Page 44 of My Best Friend's Mardi Gras Wedding

But he’d told his family and all of the bar regulars all of that when he’d gone in for food—he had no idea if this cocktail party included real food or just little puffs with spinach in them—before heading to the plantation.

Not that they’d cared that he was annoyed.They all loved Tori—also within a very short period of knowing her, he noted—and wanted him to bring her back soon.

Which, of course, meant that he couldn’t.

If he brought her back, they’d for sure bring up diamond rings.

Maybe even one ofthediamond rings.Yes, in his family, there were several meaningful wedding rings that had been passed down through the generations.Of course there were.

There was no doubt in his mind that someone would bring up how his great-grandfather had proposed to his great-grandmother after getting a letter from her intended for someone else, writing three more letters back and forth, and hitching rides all the way to Savannah to meet her.Yep, the first time he ever saw her in person, he proposed.That was definitely one oftherings.

Josh shoved a hand through his hair.

Hell, he wasn’t surehewas going back to Autre any time soon.Mitch was covering for him on tours for the next few days, and his mother was going to be so pissed when they all told her that not only had they met “the girl” that he’d been distracted about for the past several months, but that they’d had an hour of time with her.

Truthfully, he’d love to introduce Tori to his mom.But that was serious.He didn’t introduce women to his family.Because, well, the wedding bells in their brains and stuff.

So yeah, hanging outawayfrom Autre and datingTori—at least kind of—without his family debating iftheirwedding should be in his mother’s garden or in the Autre Community Church, would be great.

He definitely hoped he had a bed at Buckworth.With a certain gorgeous brunette from Iowa next to him.All night long.

And that was the thought that made him finally open his truck door and head toward the huge front entrance to the plantation in spite of the fact that Tori hadn’t answered hisI’m heretext yet.

An honest-to-God doorman in a tuxedo opened the main door for him, and Josh stepped into the foyer of one of the oldest and grandest plantations in Louisiana.

There was, appropriately, a sweeping staircase directly in front of him and a chandelier hanging overhead.Huge rooms opened off to either side, both full of people.One side had hors d’oeuvres laid out and the other had a live jazz band playing.The atmosphere was fun and lively with a sophisticated edge.

Josh ran a hand over the jacket and button-down shirt he wore.He could dress up.At Bourbon O he’d worn dress shirts and slacks every night.He was happy that Trahan’s dress code was more relaxed.And certainly the gators and tourists didn’t expect suit jackets.But he had one and he didn’t mind wearing it.Once in a while.If it was to play doting boyfriend to a sweet girl from Iowa, then yeah, he’d even put on a tie.

But he had to admit that he was a little disappointed now that he was staying in the foyer of the plantation house.He’d been envisioning a romance movie scene with Tori standing at the top of the stairs, waiting for him, giving him a dazzling smile as she ascended the steps gracefully to where he stood, slack-jawed, awed by how gorgeous she looked.Then he’d take her hand, dip her back, and kiss her, making sure every single person in this house saw it.

A romance movie scene required a heroine though.And Tori was nowhere to be seen.

Josh blew out a breath.He’d gotten here.He hadn’t thought beyond this point.

“Well, hi.”

Josh turned to see a beautiful blonde smiling up at him.

He couldn’t help his own smile.Pretty girls did that to him.“Hi.”

“Please tell me that you’re groomsman number four,” she said.

Josh shook his head.“Sorry, no.”

She pouted.“Dang.I’m supposed to walk down the aisle with him and he hasn’t shown up yet.”

“Sorry to disappoint you.”

She smiled and moved in closer.“I’m Courtney.”

“Josh.He’ll be bummed when he realizes that he missed out on getting to know you ahead of time,” Josh said.Yeah, he was flirting.But he didn’t mean it.It was just a natural reflex.

“Hi, Josh.Maybe I’m not as disappointed as I was a minute ago.”

He laughed.“Well, thanks, but I’m here with someone.”

Now the pout looked a lot more genuine.“Really?Who?”

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