Page 49 of Terms + Conditions
“I know my cousin,” I say to Elizabeth. “He needs a break. It’s been six years since Aunt Evie died and…I don’t think he’s come up for air since.”
Elizabeth sucks in her bottom lip, chewing on the thought. If anyone should understand something like that, it’s her. Standing from the chair, she sighs and shakes her head, done with the conversation.
“You love Nick. Why do you care if he’s the person Nina decides to ask?”
“She already decided to ask him.”
I wonder if MJ knows. Who am I kidding? Of course she knows.
“Isn’t it better for her to take someone we all know instead of some random guy off the street?”
“Joshua Davis, are you a secret romantic?”
“It’s not a secret, Sugar,” I say with a wink, and she rolls her eyes, but I can see the blush rising in her cheeks.
“You’re pretty confident Nick will say yes.” Elizabeth shrugs, leaning back into the chair a little further. “Maybe you don’t know your cousin as well as you think.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You and I both know Nick would never go along with something like this. Lying to the family, betraying that trust…You know how much family means to him. That’s why you never told him aboutourlittle arrangement.”
“Legally, I’m not allowed to.”
“Well, you could if you wanted to. I wouldn’t mind. Out of anyone, Nick would be the only person I’d trust to keep his mouth shut. But we can’t risk anyone screwing this up for either of us. Then again, you have a lot more to lose than I do.” The smirk on her red lips makes my stomach churn. It’s true, I do have a lot more to lose, and I cannot let anyone screw this up. If the truth comes out, I risk losing everything. I risk losing Elizabeth.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
THEN
July 2019
THE COFFEE TABLE IS littered with various invitation sets, and we (she)mustpick one today, per the wedding planner, for the printer to get them done on time. We have a little over nine weeks until the big day. Truth be told, I thought Elizabeth had already done this and the invitations had been sent, but apparently, that was only the Save the Dates. Occasionally, she would hold up a set and ask my opinion, but she would only sigh and put it back on the table. The whole thing had become tiresome, but I don’t want to be one of those men who doesn’t support their bride-to-be in their planning endeavors, even if she doesn’t want my opinions. So, I was here to help…until I got a call from Nick.
I kiss the top of Elizabeth’s head, jumping off the couch at the opportunity to look at something, anything, that isn’t a wedding invitation.
“Thank God. I was starting to go cross-eyed staring at all those invitations,” I say, rubbing my eyes and walking out of the living room. “Not that I’m not glad to hear from you, but why are you calling me? I thought you were in Denver.”
“We are.” He sighs. Oh good, this sounds promising.
“Why are you calling me? Isn’t it like 9 a.m. There? You should still be in bed with yourgirlfriend. Liz said you guys are actually dating now.”
“Josh, listen—”
“How did that happen?”
“Josh!” Nick huffs on the other end of the line, mumbling afuck. “Josh, I-I think I fucked up.”
“What does that mean?” I practically trip over my feet, hearing the next words that come out of his mouth:We slept together. “I’m sorry, you what? You’ve only been dating for what, five minutes?”
“You’re one to talk.”
“I’m not judging. I’m just surprised. Really surprised, actually. First, you start dating for real, and now this…You always seemed so anti-Nina.” I scrub a hand down my face, trying to process this information. And then he tells me there’s more. “What do you meanmore?”
“Brina is sleeping with Lee.”
What the actual fuck?
“I beg your pardon. You’re going to have to repeat yourself. I swear you just said Brina is sleeping with Lee.”
