t sure what, but she offered him a soft reassuring smile and the twinkle in his eyes returned.

They stared at each other for several seconds before Kevin made a production of releasing a groan. “Save it for the honeymoon.”

Sadness flickered in Josh’s eyes, but only for a second before he wrapped an arm around her back and pulled her gently to his chest. “Give the girl a second,” he said to her brother. “She’s been overcome by my ruggedly handsome good looks.”

Noah laughed, but Megan didn’t so much as spare him a glance. Josh was her sole focus. She didn’t want to lose him. What was she going to do?

The men went back to take off their tuxes and after a couple of minutes, Megan’s mother’s no-nonsense voice returned. “I’m glad you finally deigned to make an appearance because we have things that need to be done and we’re desperately behind. I have an updated itinerary for you in the Navigator. Let’s go.”

Megan spun around to face her. “Go? What about Josh?”

“He’s going with his brother.”

She shook her head, adamant. “No. Whatever I’m doing, he’s coming with me.”

“It’s the day before your wedding, Megan,” her mother groaned in an exasperated tone. “After tomorrow, you can spend your entire life with him, but I need you today. It doesn’t help that your irresponsibility has added more things to our TBD list.”

“How has my disappearance last night added to the list?”

Her mother rolled her eyes. “Not last night, Megan. I’m talking about your weight and your hair.” She shuddered. “We were lucky my stylist could fit you in this afternoon.”

Megan stared at her in disbelief. Her weight? Was she seriously bringing that up again?

“What’s wrong with Megan’s weight?”

She turned to see Josh, who had reappeared from the dressing rooms, now dressed in his jeans and shirt. There was an unmistakable undertone of menace in his voice.

Gram sat up again, and Megan suspected the older woman’s nap had been faked to avoid interacting with Knickers. Smart woman.

Surprisingly, her mother looked slightly embarrassed. “It’s…well…most brides lose weight before their weddings, and her dress was too small because she didn’t.”

Josh’s eyes widened and a stunned silence followed her mother’s words. When he spoke, his voice was controlled and tight, showing more authority than Megan had ever heard him use. “Lose weight? Why would she lose weight? She’s absolutely perfect the way she is, and without being vulgar or crass, I like her curves just as they are. And as for her hair—” he closed the distance between them, “—it’s perfect too.” He glanced at Megan’s mother, his gaze allowing for no argument. “This woman by my side is the woman I want to marry, exactly as she is right now. I don’t want her transformed into some cookie-cutter Barbie doll, so don’t you dare try to do it.”

Her mother gaped at him, her mouth drooping open. He had done what Megan had previously thought impossible: He’d stunned Nicole Vandemeer into silence.

Gram started to chuckle.

His hand snagged Megan’s, his fingers curling around hers and holding tight. “So now that the stylist appointment can be canceled, what else do we need to do?”

That shook her mother out of her stupor. “It’s on the itinerary.”

“It’s a damn wedding,” Josh said, trying to keep his anger in check. “Not a global summit. What do Megan and I need to do today? Absolute musts only.”

Her mother’s face reddened, although Megan wasn’t sure if it was from anger or embarrassment. Perhaps both. “She needs to pick up her dress and make sure it fits after the alterations. You both need to pick up the marriage license.”

Megan’s hand grew clammy at the mere mention.

Her mother’s resolve seemed to be returning, along with her haughtiness. “As I said in my message this morning, I have an appointment at Powell Gardens at two to go over everything for tomorrow with the event planner. I would prefer for Megan to come to that, but I need you both at the Platte County courthouse at three-thirty.”