Page 82 of The Fiance Dilemma

My pulse thrummed. “You say that like my going with you was a given,” I lied. I would have gone, no questions asked. I was pretty sure Matthew knew. “I might consider it, after this. I could use some distraction.”

My words were teasing, referring to Matthew’s new rule.I distract you, from whatever’s bothering you. Whatever’s making you doubt who you really are and what we’re doing.And they had the effect I expected, because his mouth finally relaxed. He smiled. Proudly. Smugly. It made that thrumming double.

I looked forward, then. Out of pure survival, because I really wanted to see that glint in his eye. Tonight had unlocked… something that I realized I’d done a poor job at containing. But we were mere steps away from them. Andrew and Duncan. They hadn’t so much as acknowledged our approach. They were too deep in a conversation that looked more important than whatever was happening around them. It was in the stern set of both their profiles while they talked and nodded. I used to call it thesober muttering.And it was always done at parties like this one, always by groups of men.

I’d been so ready to marry right into that, I thought. Parties like these. Watching stern-looking men having stern-looking conversations while I fluttered around the grass in a pretty dress, introducing myself as Mrs. Someone. It didn’t seem like something I wanted now. It didn’t seem like something I wanted, period.

Matthew’s head dipped as we came to a stop, and I felt his mouth press over the skin on my temple before brushing my ear. “He has five minutes.”

I couldn’t know if he meant Andrew or Duncan. I couldn’t knowwhat would happen after those five minutes either, but the tug at my lower belly told me it had to do with the gazebo.

“Josephine,” the two men said at the same time.

Duncan laughed lightly. Andrew gave a tight smile.

Matthew’s hand climbed up my spine, fingers slipping into my hair. He brushed the back of my neck with his thumb. Encouraging. Distracting.

I cleared my throat. “Sorry, ah, for not making our way here before,” I told them, assembling my face into a polite, friendly, happy mask. I’d done this a hundred times. “We were a little caught up in the moment.” I glanced to my side. Matthew smiled. “Matthew, this is Duncan Aguirre.” My eyes returned to the other man. “Duncan, this is Matthew Flanagan.” I swallowed. “My fiancé.”

Matthew let out a hum that to anyone else would seem pleasant agreement. But I knew it wasn’t, not when he accompanied it with another happy brush of his thumb. It felt like a promise of a reward. One that I had no business wanting when—

Duncan stretched his hand in Matthew’s direction. “It’s a pleasure, Matthew.”

Matthew stared back at Duncan for one, two, three seconds. Letting him wait, with his arm in the air. “Oh,” he said in an easy, surprised tone, making a show out of glancing down at Duncan’s offering. “Sorry, Duncan,” he said, finally taking it. “I didn’t see that there. Nice to meet you too. I would love to pretend I haven’t heard anything about you, but I’m a little better than that.”

Duncan’s frown came as quickly as he batted it away. “Congratulations on the engagement. To both of you.” He retrieved his hand and let it fall to his side. “Can’t say I am surprised to see Josie being snatched away so quickly. She’s a great catch, as tricky as the catch is.”

“I am, if nothing else, persistent.” Matthew said. “Some say like a dog with a bone. Once I decide something’s mine, there’s no stopping me.”

Was there malice in my ex’s words? Maybe.

But I didn’t find it in me to care. Not when Matthew had just said thatmine,and not when his thumb skipped up and down the back of my neck like that.

“The wine is excellent,” I expelled with a breath. “Andrew was so generous. With everything, really. But this party takes the cake so far.” I met my father’s eyes. “The estate is gorgeous, and I’m sure it makes you miss Florida a little less?”

There was a moment of silence before my father spoke. “It’s not a problem,” he said. Curtly. Just like he always did. “Duncan was just telling me about a similar property one of his friends owns. Not far from here, in fact.”

I blinked at my father, trying to make sense of what that meant. Or waiting for him to elaborate. He didn’t.

“The wedding preparations are going great,” Matthew offered, and I knew from his voice he was smiling at the two men. I knew what smile he was using, too. “Just pointing it out in case you were wondering, Andrew. I’m not sure I recall you personally checking in and I can’t be sure of what Bobbi reports.” My father’s expression strained. Matthew continued, his tone easy, casual, “We’re a little stressed with the time crunch, but hey, it won’t be me who’s complaining about that. I am marrying the woman of my dreams sooner than I expected, after all.”

And that was when my jaw dropped. Just momentarily. Just enough for the air to leave my lungs and my head to turn to look at my fiancé.

Matthew winked at me. As if he’d said nothing.

I swallowed, pacing myself. Right. Yes.We don’t get married but stay friends.“Money is a great help, though,” I said. “Money buys great wine, for one. Have you tried the merlot? It’s from a winery in the South Mountains and they age it in oak.”

“We could hire a proper wedding planner,” Andrew offered.“Besides Bobbi. You don’t need to stress about the small things. And if you are, then you should let me know. Or Bobbi, or my assistant, who’s also around.”

“Or you could have asked us,” Matthew countered. Simply. Nicely, even. Matter-of-fact. “At any point today, or any other time before this instant that I’ve brought it up myself.”

It only hit me then that Andrew hadn’t done that. Asked us. Asked me. And I hadn’t expected him to. Not about the wedding, and not about how I was doing after the video came out.

“Cut them some slack, Andrew,” Duncan said with a laugh, as if they were old friends. As if this was not my father whom he had just met. “These things are a nightmare. There’s no bliss until the day all is said and done, so of course the man here is somewhat on edge.” He directed that smile at us. Or perhaps, not really. Duncan had always seemed to gaze a little above my head. “Relax, Matthew. I don’t think this one’s going to slip between your fingers. She’s clearly smitten.”

Matthew’s whole body stiffened against mine.

Just at the same time, I could see out of the corner of my eye, the entourage that Bobbi had mentioned assembled like a hive. It was a small group, but the cloud of cameras and electronics started moving behind Andrew and Duncan, devices buzzing, shifting closer.

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