Chapter Twenty-Three
Josh
Josh unraveled his gray striped tie and again attempted the perfect knot. He was growing frustrated with the tedious task. What would normally take him less than a minute was now turning into five. He stared at his reflection in the mirror and watched his fingers at work.
Finally satisfied, he pulled on his suit jacket, adjusted his collar and walked over to the nightstand next to the king-sized bed to retrieve the gifts for the baby. The quilt was neatly wrapped in blue tissue paper and placed in a matching gift bag. He reached for his gift and removed the tiny box lid. Josh stared at the medal. He hoped Carina’s friends would like it. He turned the medal over and read the inscription.
“What does it say?”
He hadn’t heard her emerge from the adjoining bathroom. The medal had distracted him. But when he looked up and saw Carina standing in the middle of their hotel room next to the plush bed, he instantly forgot what he was doing. Although her black dress was simple and appropriate for church, she was still achingly beautiful.
Friends.
That was what they had agreed to be yesterday. But the second she had stepped foot in his car this morning, smiling at him, looking gorgeous, while handing him a Wawa coffee, he knew he was in trouble. Which was why he had clammed up and no longer resembled the man who had showed up at her work, sat on that park bench, and made that stupid proposal. How the hell did he think he could be friends with this woman?
“Is it too personal?” she asked.
He shook himself awake and tried to focus on her question. “No, not at all.” Josh handed her the medal.
She caressed the medal with her fingertips. “It was very thoughtful of you to get this for Connor.” She flipped the medal over and read the inscription: “May He keep you safe on your journey.”
It was short but to the point and exactly what he wanted for Carina’s friends’ baby. “Think Carly and Parker will like it?”
Carina returned the medal to the box and looked at him. Her eyes were brimming with tears. “They’ll love it,” she said, handing the box back to him.
It wasn’t his intention to bring her to tears, but her sudden display of emotion over his present moved him. The feeling was foreign to him and he didn’t know how to respond. Thankfully, she saved him. “We should head to the church. Luckily, it’s within walking distance.” She turned and retrieved her wrap from the chair. “And then we’re due back here at the hotel’s Garden Room for the reception.”
Josh wanted to know what exactly had brought on the tears, but he also didn’t want to upset her further. “Shall we?” he asked, holding out his hand. She took his hand without hesitation. He loved how her hand felt in his.
A little too much.
***
Carina
“I’m so happy you could make it!” Carly exclaimed.
The new mother darted across the vestibule and embraced Carina. Josh’s hand, however, never left the small of her back, even while she was being greeted by Carly. She loved how safe she felt with him, how he claimed her as his while they were out in public…while he was pretending to belong to her. She had to keep reminding herself that this was all an illusion. Because it was so easy and dangerous to close her eyes and imagine that the man at her side wanted to be here in some other capacity, not just her pretend boyfriend…or her friend.
“Me too!” Carina said, hugging her friend. “Where is that little man of yours?”
“Parker has him. They’re having a man-to-man chat right now. Parker’s preparing him for the dunking he is about to get,” Carly said.
Carina giggled at the image that formed in her mind. She pictured Parker holding his infant son and warning him that his peaceful slumber might be broken by a priest pouring cool holy water over his head.
Carly shared in her laughter, but it ceased when she took notice of the hand on Carina’s lower back. Carina felt guilty lying, especially in a church of all places, but she had come this far and somewhere amongst the congregation sat the man who had forced her to create the lie. “Carly, this is my boyfriend, Josh.”
Carly smiled and shook Josh’s hand. “Thank you for coming and celebrating this special day with us.”
“Thank you for having me,” Josh said, smiling.
Carly looked back at Carina but this time there was a twinkle in her eye and a mischievous little grin on her face. Carina knew that her friend was probably dying to know who this Josh was and how they had met. But that would have to wait. Church bells sounded, signaling that the ceremony was about to begin.
“Well, we’re going to grab our seats. Talk more at the reception?” Carina asked.
Carly gave Carina a quick squeeze and whispered, “Most definitely.”
Carina watched Carly filter into the church with the rest of the guests. Carina’s hand was suddenly encased by Josh’s. She looked up and took him in. Dressed in a suit and tie and flashing her a smile that caused her heart to skip, he was gorgeous and hers…for tonight, anyway. “Thank you, Josh.”
He stared at her and she was instantly lost in those haunting blues. While in her stupor, he leaned in and gave her a quick but gentle kiss on the lips. “You don’t need to thank me for being here, Carina.”
Still feeling drunk from the intimate gesture, Carina allowed him to lead her into the church. Once inside, they found their seats and waited with approximately one hundred and fifty friends and family. It didn’t take long for Carina to locate Eric, though he was seated on the other side of the church. Despite the distance between them, Carina could see the hatred in his eyes. Carina hoped he recognized that the feeling was mutual.
“How does Ross know Carly and Parker?” Josh asked, following Carina’s gaze.
“Parker was Eric’s roommate in college. In other words, Eric has more of a right to be here than I do,” she said. Carina remembered how touched she had been that Carly and Parker still wanted to remain friends with her despite her breakup with Eric. Maybe deep down they knew what kind of man Eric was, the monster he hid from the world. But then again, maybe they had no clue. Maybe Eric Ross was just that good at deceiving people. Carina couldn’t picture Parker wanting to associate with Eric if he knew what he was capable of. And there was no way Parker would want Carly, his sweet and accepting wife, within five feet of that piece of filth.
“You have every right to be here,” Josh said, branding Eric with his heated glare. The stare-down was interrupted by the opening hymn and for the next hour all attention was given to the miracle baby and two proud and deserving parents.