Page 26 of My Best Friend's Mardi Gras Wedding

“Doesn’t matter.”

“Wow,” she said again.

Josh brushed his thumbs over her cheekbones.“That’s what I was thinking.”

She blew out a little breath.“So how do you feel about weddings?”

“Are you proposing?”he asked.

Everything in him felt lighter now that she was here.Things felt…right.It was the most bizarre thing ever, but thankfully he had a whole bunch of people who were going to understand.Not normal people, of course.But all he had to do was walk across the street to his grandmother’s bar, pull up a stool, and tell the handful of people who would be there all about meeting Tori, spending eleven months apart, and now agreeing to marry her after being together again for only ten minutes.

They’d all get it.

But Tori grinned up at him.“Not yet,” she said, her eyes actually twinkling.

“Ah, better than a no.”He didn’t remember the last time he’d felt this good.And his life consisted of showing people the swamp, fishing, and pouring drinks.He had it pretty easy and yet, Tori was making him feel a sense of happiness he’d felt only once before—when he’d seen her sitting across the bar from him at Bourbon O that second night she was in New Orleans.

“I have a wedding to go to.Actually, a whole wedding extravaganza,” she said.She rolled her eyes.“It’s a multi-day thing.It’s my best friend’s wedding.And I could use…a date.”

The way she paused in front ofa datemade him curious.“Just a date?”

She wet her lips.“Well…”

For a moment, he was distracted by those lips.Unable to help himself, he lowered his head again and kissed her.She sure as hell didn’t push him away.She fisted the front of his Boys of the Bayou T-shirt and got up on her tiptoes.

The kiss was long and sweet, but eventually, she pulled back.She stared up at him as if a little dazed.He knew the feeling.

“So, this date,” he prompted, not moving back out of her space one millimeter.

She smiled, as if she’d forgotten what they’d been talking about before the kiss.

“Right.Well, I need a date, yes.But not just any date.It has to beyouand you have to be…”

“I’m in.What do I have to be?”There was no way in hell hewasn’tgoing to this wedding, and whatever else, with her.A chance to spend a fewdayswith her?Hell yes, he was in.

“You have to act like you’re crazy about me,” she said, softly.Almost sheepishly.

He laughed at that.“I think I can pull that off.”

She smiled, but said, “I mean, actually, seriously into me.Like we’ve got a relationship.Like we’ve been talking regularly over the past year.Like you’re…my…you know…”

“Your you know what?”He loved the blush on her cheeks and the way she was stumbling over her words.Victoria Kramer clearly didn’t realize that he’d do anything she needed him to do.

She blew out a breath.“My boyfriend.”

“Done.”Could he play her crazy-about-her boyfriend for a few days?Probably too well.

“Yeah?”She looked so sweet and adorable looking up at him as if he was her knight in shining armor.

“Fuck yeah.”He softened his voice too.“Tori, I’ve been thinking about you for almost ayear.I went to that barfour timeslast night.I’ve been pissed off and frustrated all damned day that I didn’t see you.I’ve mentally mapped out a route from here to Iowa.Even though I don’t even know where in Iowa you’re from.Iamfeeling crazy here, and I’d love to get to know you better, and if you’re here for the next fewdays, I’m right there with you.”

She seemed to need a moment to take all of that in, but she finally let out a breath, in obvious relief.“That’s…amazing.Thank you.”

“But…” he said, as everything sunk in and he was able to think about something other than how much he wanted to get her naked.Right now.“…why do I need to play the boyfriend-of-a-year role?I mean, I’m happy to,” he added.“But sounds like there’s more to this story.”

She nodded.And winced.“There is.”

“Is there an ex who’s going to be there or something?”Oh yeah, he’d love that.He’d be happy to show some loser that he never should have let her go…and keep himfarfrom her over the next few days.

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