Page 35 of This Means War

I wince. The moment of truth. I know I told Cole he had to be the one to tell Josh, but now that Josh is standing here in front of me, clearly against even the idea of the two of us as a couple, I’m wondering if we should tell him at all. Maybe we should just wait until Cole’s campaign picks up speed and thenews reels start circulating information about us as a couple. Yes, that sounds good. Josh can read about his childhood best friend shacking up with his sister on his phone’s newsfeed. And I in turn can mute all of his subsequent calls and texts. Yay for technology! I eye Cole, hoping he’s on the same wavelength as me about all of this.

“What am I doing here with your little sister?” Cole repeats, looking at me as if I can telepathically provide him with the correct answer to this question. Which, admittedly, I was just attempting to do.

“Yeah,” Josh slides his hands into his front pockets like he’s got all the time in the world. “That’s what I said.”

“Funny you should I ask,” I jut in, but before I can add to this Cole’s phone rings. He grabs it out of his pocket and, without even looking at the screen, mutters something about having to take this call.Coward!I want to shout after him, but that wouldn’t help my current situation. With Cole gone, Josh has fixed his disapproving stare on me.

“Lydia, I don’t know what’s going on with you and Cole, but whatever it is, it stops today.”

I bristle, annoyed at his domineering words. “Excuse me, but you’re not in charge of my life.”

“So there is something going on.” His eyes narrow. “I knew it as soon as I walked up and saw you two mooning over each other.”

“What?” I snap. “We were not mooning over each other. Who even says mooning? What are you 80?”I pause, trying to stop myself from asking this next question but it comes bursting out anyway. “Wait, you think Cole was mooning over me?”

“Mooning over you? What’re you 80?” Josh retorts back. We stare angrily at each other for a beat, then he sighs, raking his hand through his hair. “I’m just worried about you, sis. I know you’ve always had a crush on him, so maybe that’s blinding you to the truth.” He meets my gaze to deliver this truth he’s referencing. “He’s going to end up hurting you, Lydia, just like he did when you were kids. He’s not a bad guy, but he’s always been in love with Ashley. Remember the spin the bottle game?”

I can hear my heart pounding in my ears it’s going so fast. I close my eyes against the rush of memories I’m accosted with at his words. The crushing disappointment I felt when Cole refused to kiss me. All the subsequent years of being teased because of those two words he threw at me so casually.

“Of course, I remember,” I whisper.

“Then what are you doing with him?” Josh’s voice is gentler now. He reaches over and touches me on the arm. “It’s the same three people, Lydia. What makes you think it’ll have a different outcome?”

My chest tightens in panic, and I feel tears well in my eyes. Stupid pregnancy. I never used to be this weepy. I swipe at the tears, and Josh’s hand falls back down to his side with a resounding slap.

“Lydia, what’s that on your finger?”

Instantly my tears dry as self-preservation takesover. He’s going to kill me.

I’ll just have to tell him about the twins to stop him. Surely he won’t be okay with committing triple homicide.

Of course then he’ll know about the pregnancy. And that’s definitely not ideal.

Alternatively, I could attempt to distract him.

This choice wins out easily.

“What’d you say?” I whip my hand back down and stuff it into the front pocket of my sweatshirt.

“Why is there a ring on your finger, Lydia?” Josh’s jaw clenches. “Tell me that doesn’t mean what I think it means.”

“He was supposed to tell you, not me!” The defensive words wail out of me like the two of us are kids again, and I’m hoping to get out of a time-out.

“You’re engaged? He asked you to marry him, and you said yes?” He’s staring at me incredulously.

Cole chooses this moment to reappear, though as soon as he takes in the expression on Josh’s face he starts reaching for his phone.

“Oh no you don’t!” Josh steps close to him, so they’re only inches apart. “You’re staying right here until I figure out what kind of game you’re playing with my sister.” He jabs him in the chest.

“Woah, woah!” Cole holds his hands up in surrender, and I cringe as his own wedding band glints in the afternoon sunlight. Josh sees it too, and I start to worry he’s on the edge of an aneurysm.

“You married her!” Josh shouts, twin spots of rage appearing on his cheeks. “How? When? Why?”He scowls. “Please tell me this isn’t for your political career, Cole? Having a wife makes you more electable so you just found the first woman naive enough to say yes to you and made it happen!”

“Hey!” I start, but Cole cuts me off.

“That’s enough, Josh.” His tone is ice, all traces of apologetic meekness have vanished. “You’re not going to stand there and talk about Lydia that way. You’re way out of line!” Cole straightens to his full height and the effect is menacing. And hot. “You owe your sister an apology.”

Josh’s face turns even redder, but then his shoulders slump as his brain catches up to his angry emotions. “You’re right. I’m sorry, Lydia,” he says quietly. “I-I have to go.” Without another word, he turns and jogs off.

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