Page 24 of My Best Friend's Mardi Gras Wedding

He immediately started up the ramp to the building.

“Hey!”

“Josh!”

He heard his family calling after him, but he didn’t have time to explain to them who Tori was.It was a long explanation.Okay, not really.“A girl I met last year” would have done it.But she was…more than that.And he had no patience or time to try to make that make sense to them.Because it didn’t really make sense tohimand he’d been thinking about it for a year.

He rounded the corner of the building that housed the office, check-in area, restrooms, and gift shop for the Boys of the Bayou.

And there she was, sitting on the scarred wooden benches, amidst the group of tourists that were scheduled to go out with Owen on the airboat.

She was leaning against the building, her long, bare legs stretched out, ankles crossed, watching the water lap at the dock.Gus was lying on his side on the dock at her feet, apparently sunbathing.

She looked so gorgeous that Josh felt a little weak in the knees.

That was completely something his dad or grandad would say.But, for the first time in his life, Josh understood it.

He sucked in a breath and gave himself a second to be sure he wasn’t going to rush her.He gripped the edge of the building and said simply, “Tori.”

There was a lot of conversation going on around them, but she somehow heard him.She looked up at him quickly.And a bright, sincere smile stretched her mouth immediately.She bounced to her feet, startling Gus.He skittered across the deck and she glanced at him.“Sorry,” she told him.

He slipped off the edge of the dock and into the water.Several of the kids on the benches ran to the railing to watch the otter swim away, but Tori’s gaze locked on Josh’s.

“Hi,” he finally said.

“Hi,” she returned.

He curled his fingers into the wood under his hand, forcing himself to stay put.Because stomping toward her, throwing her over his shoulder, taking her into the office and slamming and locking the door would be a little much.Probably.

She tucked her hands into her front pockets.Her shorts were blue denim and hit high on her thighs.She wore beat-up blue tennis shoes with no socks.Her top was a simple gray T-shirt that said,Dogs have owners.Cats have staff.Her hair was in a ponytail and she didn’t have any makeup on.

She looked fucking amazing.

“I know that you obviously didn’t want to see me.Not showing up last night should have been—I mean, itwas—a clear message.So me coming here is pretty…crazy.But I need a favor and I’m really hoping—”

“I was there last night.”

Tori stopped.“What?”

Josh let go of the building.“I was there.I went to Bourbon O.Four times.”

Her eyes widened.“I was there.It was a little…wild in there, I’ll admit.But I went.I asked the bartender about you.”

“I don’t work there anymore.”

“I figured that out.”

“That’s how you found me here?”

“Yes.”

Josh felt his gut tightening.She’d been there.She’d tried to find him.She was nowhere.He took a step toward her.“You were there?”

She nodded.“You too?”

“Definitely.”

They just stood staring at one another.

---