Page 48 of My Best Friend's Mardi Gras Wedding

“Tori is just this person who…doesn’t want more.For herself or for him.”

“What do you mean?”Tori was a veterinarian.She was clearly bright, and anyone who loved animals got big points with him.Plus his family had loved her.Paisley made Tori sound unmotivated.Or something.

“She’s comfortable for him.She likes things back home just as they are.She’s not looking for anything new or bigger.Where they come from, everyone meets someone in kindergarten, goes to prom with them, marries them, has three kids, and farms their dad’s farm.”

Wow.It was really clear how Paisley felt about all of that.“You’re afraid he’s gonna bail on you, Paisley?”Josh asked.“Really?You think he’s getting cold feet now that Tori’s here?”That caused a strange twist in Josh’s gut.

“I think she represents everything easy and familiar to him.”

“His parents don’t represent that?Going back to visit his hometown doesn’t make him feel that way?”

She shrugged.“For some reason, not the way she does.”

“And you think deep down he wants easy and familiar?”Josh didn’t like the sound of that.Not only because he meant Andrew might want Tori, at least on some level, but because Tori should be more than easy and familiar to whoever she was with.

Though, he had to admit, familiar, comfortable, reassuring were all good things too.Things that meanthome.And yes, he did want the womanhewent home to at the end of the day to be those things.

“I think he’s nervous.I challenge him,” Paisley said, lifting her chin.“I believe he can do amazing things.I’ve pushed him.He deserves someone who will help him aspire to greater things.But, just like any challenge in life, sometimes it’s a little scary and it’s tempting to fall back on what you know.Tori is…like a teddy bear or a pair of worn-out slippers to him,” Paisley said.“Comforting.Broken in.She doesn’t demand anything of him.But she doesn’t see all the things he can accomplish.”

A teddy bear or a worn-out pair of slippers.Okay, well, that was a pretty clear stance on things.“Tori deserves to be more than someone’s…slippers,” Josh said.

“I agree.”

He wasn’t sure Paisley cared one whit about Tori, but he wasn’t going to argue.They were on the same side here.Tori and Andrew weren’t good enough for one another.

“So you need to be sure she’s otherwise occupied during these days before the wedding so that Andrew sees that she’s fine and doesn’t feel compelled to spend a lot of time with her or really even think about her much,” Paisley said.“I’ll keep him focused on our wedding and our future together.We’ll get married next Saturday and then Tori can go back to Iowa and Andrew can move on with his life.”

Wow, that was cold.Paisley clearly didn’t expect Tori and Andrew to be a part of each other’s lives going forward.Was she right that they were friends just because there hadn’t been a lot of other options in their little town, or were they tight the way Tori believed?Josh had no idea.But he did know that keeping Tori occupied for the next several days sounded like a hell of an idea.Regardless of his feelings for Tori, Andrew was getting married and he needed to have his attention on Paisley.If he was getting cold feet, well, he needed to figure that shit out.And that was on him to work through.Not Tori.And certainly not Josh.

“I’m in,” he said.

“Good,” Paisley said, almost seeming as if she’d expected his cooperation.

Josh fought a smile.He wondered how often, if ever, people told Paisley no.

“You are hereby invited to any and all wedding activities,” she said.“Standing invitation to be wherever Tori is.”

“Sounds perfect to me.”It really did.He didn’t give two shits about Andrew.But he did care about Tori, and being enemy number one of the bride was not going to be a very fun place to be for her.Josh could make that all better.

“And speak of the devils,” Paisley said, focusing on something behind Josh.“I swear, that’s the last time they go off alone together.”

Josh turned to find Tori and Andrew coming into the ballroom together.Tori looked dazzling.She was the one pop of color in a roomful of black and white and dark blues and purples.Everyone was wearing a dark suit or a dress in a dark color.Tori’s red dress with the sequins that caught the light and sparkled looked like a jewel.

Andrew was stopped by a cluster of people in the doorway.He smiled and shook hands, looking like the perfect host.Tori, on the other hand, frowned and tugged at the waistline of her dress as if adjusting something uncomfortable.

Josh took a step in that direction, but Paisley put her hand on his arm, stopping him.“He’ll be over in a minute.”

Right.The princess didn’t go to people.They came to her.

And sure enough, Andrew was already extracting himself from his guests and starting for Paisley.He left Tori behind, adjusting the neckline of her dress and looking like she was trying to itch a spot between her breasts without anyone noticing.Well, Josh was noticing because he wasn’t taking his eyes off of her.For the next fewdays.

Josh started in her direction again.He didn’t care how Andrew and Paisley worked.Hewas going toTori.He passed Andrew on his way to her and didn’t even make eye contact with the other man.He was leaving Andrew in Paisley’s hands now.

Tori saw him when he got halfway across the room.Her face broke into a huge smile and Josh felt his heart thunk hard against his sternum.That was all he needed to see.If he could keep that look on her face through all this wedding stuff and weirdness with Andrew and Paisley, then he’d feel like he’d done a very good thing.

“Hey,” he said, not stopping until he was standing as close as Andrew had been.And there was no alcove or shadows hiding them.

“Hi.”

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